Music magic at The Country Store

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 26, 2026

There are music venues, and then there are experiences that could only happen once, in one particular place, with one particular community. That’s what happened inside The Country Store on Vashon Island.

Oddly enough, this story really began back in 2020.

At the time, I had convinced The Country Store to let me host a live music performance inside the store itself. Not in a concert hall. Not in a theater. Inside the actual historic store. I had booked the beloved band Rainbow Girls and was incredibly excited about transforming the space into an intimate listening room for what would end up being two nights of music. Then COVID-19 hit, and like so many things during that time, the show was canceled before it ever had the chance to happen.

Years passed.

Then recently, I heard there may be some changes with The Country Store, and my heart immediately sank at the thought that I may never get the chance to finally bring live music into one of my favorite buildings on the island. So, I walked into the store and reminded them about that day way back when. I asked, and they immediately said they would love to host it.

This time, it happened.

I invited singer-songwriter and record producer Sera Cahoone to perform an intimate listening show inside the store, and somehow the entire evening became even more magical than I had imagined all those years ago.

For a few hours, The Country Store transformed completely.

Out went the clothing racks and store displays. In came my vintage wooden folding chairs, a stage, warm lighting and soft ambiance. What is normally a place people pass through during the day became a beautiful little sanctuary for live music. Audience members sat close enough to truly connect with the artist — close enough to chat between songs, to laugh together and to experience the music the way you might if you were sitting in an artist’s rehearsal studio.

Before the show, the experience spilled outdoors into the sunshine, surrounded by the beautiful gardens of The Country Store and Farm.

Chef Dre and Tennessee Matt of Vashon restaurant Gravy set up the mobile smoker outside, serving incredible barbecue, while my good friend Country Dave Harmonson hopped on a ferry from Seattle to play country tunes for the community gathered outside the store. Friends lingered at tables, neighbors ran into one another, tourists wandered in, and there was that unmistakable feeling that something special was unfolding.

Then, just before 6 p.m., people moved toward the old shipping door entrance to check in and find their seats for the concert.

Most had no idea what they were about to walk into.

For just a couple of hours, the familiar old store had become an intimate concert hall hidden in plain sight.

And afterward, just as quickly as it had transformed, it all disappeared again. Friends helped move the chairs, stage and sound equipment out, while the store was carefully put back exactly as it had been before. By the end of the night, it almost felt dreamlike — as though the whole thing had briefly existed in another era.

But thankfully, it’s happening again.

A dear singer-songwriter friend from Nashville, Cassandra Lewis, is coming to visit Vashon Island on Sunday, May 31, and I thought, why not do it one more time? If they will let me.

So yes, there will be another intimate listening concert inside The Country Store at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 31.

And yes, Gravy will once again be outside serving barbecue from 4-6 p.m., with live music in the outdoor seating area to help set the mood before the show begins.

Barbecue is sold separately from concert admission, and no ticket is needed to stop by and enjoy some food and music outside.

Tickets for the concert inside are $20 and available through TicketTomato.com.

After all these years, I’m simply thrilled that live music finally found its way inside my favorite island building, The Country Store. Putting music into unusual spaces is totally my jam, so this show feels especially meaningful. This is the reason why I present concerts and special events.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the store staff and to the friends who volunteer to help make the magic happen.

Debra Heesch is an independent music promoter dedicated to creating authentic music experiences that connect artists, audiences and place.