Chickadee Karaoke Room is located at 24 Cottage St.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis
EASTHAMPTON — When Easthampton resident James Crawford set out to open Chickadee Karaoke Rooms on 24 Cottage St., the goal was to unhatch a unique alternative to the typical karaoke bar.
“I just saw the potential here. Many people who go to Mount Tom’s and walk down to the water, I’ve done that so many times and looked into the storefront here and thought, ‘this is such a great spot, something could happen here,’” Crawford said. “It was born out of more on the location, Cottage Street, Easthampton. Finding this space, it was all a culmination of that where I felt like I needed to do something with it. It’s important to invest in your own community.”
The history of karaoke rooms dates back to Japan, but they’ve grown in popularity across the globe. The private room-by-room setup presents a more intimate space for parties to belt out their favorite tunes unabashedly.
“This is karaoke reimagined, and that means people need to be aware that this is different than karaoke nights [at a bar]. If you like karaoke nights, you’re going to like it here too. But if you don’t like karaoke nights, you probably will still really like it here. That’s why I didn’t want it to be called a karaoke bar. This is different, and I hope people give it a chance and see why it’s different,” said Crawford. “It’s more about connection than performance. Experience is definitely something I want to focus on. When you go to karaoke night, that is 90% listening to other people sing and being at a bar.”
Chickadee was awarded a liquor license from the city, which is now pending approval at the state level. In the meantime, Crawford has secured single-day licenses for Fridays and Saturdays. While there is no bar inside Chickadee, which was the former Rhythm Section Music Shop, they do offer canned adult beverages, and attendees are welcome to bring their own food or even order food to the space during their time in the rooms.
Inside the building are four karaoke rooms, including two rooms that hold four to eight people, one room for three to six, and a party room in the back that holds eight to 14 people. Each room has couches and is decorated with lighting and famous album artwork, which Crawford says creates an upscale experience for karaoke singers of all ages. Attendees can choose from over 120,000 songs using Singa, the platform the space offers.
Rooms can be booked by the hour for $15 per person for the first hour and $12 per person for each hour that follows.
A look inside a private room at Chickadee Karaoke Rooms.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis
Crawford’s passion for karaoke rooms stemmed from his time living in Hawaii over a decade ago with his wife while she attended graduate school. One of Crawford’s first nights out with his wife and her friends was at a local karaoke room. The karaoke room culture has been popular in Hawaii because of its proximity to Asia, according to Crawford, who said exposure to the unique experience made him an instant fan.
“She wanted me to meet a bunch of friends she had made through the grad program, and they were going to a karaoke room, and I had no idea what that was. I was like, ‘I can’t sing, I won’t sing in front of these people I’m meeting now.’ And when I went, I was like, ‘Oh, this is a karaoke room.’ It took me five minutes, and I was singing Lady Gaga for people. Those were people I became really close with the entire time I lived in Hawaii, and that was not the last time we went to karaoke rooms together,” Crawford said.
The feeling of connection stuck with him, and he said he hopes to bring those same memories to Western Mass. He added that the lounge-style karaoke space is great for people of all ages looking to have a good time.
“I’ve tried to focus on making this a premium experience, not like a dive bar kind of experience. Not that I’m dumping on a dive bar, but I want this to be like something you’re comfortable going out on a double date, or having a birthday party, or a corporate event,” Crawford added. “The space is important to your experience as well.”
He said the fact that Chickadee sits inside the former Rhythm Section Music Shop, which closed in 2020, adds to the musical experience.
“The space has been a music store for a really long time, so it’s kind of like a continuation of the spirit of music in this space. Just having the little reminders and pieces of what the space used to be and the connection between music and the history of this space, I think adds another element to it,” he added.
So far, Crawford said feedback has been positive, and he’s already seen groups of friends and solo singers visit the new spot. He added that those memories he had in Hawaii are taking shape here for others.
“I had somebody the other night who came out of the room, and they looked like their mind had been blown. They walked up to me, and they were like, ‘dude, I think I just had the best time of my life,’ and that meant so much to me. It made it feel like this had already been worth it for me that I could have that kind of impact on somebody,” Crawford said. “I think the real message would be whether you think you like karaoke or not, you need to try it. It’s different, it’s something you really need to experience before you know what makes it special, and you don’t have to be a really good singer to have an amazing time.”
To learn more about the business or to book a room, visit www.chickadeekaraoke.com.
A piece of art inside of Chickadee Karaoke Rooms made up of old instruments leftover from Rhythm Section Music Shop, the previous business inside the space on Cottage Street.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis
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