Long & McQuade: A ‘Second Roaring ’20s’

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In the mid-1950s, Toronto-based trumpeter Jack Long was tired of playing gigs almost daily. With only a book about business and the help of drummer Jack McQuade, Long opened his first music store at the edge of York Village, on the second floor of a Carlton Street home.

The explosion of rock and roll in the Sixties and York Village’s bustling music scene put Long & McQuade in a perfect financial position to expand across the province and into Quebec. Today, it’s one of the most successful music store chains in Canada, with over 100 locations.

Jack Long (Photo provided)

The business has changed a lot since the start of the pandemic, according to Jack’s son and the current owner, Jeff Long. Through this period, they were forced to pivot away from rentals. As a result, they started selling more instruments and podcast equipment online. Digital sales have now become a crucial part of the business.

“The web business increased fivefold overnight,” Long says. “You can go to our website, place an order, and have it delivered or picked up from one of our stores. We’re a true omni-channel.”

As the challenges of the pandemic wind down, he says his team has jokingly referred to the resurgence of the music industry as a “second Roaring ’20s.”

Andre Arsenault worked at Long & McQuade’s Vancouver location for 17 years before becoming the manager of the Laval, Que., location in 2015. He says that before the pandemic, he often heard people talk about wanting to learn an instrument, but never finding the time. These same people have now been flocking to the store since 2020.

“People are finding different ways to produce themselves (on) YouTube, and it doesn’t cost a penny. All the tools (available) now are incredible,” Arsenault says.

Arsenault says he’s become friends with professional musicians like April Wine, Keith Scott, John McLaughlin, and Colin James in the process of helping them find the right high-end instruments. He’s also sold products to actors like Wesley Snipes and Kurt Russell. He finds it equally rewarding, however, to help beginners find the instruments of their dreams.

“Whether it’s your first $150 acoustic guitar or you’re buying a custom shop that costs $20,000, I offer the same service,” Arsenault says. “It’s not about who you are or what you do. It’s about giving the right instruments to people.”