Walking down 24th Street, pedestrians often stop and peer into Mission Synths to try to figure out what the heck they’re selling.
“A lot of folks will come in and say, ‘How long have you been here? What is this place?” said owner Brian James of the shop, which stocks new and pre-owned modular synthesizers, vinyl records, books and vintage clothing. “We say ‘four years’ and they’re dumbfounded!”
Mission Synths began as an online store in the summer of 2020; “a Covid idea,” says James’ partner and co-owner Betsy de la Garza, who is also a board-certified behavioral analyst. James holds a master’s degree in electronic music and recording media from Mills College, and he had a lot of synths in his home studio.
“We were like, ‘maybe we should sell some of this gear,’” he remembers with a laugh. The pandemic, after all, drove a lot of people to buy instruments; many musicians learned to become bedroom producers. “We were drinking a lot of wine one night and, next thing we know, we had a business registered,” adds de la Garza.
The shop opened its physical location at 3026 24th St. in December 2020. In the four years since, it’s become a hub for musicians from all over the Bay Area. Mission Synths will celebrate its fourth anniversary Sunday, Dec. 8 with a series of in-store performances and demonstrations by local electronic artists, a community that deeply appreciates the space the shop occupies in the city’s musical ecosystem.
The store offers a robust selection of used synthesizers, local vinyl, gear manuals, regular in-store events and group workshop-style lessons. Crucially, according to musicians, James encourages experimentation and collaboration by allowing customers the chance to play anything in the shop.
“Making music in a city is increasingly isolating,” says Tasho Nicolopulos, AKA Its Own Infinite Flower, who will perform at the anniversary celebration. “Having a synth shop in the neighborhood is important to the community.” He says he and many other musicians he knows appreciate having a brick-and-mortar alternative to buying gear, cables and other accessories online.
It helps to have proprietors who understand the artist’s life: As Entropy Worship, James records hard industrial techno using drum machines, Eurorack modular synthesizers and other synths. (His work stands in bold musical contrast to his personality, which seems fairly quiet, friendly and easygoing.) He just released a new digital album, called “Second Law,” on Nov. 22, and sells vinyl copies of his previous full-length, “Facticity Devotion Discipline,” in the store’s hefty vinyl section.
James says there’s a surprising number of people currently making synthesizer-based music in the Mission district, and customers from all over the Bay Area also take advantage of the store’s proximity to the 24th Street BART station.
“Make a day of it,” James suggests. “Come get some tacos!” (This writer couldn’t resist picking up some tortillas, salsa and dried guajillo chiles from nearby La Palma after our interview; El Farolito is also just steps away.)
Moving forward, James plans to contribute more to his fellow artists’ development by adding new private lessons in hardware and software. He can offer hourly instruction on just about anything in the store for any level of user.
“Three fellas recently did a group lesson and said, ‘Teach me how to write a track!’” James says, as an example of how private instruction can be designed for beginners.
Loyal customers speak to James’ knowledge base, as well as his and de la Garza’s ability to foster community at Mission Synths. He can rattle off the names of artists who have met in the store and then later collaborated.
“Everyone has the tools to create in their bedroom,” says Nicolopulos, of modern music production. “But having a place to hang with other people, talk about the process and exchange ideas is fantastic.”
Mission Synths’ four-year anniversary celebration kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3026 24th St. Free, donations appreciated; more info here.
The Mission is going back to its roots.Refreshing.