Robb Todd had always dreamed of opening his own music store. A local musician for nearly 15 years, Todd wanted to offer something that no one else in town was.

“A lot of places now are just straight out retail,” Todd said. “Nobody does a lot of trading.”

So, on Jan. 8, Todd opened R&R Music, located on 1910 Opelika Rd. next to The Car Stereo Shop, as a place for musicians to play music and buy and trade instruments.

“I’m allowing these people to come in, do some trading and get something nice for a decent price,” he said.

R&R Music sells guitars, basses, amplifiers,drum kits, and sells and rents PA systems. They also carry Warwick basses, G&L and Hot Rod guitars.

One issue Todd emphasized is that he didn’t intend his store to be competition for stores such as The Guitar Shoppe.

“When you’re talking about competition you’re talking about two stores carrying the same stuff and competing for prices,” Todd said. “We’re two different stores carrying two different types of stuff. I mean, we carry the same type of stuff, but in totally different lines.”

Todd also said R&R Music is a family store with experienced help. He said one of the store’s biggest assets is Larry Rose who owned a music store in Phoenix City for almost 20 years.

Todd’s main goal for the store was to offer people a fun place to hang out and play music.

“Our philosophy is come in, have fun and hang out,” he said.

R&R Music’s grand opening is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 5.