Tomahawk music shop rebuilds

PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

James E. Webb Musical Repair and Sales has been repaired since being partially destroyed by fire in February. (Citizen photo by Phill Barnett)

TOMAHAWK — The James E. Webb Music Repair and Sales building has been mostly repaired since being partially destroyed by fire in February. The Tomahawk business has been a staple of the community since opening, selling and repairing instruments and accessories and hosting the annual Stidham Old Time Music Gathering. 

The building itself has been a mainstay on Milo Creek even longer. Before James E. Webb opened his music shop in 1972, the building served as the Stidham post office and as a general store.

“It was a community center back then,” said Webb, a former teacher and principal at Tomahawk and Inez Elementary School.

The building was built around 1948 and served as a Post Office before zip codes or mailboxes were in widespread use and continued operation until 1955.

“One of my fondest memories of this place is Baskin Mills delivering the mail on horseback,” said Webb.

During its time as a music shop, the store has seen a cavalcade of country and old-time musicians passing through. Jesse Wells, Don Rigsby and Tommy Webb (no relation) are just a few of the numerous well-known musicians to have shopped or gotten an instrument repaired at the shop. Jim Booth and Wayne Andrews, former president of Morehead State University, and many other notable public figures have also stopped by the shop.

On Feb. 10, Webb received a phone call around 7 p.m. telling him the shop was on fire. By the time Webb arrived at his shop, the Inez Volunteer Fire Department had already arrived at the scene. The Fire Department managed to quench the flames in time to save Webb’s collection of handmade instruments, parts and accessories, but not before the fire wreaked thousands of dollars worth of damage to the ceiling and upper story of the building. Webb was forced to close his doors until repairs could be made.

James E. Webb stands in his newly repaired shop. The walls are lined with posters, photos, instruments and parts. There are as many stories in his shop as there are things on the wall. (Citizen photo by Phill Barnett)

“Due to the quick response, I think they saved the shop,” Webb told the Mountain Citizen. “If it had gotten any further along, there would have been no salvaging anything.” Instead, not a single instrument was destroyed in the fire.

Webb’s family started a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of repairing the building. The GoFundMe has raised $5,363 of its $30,000 goal as of this writing. The biggest donors to the cause include an anonymous donor who gave $2,500 to the cause and Senora Childers, who donated $1,000 to help repair the building.

Webb has contracted Ricky Crum and his crew to make the repairs to the building. Though the repairs are now complete, Webb will not be opening the shop up full-time just yet. 

“It’ll be some time yet,” said Webb. “My son is going to run the shop part-time.”

Instrument repair and a love of music started in the family with Webb’s father, and Webb, in turn, passed his interests on to his children and grandchildren.

Webb’s son, James L. Webb, has followed in his father’s footsteps. The younger Webb innovates on the traditional techniques using a computer-operated CNC machine to cut small and intricate details needed for repairing stringed instruments. 

The Stidham Old Time Music Gathering, which typically meets at the James E. Webb shop, was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. This year’s gathering was also canceled due to the fire and continued concerns surrounding COVID. 

“Hopefully, next year, we’ll have the Gathering going if COVID doesn’t get out of hand,” said Webb.

James E. Webb is often found sitting in his old wicker rocking chair in the shop. If the door’s open, come on in and listen to all the stories his old shop has to offer.

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