Bull Moose To Relocate New Hampshire Store To Plaistow

PORTLAND, MAINE — After 35 years of growth and success shaping Maine and New Hampshire’s independent music scene, Bull Moose is again adapting to the evolving retail market and customer demand.

The company’s Salem store will close on Saturday and move to 34 Plaistow Road in Plaistow, approximately 10 miles away in June. Bull Moose said all employees will remain on staff, which will help Plaistow become the company’s next successful location. The existing staff toured a variety of prospective retail locations with the leadership team, and together, they collectively selected the Plaistow location.

“Our top priority throughout this entire process has been keeping our staff informed and happy, plus maintaining our reputation as a hub for cool items and music in southern New Hampshire,” Kameron Brooksmoore, the assistant manager of the Salem store, said. “We're all very excited about the new potential a fresh location will bring, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back," Brooksmoore added.

Bull Moose has been operating in the current Salem location for about a decade years and has had a presence in Salem since 2000. The current building was unexpectedly sold in February 2024. The new building owner notified Bull Moose that it was expanding and could not renew the lease.

“This unexpected change has turned into a win for our customers and our staff, as everyone has been involved in the search and selection of the next Bull Moose,” Bull Moose President Shawn Nichols said.

Nichols, who has been with the employee-owned company since 2021, added, “While we were not actively looking for new space in the Salem market, we have been shifting back into growth mode and this provided an opportunity to examine the market in southern New Hampshire more closely. We feel very confident because the collaboration with our Salem teammates has helped inform our decisions for New Hampshire and we’re excited for what’s to come.”

The Plaistow location will offer customers a fresh layout, new inventory, more parking, and a well-established retail plaza to provide a convenient shopping experience. Employees will support the transition and be instrumental in setting up the new store. The company is considering opening additional locations in southern New Hampshire.

Bull Moose has grown over recent years. Nichols said customers still want the experience of visiting a physical store because it allows them to interact with knowledgeable staff, browse in person, meet new people, and explore new trends in music, movies, books, and games.

Founded in 1989, Bull Moose has 11 stores across Maine and southern New Hampshire, with more than 150 employees companywide. It has other New Hampshire locations in Keene and Portsmouth. The company continues to be one of the most recognized brands in northern New England for bringing musicians, authors, and actors to Maine to support the local music industry consistently. Bull Moose is known for hosting signature events like Record Store Day, invented by Chris Brown, Bull Moose’s first and longest-tenured employee and current CFO. The company has invested over $5.5 million in local musicians and the regional music industry since 2002. A formal ribbon will be cut at the Plaistow location when the opening date is revealed.

Submitted by Bull Moose.