Sam Ash Closing All Stores Nationwide, Begins Liquidation Sale

Iconic music retail chain Sam Ash has issued a statement announcing that, after 100 years in business, they are closing all stores nationwide.

On the retailer's website, the Ash family shared, "It is with a heavy heart that we announce that effective May 2nd, 2024, all Sam Ash Music Store locations will begin store closing sales. This unfortunate news also presents a fantastic opportunity for great deals across our premium selection of musical instruments & pro sound equipment. We will also be offering specials on samash.com during this time. Thank you for allowing us to serve musicians like you for 100 years."

READ MORE: 11 Best MTV Shows That Were Actually About Music

About Sam Ash

Samuel Ashkynase, born in 1897 in Austra-Hungary, immigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1907 and continued to grow up in Brooklyn, New York.

A violinist and teacher, he and his wife Rose Dinin opened the first Sam Ash Music Store location in 1924. The business weathered the Great Depression and gradually grew by serving a local community's school music programs by providing sheet music and, eventually, carrying an assortment of instruments.

Later, the store also grew to accommodate record sales, further diversifying revenue streams.

Ashkynase died of a heart attack in 1956. By 1961, the company's brass made the decision to expand the business by opening the first additional Sam Ash stores in surrounding areas.

Successive generations carried on running the business and, in March of this year, announced that 18 stores across the country would be closing. Now, the remaining 27 will cease operations in the coming months.

Find a Sam Ash Near You

Currently, there are 27 remaining Sam Ash locations. To pay them one last visit, head to the Store Locator on their website and find the one closest to you.

Testament's Alex Skolnick Pays Tribute to Sam Ash

Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick has long frequented Sam Ash for his music needs. On Instagram, he laments the "end of an era" and pays tribute:

End of an era. Such great memories as a longtime customer. Sad to hear this. Thanks @samashmusic for hosting me at few Master Classes a few years back and especially to @samashmusic_nyc staff for recovering several of my guitars and collaborating with NYPD to bust the jerk who stole them and tried to have them sold there on consignment (a storage unit employee who went to jail…Google: “Alex Skolnick” “Sam Ash” and “The New York Times” to read the story, one of my craziest since living in NYC). Thanks Sam Ash & co for the memories, they’re a part of who I am along with an untold number of musicians of multiple generations. I’ll be hanging on to every instrument, accessory, gig bag, method book, fake book, Real Book etc. purchased there over the years.