The finest store for folk music products we know of in our area is the excellent Music Folk store near St. Louis Missouri.  They have a fine array of guitars, banjos, mandolins, dulcimers, autoharps and other folk instruments and supplies along with a large number of songbooks and lesson books.  They also offer lessons and workshops though we live a bit too far away to participate in them.  The staff is friendly and helpful and some things can be ordered on-line on their website linked to above.

     We have also bought instruments and supplies at our local music shops such as "Linda's Music Center" in Decatur (2192 East Wood Decatur, (217) 428-1409) which carries acoustic and electric guitars, drums of various kinds, pianos and supplies, and "Smith's Music" (just north of Forsyth Illinois, (217) 877-3297) which also carries guitars, drums, pianos, band instruments and does service and repairs.  Music lessons are available at both stores.

     Buying folk music is a bit harder about these parts.  The best place for finding folk music is probably "Border's" in Champaign Illinois.  They have fairly large folk, blues and world music sections and have good taste in which CDs they put in their machines for test listening.  "Border's" seems to be becoming more and more friendly to folk music.  They sponsored a stage at the Newport Festival this year and the Champaign store featured a performance by Carrie Newcomer this fall.

     For listening to folk music live the finest place in the mid-west is The Blue Moon Coffeehouse.  Thanks to the Blue Moon's overseer Darcy Greder and the support of Illinois Wesleyan University this venue provides central Illinois with a showcase for nationally respected artists.  The Blue Moon shows are broadcast on local radio station WGLT on its show Acousticity "Flexible Folk on 89 FM."  Broadcasting out of Normal Illinois on 89.1 FM, Acousticity plays a wide range of popular folk artists and is a vital listening resource for central Illinois folk fans.