Steve's Music Store To Auction Its Remaining Gear in Online Auction

Steve's Music Store is turning the page on its final chapter.

Continental Auctioneers has announced that it will be hosting a two-day auction on July 22 and 23, selling all of the remaining gear from Steve's Music Store. The beloved Canadian music store announced last week that it was closing its final physical location on Montreal's Sainte-Catherine Street, bringing an end to a 61-year legacy for one of the city's landmark local businesses.

Steve's was a go-to stop for all music lovers, from children buying their first instrument to established musicians and DJs looking to upgrade their professional gear. As part of the liquidation auction, the public will have the chance to bid for over 2,000 lots of musical instruments, professional audio equipment, recording gear, DJ equipment and more. As part of this "everything must go" sale, the store will also be getting rid of its remaining furniture and fixtures,

"Auctions of this caliber don't happen often," says Michael Akkibrityan , co-owner of Continental Auctioneers. "Whether you're a musician, recording studio, school, church, collector, reseller, or simply looking for exceptional value, this auction represents a unique opportunity to purchase quality equipment from one of Canada's most recognized names in music."

Steve's Music Store was a Canadian staple. Founded in 1965 by Steve Kirman with an inaugural location on Saint-Antoine Street (formerly Craig Street) in Montreal, the music shop grew over the years and expanded nationwide with five locations in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, the latter home to its iconic Queen Street West location. Back in February, all of Steve's physical stores except for the Sainte-Catherine flagship closed permanently due to a restructuring of the business. The move was made with the intent of shifting towards online commerce, following a "significant disruption across the sector" and the repercussions of the post-Covid economy.

Following Kirman's passing in 2012, his son Mike took over the business, and he celebrated a remarkable 60 years of the store's operations last year.

“We didn’t just sell guitars, drums, keyboards, or sheet music. We witnessed dreams’ beginning,” Mike Kirman wrote in an online statement announcing the closure, which previously appeared on the store's website. “The decision to close comes with a heavy heart, but also with overwhelming gratitude. Thank you for trusting us with your musical journeys. Thank you for letting our store be a place where creativity lived, where inspiration struck, and where community thrived.”

A public inspection of the lots and items will be open to the public on July 21 from 8 am to 4 pm. All items will be available online from July 22 to 23, via Continental Auctioneers' website, giving music lovers one last opportunity to own a piece of one of Montreal's most historic businesses.

"From the bottom of our hearts—thank you for making Steve’s Music Store a home," Kirman concluded in the store's closing statement.