Percussion Center

Over the past 10 years, Percussion Center has been my #1 source for both purchases and service. All of the staff are not only knowledgable, but they take a genuine interest in helping you. There really isn’t any comparison to other stores because of their high level of experience and professionalism. Yesterday, I had an awesome drum lesson with Mike Henry. He not only taught me a lot, but made it challenging and fun. Not sure why anyone would even consider going anywhere else when this store has it all.

I checked out this shop when in town from New Orleans. The CEO, Mike Henry was extremely helpful and sociable. We spoke for a good amount of time and from our conversation I could really see that he was interested in staying afloat against online competitors. I ended up purchasing a few items at a great discount!
I feel the layout of the store could be improved in that the items could be presented in a more inviting way. After all, drummers just want to hit everything!

Not the best prices but they make up for it with friendly and KNOWLEDGABLE staff. The staff is far better than 90% of guitar center’s staff. And honestly the prices are pretty competitive. Good selection of stuff. A great place to pick up the odds and ends that frequently brake and go missing on hardware. They’ve also got several practice rooms for lessons.

Went in for the first time with a friend for some accessories and was treated very well. As a newbie drummer I had questions and got the help I needed. The place is well-​stocked and well-​kept. The owner (Mike) gave my friend a free pair of sticks for the referral. In today’s market when your competitors are many and all over the globe, first impressions count.

This store is hard to find, very small, and overpriced. I called and e-​mailed the store 3 times in the last year to speak with Mike Henry, but I never heard a word back. Because they are a 5 Star Percussion Center, it makes it sound like they are a cut above the rest. They are far from that. In these tough economic times, do yourself a favor. Support Mom and Pop music stores, and give places like this a miss.

Since Mike Perry worked at the original Drum Shop on Alabama, he’s been a fixture on the Houston drum and percussion scene. He’s owned the Houston Percussion Center for many years now including two moves and loads of gear sold. Drummers from all over the region trust he and his staff for getting drum and percussion equipment.
The selection is excellent. They have loads of things in stock and plenty of areas to test out gear — a tough challenge for loud percussive instruments. They feature a range of drum instructors as well and have no doubt been responsible for the skillset of many a Houston drummer.
The only two issues I have with Percussion Center are their location and their prices. They are situated off Hempstead Highway, tucked back in an industrial park, which is difficult to find. I’m sure, given the specific nature of their products, they don’t need a prime position, but you really have to look for HPC to find it.
On pricing, I worked in a music store for years, so I know the markup on things. While their prices are not exorbitant, I’ve found them to be occasionally stingy about deep discounts even if you are buying a lot of stuff. A 20 percent discount on $ 800 worth of cymbals, for example, is not much of a discount when you consider the size of the purchase and the nature of haggling in the musical instrument retail business.
But, when you can’t find those things in other places, I guess they can charge for being the only game in town in that regard.
Overall, I think HPC is a great place to find gear and Mike is a great guy to work with.