'Everyone has a Magpie Music story': Store to close after 30 years supporting community

Not only has the Bega shop been a place to buy items like your favourite new album on CD (or cassette, depending on the decade), its owners Liz and Keith Broomfield are long-time supporters of the community, whether it be fundraisers or events such as the Cobargo Folk Festival.

Its school of music is where some of the Bega Valley's most acclaimed musicians had lessons, including Daniel Champagne, Kim Churchill, Heath Cullen, Corey Legge and more, and where others such as Lucie Thorne and Melanie Horsnell have taught.

"Everyone has a Magpie story," Liz said.

"From their first lesson, or buying their first guitar or CD."

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While the music school is continuing to go strong, with about 220 students walking into the upstairs music rooms each week, Liz and Keith have made the difficult decision to close the ground-level retail shop.

"What I'm going to miss is the characters," Liz said.

"We've had some wonderful customers really, that's the beauty of it.

"And not doing two days the same, every day is different."

She and Keith took over from Tony and Marianne Haid 13-and-a-half years ago, in what she described as "a lifestyle choice" and while the business model has remained similar she said times had changed since then.

"We now have a whole generation who comes home from work, sits down and orders online and that's life - you can't change that," she said.

"We're really happy we had that long.

"We are sad in a way because we put an awful lot of effort into it, but we've got to acknowledge this generational change and how the same model doesn't suit it; and that's reality."

They said competing against larger, online retailers was extremely difficult and while they had tried online sales it had not worked out as they could not provide the variety that their larger competitors did, although Keith did add this reason for having to close the business was "only part of the story".

"I also think there is only so much disposable income in the area at the moment, because of the drought," Liz said.

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She was proud of all the music school's students, either those that had gone on to achieve - in some cases international - success as well as those that played for their own enjoyment.

"It's a whole generation of people who can use music as a release," she said.

"It's not only the ones that can do well, it's the ones that can use music every day."

"We really, really believe children having music in their lives benefit so much," Keith said.

"It is just so good for their brain and cognitive development."

To farewell the shop, in January a concert called Farewell Your Magpie was held, featuring music by its past students such as Daniel Champagne and Corey Legge and other local bands like The Hoops and The Figmentz.

"All of the musicians gave recognition to the service Magpie Music has given to the community for over 30 years," Keith said.

Once the retail store closes Liz will run the Magpie School of Music and Keith will teach there, as they "believe education is the future", and the shop's repairs section will still operate.

To book in a music lesson or repairs, call 6492 3533.