Written by Ben Cox – The name Jodie Armstrong is synonymous to Brownwood residents with the word music. Not only has she “sung in so many bands (she) can’t tell you all of them,” she runs Brownwood Music, the town’s lone holdout music store.
In the days of online shopping, Brownwood Music stands as a testament to the people running brick-and-mortar stores, and the time-honored tradition of getting to know your customers. Armstrong has operated the store since the late 90’s, and enjoys seeing her former students bringing their children into the store to bang on the drums or strum on a guitar.
Fresh with renovations, provided in part by the grant-matching incentive offered by the Brownwood Municipal Development District, the front as well as the inside of the store have a cleaner, fresh look. The renovations include new lighting, a new awning, repairs to the recording studio in the back of the store, as well as expansion to the upstairs of the building so they can offer more classrooms for music lessons.
The awning was in need of replacement after severe damage from a wind storm last year. The lighting was more of a “warehouse style lighting” and not very flattering to the displays of instruments. New track lighting gives a softer, more focused look to the showroom.
The renovations also allowed for the opening of a new store in an adjoining building that had previously been unusable after vandals had damaged windows and animals got in and took over. Named for her father, Armstrong is very proud of Hunter’s Memories & Antiques and hopes it becomes another well known name in downtown Brownwood retail.
Armstrong is also proud of the store’s new website, which also allows online shopping but “keeps tax dollars in Brown County.” The website offers equipment and band instrument rental, as well as sheet music and instrument purchasing.
A former “wild child” of a performer, Armstrong now considers her life’s work more of a ministry than a job. From playing with groups in bars, to being a core member of a praise team for over 14 years at the same church, Armstrong has certainly seen more than her fair share of talent.
Quick to give credit to God, Armstrong says running the music store, and ministering to area musicians is who she is and what she loves, and she is proud to be able to do so without worrying about making a living. Armstrong says it is about “selling a guitar…to a 9 year old little boy or girl (who) might five years from now walk in and be another Hayden Chapman,” citing a local musician she has watched grow into an accomplished musician from the early stages.
“Musicians are family” to Armstrong, and she plans to continue her work for many years to come, offering a place for artists to come and chat, record some work, and learn a little from “Aunt Jodie.”
