Hobgoblin Music launches its first crowdfunding campaign to keep music stores alive on the streets
The beloved sound and folk music chain aims to raise £190,000 with the support of Sir Paul McCartney to secure its future and invest in growth.
Hobgoblin Music, the UK’s most famous family music store chain, launched its first ever crowdfunding campaign to keep its high street alive and thriving.
The event has now been opened early via CrowdCube, attempting to raise £190,000 in exchange for a 9.5% stake in the company. The funds raised will be used to stock fast-selling, highly profitable products, which the company said will lead to a sustainable increase in profit margins and help preserve live music retail throughout the UK.
Hobgoblin Music has entered a 50-year deal, building a loyal client base focusing on acoustics and folk instruments, hands-on services, and an enduring commitment to the local music community. In an industry where brick-and-mortar music stores are down sharply, Hoblinbring continues to operate nine stores in cities including London, Leeds, Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham and Edinburgh, and is backed by central warehouses and a national mail order business.
The company is run by founder Pete and Nicola Rain, executive director and daughter of Mannie McClelland. “I have been obsessed with this business as long as I remember, and I am proud of what my parents have built. The experience of visiting music stores and benefiting from the expertise of other musicians cannot be replaced by online shopping. We are determined to keep the music stores alive and believe that without them, the country will be poor.”
Hobgoblin Music has been recognized by Sir Paul McCartney.
The business was founded in 1976 as a market stall after Pete and Mannie McClelland discovered the market gap between difficult to find and unusual tools. From a barn shop to a national chain, Hoblinbring has grown into a central hub for British musicians, employing more than 50 employees (all of which are active musicians) and supporting grass-roots music through sponsorships, live events and folk festivals.
Despite strong online growth, Hobgolin remains committed to its brick-and-mortar stores, from Buzukis to Sitales in Ireland, leveraged yangqin to mandolins, which provides a tactile, immersive experience for trying new tools.
Nicola Rain added: “Trying new instruments in the store is a key part of the music journey. You can’t copy this connection – or the expertise of enthusiastic staff through the screen. That’s why we ask the public to help us keep Hobgubrin on the street.”
To participate in a fundraiser, supporters must register on CrowdCube. The entry is closed on June 16, 2025.
For more information, visit the Hobgoblinmusic.co.uk or the Hobgoblin Music CrowdCube Campaign page.
