The Music Inn

The Music Inn
TypeMusical instrument retailer
Founded1958 (68 years ago) (1958),
Headquarters169 West 4th Street, Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States
40°43′56″N 74°00′05″W / 40.732243°N 74.001443°W / 40.732243; -74.001443
Number of locations
1
Key peopleJerry Halpern (founder)
OwnersJeff Slatnick
Websitemusicinninstruments.shop

The Music Inn (also known as Music Inn World Instruments) is an independent retailer of musical instrument and vinyl records in Greenwich Village, New York City. Established in 1958, it is the oldest continuously operating music and record store in Manhattan. It is located in Lower Manhattan at 169 West 4th Street, a six-story building dating to 1905. The store, which occupies the ground floor and basement levels, was established by Bronx native Jerry Halpern (1929–2009); as of 2026, it is owned by musician Jeff Slatnick. He began working at the store periodically from 1967, and full-time since 1976.

The store's customers have included John Lennon, John Sebastian, Cyndi Lauper and Bob Dylan. Dylan lived a few doors along the street at number 161 and liked to spend time at the store. He also wrote a song titled "Positively 4th Street".

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation named the Music Inn its "business of the month" in October 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 Broder, Mitch (2013-06-18). Discovering Vintage New York: A Guide to the City's Timeless Shops, Bars, Delis & More. Simon and Schuster. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-7627-9477-5.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Music Inn: Making Music in Greenwich Village Since 1958". Untapped New York. 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  3. ↑ Bubbins, Harry (2020-10-21). "Business of the Month: Music Inn, 169 West 4th Street - Village Preservation". Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  4. ↑ "10 Rock N' Roll Sites in NYC You Can Visit". Untapped New York. 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  5. ↑ Amateau, Albert (2009-05-11). "Jerry Halpern, founded E. 4th instrument store, 79". amNewYork. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  6. ↑ Martin, Britt (2016-12-19). "Sixty Years of Survival in Greenwich Village". UpstartCity. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  7. ↑ Weissman, Dick (2022-11-01). Bob Dylan's New York: A Historic Guide. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-1-4384-9087-8.
  8. ↑ Berger, Joseph (2003-06-29). "Still Positively 4th Street". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  9. ↑ Bubbins, Harry (2020-10-21). "Business of the Month: Music Inn, 169 West 4th Street". Village Preservation. Retrieved 2026-10-21.