GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The recession couldn’t silence the Guitar Station. Neither could COVID-19 nor a five-month restoration of Walnut Street.

The music never died at the tiny shop that sells and fixes guitars, offers music lessons and has a unique selection of vinyl albums and rock memorabilia at 421 Walnut St. in the heart of the historic downtown shopping area.

Longtime friends Jim Correa and Curt Towne opened the store 24 years ago. They’ve been challenged, only to be guided by unwavering faith, support and knowledge that has expanded into another generation.

“We owe everything to God,” Towne said. “When we opened in 2002, some people thought a guitar store was a bit unusual. But we made it work. You know when we started, we had parents who brought their children in here. Now those children are bringing their children in here.”

A big reason Guitar Station survived their business lulls is people don’t unplug their instruments in bad times. In fact, they play them more often and turn the volume up.

And that often means strings must be changed and guitars need to be fixed.

“Here at the guitar station, we offer services as far as repairs and service work on instruments,” Correa said. “We also provide guitar lessons, which is not easy to get online. Repairs and service work on instruments aren’t easy to get online, either. There’s definitely competition with selling new and used instruments online. But for those who want to hold it in their hands, to hear it first or if they need to have it fixed, that’s why we’re here.”

Towne and Correa have a big selection of classic vinyl albums. They also have old posters and other memorabilia from rock’s golden era. Add a few black lights and lava lamps, and it would be as if you were walking into a head shop – minus the smell of incense.

Towne, whose band, the Curt Towne Band, often opens for Lynyrd Skynyrd, always wears an old rock ‘n roll T-shirt at work. One day is KISS. The next it’s Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Of course he’s got Skynyrd garb, along with 38 Special. He’s got an Iron Maiden shirt and one from his own band.

“I love Green Cove Springs,” Towne said. “When my family moved from the westside of Jacksonville to St. Augustine, I used to come through here to get back to Jacksonville although it was the long way around. I loved going through Spring Park. When I had the chance to move here, I took it. When Jim and I decided to open the Guitar Station, we did it. We’re glad we did. We’ve never regretted it one bit. And we’re glad we did it in Green Cove.”

While Correa said they have a strong core of regular customers, their unique services attract musicians from more than 100 miles away.

“We have a regular customer base that’s been coming here for years, but we get new customers from places like Palatka, St. Augustine, Daytona Beach and Palm Coast,” he said. “As I said, you can’t get what we do online.”

Which is why the music will never die at the Guitar Station.