Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Harrison.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2002, my husband Spence and I opened our first place, Berzerker Studios, in what later became known as the Locust Business District. At the time, the 3000 block of Locust was pretty dilapidated, with Berzerker, Ramp Riders skate park, and a Salvation Army halfway house being the mainstays of the area. We set up shop in a cool old recording studio with a TON of STL music history–the former Premiere Studios. In its heyday of the early 60’s, Premiere had recorded everyone from Miles Davis, Ike and Tina, and Chuck Berry, to Bing Crosby. The room which later became our first showcase venue, had once been used to film Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins. The movie, White Palace, had been edited there. Remnants of a former vinyl production facility was even in there…a gold master plate machine had been abandoned after pressing it’s last disc, which was The Humpty Dance by Digital Underground. We named all the rehearsal rooms after amazing STL artists, most of whom blessed the space in earlier times.
We had booked rehearsal rooms in London for years prior, for Spence’s band practice (he is a native of the UK and we lived there together for 5 years). When we moved back to STL, we could not believe there were no hourly rehearsal spots in town. So we became the first…at least, the first licensed and insured rehearsal hall in St Louis, to offer PA equipped rooms by the hour to bands and other artists. We developed a low-cost monthly membership option as well (like a gym for musicians), but quickly realized that to pay the bills, we needed to expand services to include recording and hosting events.
After 2 years at Berzerker, we had a pretty good idea of what worked and did not. We were heartbroken when the building was sold out from under us, but after a good rest (which included selling our house and nearly all our possessions, then traveling for half a year) we returned to STL again, and searched for another building to carry on.
Utopia Studios began at the end of 2004, when we purchased a 1904 industrial warehouse, a former tobacco factory built by the American Tobacco Company. The space was raw. It had been sitting vacant and run down, most recently used as a machine shop to build parts for Boeing/McDonnell Douglas aircraft in the 50s and 60s (we found a lot of cool blueprints in the basement). There was no way we could get a conventional bank loan–but selling our house and living frugally, allowed us to squeeze out a down payment on a high interest, hard money loan. Which is exactly what we did after meeting a fantastic private lender who liked our ideas and plans. The 25,500sq ft building had only 1 actual room to start with (now known as Studio 0). With no real tools, budget or construction experience to begin with, we spent years–getting better as we went– building rooms, filling rooms, then repeat. Today, Utopia consists of about 76 music and art studios–spanning 6 floors of 2 buildings, and approx 60,000 sq ft.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not smooth at all!
We love what we do, and we knew going in that it would be *nearly* impossible. These old buildings need constant, continual maintenance. They can fight you every step of the way. I get very geeked by any and all progress. Something as small as a door closer getting installed, or a new mirror in one of the dance studios, or getting a good review online, makes my day. I love seeing the way people respond to the environment when discovering the place for the first time. The studios are a reservoir of positive energy, filled with people spending time creating and doing what they love.
We have been plagued by what our original private lender calls “not having deep enough pockets”. High interest loans, the warehouse building next to us burning down was a big deal back in 2017, Covid nearly knocked us out, and keeping our rates so low while costs keep rising, are all challenges. Our bar is the most affordable in town. Yet some people still try to bring their own drinks in rather than supporting it. Most people are respectful, but you can’t please everyone.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Utopia Studios is a rehearsal hall and recording studio, dedicated to music and art. We rent affordable creative space by the hour, or as part of a monthly membership, or as a leased space with 24/7 access. The facility serves musicians, instructors, dancers, djs, theater groups, painters, prop makers, producers, videographers, photographers, and just about any other creative use you can imagine.
The facility includes a dozen PA-equipped studios, 5 acoustic pianos, 4 mirrored dance studios, 3 sound stages, a vinyl dj booth, a rental crib for music and photography gear (such as amps, drum kits, backdrops), and a full bar. Our front desk is staffed and open daily, at least 70 hours per week.
We are a small, independent, mom-and-pop type business owned by a husband and wife team. My husband Spence, is a musician/songwriter/sound system operator and he sets up and maintains all the sound systems and rental gear. I run the day-to-day operations, manage the staff, give tours and generally keep the lights on.
I am most proud of being able to facilitate people pursuing their passions–creating, doing what they love. The space is a blank canvas for everyone to fill. I love walking down the hall and hearing a different genre of music coming from each door. I love learning about all the different projects. People resonate with the space–they are comfortable, they know it’s their home away from home. There is nothing pretentious here. All are equally welcome, and there is something priced for even the smallest budget. Most musicians are not trying to ‘make it big’, the vast majority enjoy creating as its own outlet, it’s own reward. One thing that is beautiful about art, is it’s subjectivity…it is not a competition. The goal is to become better than we were yesterday, to outdo ourselves, not each other. Cooperation over competition.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As a child, I loved to read, and build forts in the woods near my house. I loved animals. I was shy, introspective. My brother is a drummer and there was always music around. Listening to Black Sabbath cassettes on my little boombox as a kid, was probably when I first connected deeply with music.
I also loved to write short stories and poems. In my late teens/early 20s, I became a journalist, staff writer, and freelance writer for newspapers and magazines. As a kid, I always imagined I would become a novelist one day. In my early 20’s I began studying dance, and spent many subsequent years in dance companies performing middle eastern, modern, and a fusion of various world dance styles.
I loved making collages (still do!), and designing flyers and album covers.
Pricing:
- Hourly rates: $20 (M), $30 (L), $40 (XL)
- Solo Membership: $125 (M), $200 (L) per month
- Group Memberships: $250, $350, $450 per month
- Private Rooms: $250-$2000 per month depending on size space
- Recording: $70 per hour for tracking, mixing, and mastering services
Contact Info:
- Website: https://utopiastl.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/utopiastl
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/utopiastl
