New Red Bank Music Store To Open On Saturday

RED BANK, NJ — Long-time musician Michael Nicosia chose Red Bank to create the music store that he's always longed to shop at himself and dreamt of one day owning.

Starting on Saturday, Relic Music will be open for business. Described as an "instrument boutique," the store will have a variety of amplifiers, effects pedals and other gear. It will also host events like guitar and pedal demos.

Nicosia wants it to be a place where people can wander around, experiment with sounds and, if need be, ask questions without feeling pressured or intimidated.

The 42-year-old has played in bands since his teenage years. His music journey started when it rained for a whole week. Unable to skateboard outside, he decided to pick up his little brother's guitar.

"I've been hooked ever since," Nicosia told Patch.

The self-processed gear head has always been particularly fascinated by the equipment. For example, he would try to figure out"why does this band sound different than this one."

"You could have 15 different pedals that are supposed to perform the same function that all sound totally different because of the types of parts used, because of the types of circuit. It's almost like an organic life form in a way," he said.

One day he came across a Memory Man pedal.

"The first time that I heard it, that was like someone unlocking a door and showing me a whole other universe. I haven't been the same since," Nicosia said. "The equipment side of it was what made me obsessed."

Likewise, he wants to help people find their relic.

"That one piece that can make all the difference, that you'll treasure for the rest of your life," he said.

A Jackson native, Nicosia now lives in Ocean Township. He used to travel to Red Bank to visit music stores that no longer exist, including Monmouth Music, which closed a few years ago. He remembers a time when there were "three thriving music stores" in town, including a small vintage one, tucked away in the same building where his store is now located.

"I've love always loved this town. I've always found it to be really great in terms of culture. I loved to shop at Monmouth music when I was younger," he said. "The business community here at Monmouth Street they're unbelievable people. I've made such good friends with so many of them."

New Relic is located at 13 Monmouth Street.

Nicosia said that if not for the pandemic somebody else would have already opened another music store in town.

According to the musician, it had both a positive and a negative effect. On one side, it made more people take up music as a hobby, therefore increasing the demand for instruments. However, it took a toll on inventory and supply chain, because of issues like lack of truck drivers and imports getting held up.

More recently, things have started to normalize, he added.

In terms of equipment, the store will have both household names and a curated selection of other instrument and amplifier makers that Nicosia believes "deserve more of the spotlight." That includes brands like brands like BiLT, Dunable, Nash and Fano, among others.

Nicosia said for your tone is a neverending journey.

"There’s never a finish line with this," he said. "The journey is the most important thing. We want to help people have fun as they’re doing that."