The Louisiana Music Factory, after 28 years in business, is closing its doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As a result of the increasing cases of the coronavirus in Louisiana, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell today called for non-essential businesses to close by Monday.

Consequently, Barry Smith, the owner of the Louisiana Music Factory, announced that the bricks-and-mortar store, which has been a fixture at 421 Frenchmen Street since 2014, will shut down immediately. Smith said that he had laid off employees to comply with the city’s requirement and for his staff’s and customer’s safety. Smith noted that he only had two customers all day Friday and that Frenchmen Street was empty.

The Louisiana Music Factory, which has always specialized in local music, and is renowned worldwide by lovers of New Orleans and Louisiana music, was opened in February 1992 by founders Jerry Brock and Barry Smith on North Peters Street in the French Quarter. Brock had been known as one of the founders of the local community radio station WWOZ, is a writer and historian, and a producer who first recorded the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

In 1996, the store moved to another location at 210 Decatur Street in the French Quarter and featured two stories, the first of which was devoted to CDs and other merchandise; the second floor was devoted to vintage vinyl. In 2001, Brock left in 2001 and Smith became the sole owner.

The store suffered little damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and was one of the first record stores to reopen after the storm.

In March 2014, the store lost it lease on Decatur and moved to its current location at 421 Frenchmen Street in the French Quarter, downriver from the Decatur Street location. OffBeat Magazine’s owner invited Smith to move the store there, with the proliferation of music clubs that was occurring on Frenchmen Street (OffBeat Magazine has been located on the second floor of 421 Frenchmen Street since 1996).

The Music Factory was the site of numerous in-store performances on Saturdays, and during the New  Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which can be viewed on its YouTube Channel.

The store will continue to service mail order sales, for the time being. “And we will re-open in the future,” said Smith.