Allison Geyer
After two break-ins within the past year at MC Audio, owner Mike Carlson was thinking hard about the future of his DJ equipment shop, which has been at 515 University Ave. for nearly 20 years. But when he saw security footage of a third break-in attempt that was interrupted by a college-age woman, he knew he had to make a change.
“That really shocked me,” Carlson says. Thankfully, the would-be thief was scared away, but Carlson worried about the safety of his neighbors as his store was being targeted. “I’m a little gun-shy about hanging down here.”
Carlson says he considered closing the store for good, but he didn’t want to let go of his investment in the business, which serves a need for a community of artists. “It kind of seemed like [closing] would be like folding with a full house in your hand,” he says.
So instead, he decided to move and found a new space at 1734 Fordem Ave. He’s signing the lease next week and is excited about the benefits the new location will provide — namely more accessible parking (a common complaint among patrons of the University Avenue store) and close proximity to Jiggy Jamz, a record store that specializes in dance music.
“It’s a very complementary business, which seems like it will be a good thing,” Carlson says.
A beloved resource for the local DJ community, MC Audio has survived in the age of Amazon thanks to its reputation for friendly, knowledgeable service and competitive prices. Carlson also frequently hosts DJ classes and is passionate about introducing new people to the art form.
“We do free classes a bunch of different times a week to get kids into DJing, and sometimes older folks, too,” Carlson says. “We teach them how to beat match, how to scratch and the basics of making music.”
It’s a great way to promote the store, but it’s also a lifelong passion for Carlson, who played his first paid club gig in 1983. He decided to open MC Audio after seeing friends and prospective DJs making mistakes when buying equipment.
“It kind of always tore me up,” Carlson says. “[DJing] is hard enough all ready, and when you add in crappy equipment that won’t work properly, it makes it frustratingly difficult.”
Carlson’s lease at the University Avenue location goes until the end of June, and he hopes to move the merchandise to the new location around that time. There’s a bit of work to be done in the new space — knocking out a couple walls and putting on a more secure door — but he hopes to open by midsummer.
On Sunday, April 29 — which happens to be Carlson’s birthday — there will be a benefit for MC Audio at the Majestic Theatre organized by Carlson’s friend and local event promoter Lili Luxe. In addition to gogo dancers, burlesque performers and breakdancers, there will be sets from 10 local DJs, including Carlson, Nick Nice, Vilas Park Sniper and DJ Mirah, a 12-year-old turntablist who has been taking lessons at MC Audio. She will open the show, since it’s a school night. Admission is free with donations encouraged.
Carlson says it’s the first time his whole DJ crew will be performing side-by-side. “I do all sorts of great big parties, but never really anything with the store,” says Carlson, who prefers to “nerd out” about gear and music rather than focus on marketing. “It’s a chance to get everybody together, and a chance to tell everybody ‘thank you’ for their business over the years.”
