Visit our Emporium!

The Emporium is the home of our Instruments for Change project and a showcase for everything we do.


It is an eclectic mix of musical instruments for sale, instruments to interact with and a workshop to assess and repair donated musical instruments. We also reimagine damaged instruments into other musical items and even items for the home!


Along with the nearby Studio, home of our Face and Feel The Music sessions and our Baby Brollies group for 0 -5 year olds, it creates an immersive experience for our learning disabled members to develop and learn new skills.


During the week, donated instruments are restored & reimagined by our learning disabled members working alongside expert staff and creatives. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, we are open from 10am to 4pm to receive your generous musical instrument donations and to browse to buy our eclectic stock.


These instruments and upcycled items are then available for purchase online and in store.


Every Saturday, from 10am to 5pm, the Emporium shop is open for in-person sales, and a chance to immerse yourself in all things Electric Umbrella. A stage in the corner is often the location of impromptu music sessions - and occasionally performances from visiting artists. Why not also try your hand at the community piano and drum kit?


All proceeds from sales go to support our work.

Sadly, the Emporium will be ceasing trading by the end of March 2024.

Find us here!

Our Emporium is based in The Marlowes Shopping Centre, in Hemel Hempstead. Visit their website for travel information.

Our amazing emporium

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Emporium FAQs

Here's everything you need to know about our latest venture:

Our Emporium is based in The Marlowes Shopping Centre in Hemel Hempstead. The address is:


Unit C1, The Marlowes Shopping Centre, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1DX


 Visit their site for travel information., including details about parking. 

The Emporium is open for  sales Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00am-4:00pm, and  10:00am-5:00pm on Saturdays.

The Marlowes shopping centre has 1200 parking spaces and offers easy, safe and secure parking, accessible 24 a day, 7 days a week.


 Disabled car parking spaces are available throughout, visit their site for more information. 

Unfortunately our instruments are not currently available online.

We are no longer accepting instrument donations. 

Can't get to our Emporium, but still want to support our work?

You can purchase new and reloved instruments from our online store!


Visit our online instrument store

A final word from our Technical Manager, Christian

Christian Taylor works largely on our Instruments for Change project. In his role, he helps our members restore and recondition instruments for us to sell. Christian loves his job working with our members:


“For as long as I can remember, I’ve not been this excited on a Sunday night about coming to work on a Monday morning. Instruments for Change is a really exciting project and the Emporium adds even more for our members to experience.


“Being a musician, working with instruments is a big bonus. But being able to create activities for our members is a really cool part of the job. Seeing how the members respond to music is amazing. Having more space for activities will help us create more amazing experiences.”


“The Emporium provides our members with a space to recondition, sell, and of course play our instruments!"

Christian, Electric Umbrella Technical Manager

Share by: