Photo Courtesy of the Rock Shop

For The Rock Shop owner, Dylan Kelehan, music is all about making connections. He got the idea for the shop during the pandemic when the Pink Floyd tribute band he was touring with, The Machine, had to cancel all of its shows.

“It was bleak,” Kelehan said. “I was sitting around watching all of my savings dissipate, and an idea struck me like lightning. The government was starting to allow non-essential businesses to open up and I figured that a music store would help people connect with other people and music while they were mostly stuck at home. I had been working in music stores since my early 20s and knew that if I were to be successful, I’d need business partners. After an extensive search, I found Caroline and Jeff Spindel. With them joining what turned out to be a perfect team, along with the help of our family and friends, we were able to launch The Rock Shop.”

Photo Courtesy of the Rock Shop

The Rock Shop opened at its original Main Street location in December 2020 when many businesses were being forced to shutter. After a little over two years in town, the business grew and the shop moved in March 2023 to its current home at 98 Main Street featuring 2,500 square feet and eight different rock band themed lesson rooms. The store offers music lessons, instrument rentals, instrument and accessory sales, as well as  instrument, amplifier, speaker, and turntable repair. They also feature rooms both large and small for individuals or larger ensembles to rent for rehearsing.

When asked about his background, the first thing Kelehan says is that he is a full-time father and husband. Thus, it should come as no surprise that The Rock Shop is all about helping families – adults and kids alike – add meaning to their lives through music.

Photo Courtesy of the Rock Shop

“I’m a firm believer that music lessons help with cognitive development and maintenance,” Kelehan says. “I truly think everyone should have music in their lives. Myself and my business partners are reasonable and respectful people. We love our customers and offer compassionate and knowledgeable customer service experiences. No cookie cutter lesson plans. Everyone is different. Everyone learns in different ways. We do our best to cater our lesson plans to the individual.”

Kelehan’s business partner, Jeff Spindel, has an extensive career in working with special needs people is a passionate supporter of individualized lesson plans.

“When the student doesn’t learn in the way we teach then we must teach in a way that the student will learn.” Spindel says. “Dylan is a visionary, and together with his passion, my obsession with caution, and Caroline’s business savvy and loving nature with our clients The Rock Shop has and will continue to be a growing success story.”

Photo Courtesy of the Rock Shop

The Rock Shop also expressed gratitude for their talented teaching staff, stating that “they comprise the core of our success and are friends who we have known for years and are working musicians. We also welcome new teachers to join our family as we continue to grow.”

So why Nyack? For Kelehan, the answer is obvious.

“Nyack is a hub for the arts,” he says. “We had a few music studios but nothing that was community-friendly. At The Rock Shop, we’re trying to build community and relationships through music and the arts.”

Looking forward, The owners  of The Rock Shop see all kinds of creative endeavors on the horizon. We hope to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people. We hope to establish a fundraiser in the future so the store can have scholarships for families who may not be able to afford lessons.

To learn more about upcoming events and promotions, you can follow The Rock Shop on its social media outlets – @therockshopnyack (Instagram) and The Rock Shop (Facebook)

The Rock Shop’s recitals will take place on December 3^rd.