Featured Photo by Anna Leadingham
Story by Anna Leadingham
KK’s Loan Music and Jewelry is considered a gem among the small Manchester, Tennessee, community. Local to the city or a tourist for the Bonnaroo Music Festival, KK’s is a great place to stop for exceptional deals and loans.
To give a brief history of the shop and how it got started, Ken Huddleston is a second-generation pawnbroker. KK Huddleston, Ken Huddleston’s father, was a WWII veteran and a political man. He loved history and politics and was interested in buying, selling and trading. The store on Hillsboro Boulevard opened in March of 1978.
Ken Huddleston has served the Manchester community since 1984 and transitioned to his role as an owner the same year. As a musician, he was heavily involved in turning the store into a full-line music store. He loved having gear around the store and connecting with customers on a musical, personal and professional level.
KK’s is now a dealer of brands like Pearl, Peavey, Audio Technica and Marshall. The business began to offer instrument repair and set up by professional guitar techs. Another milestone for KK’s business was a second shop that opened up in Tullahoma on South Jackson Street in 1989. The stores soon began to offer sound system installation in schools, churches and local businesses around the middle Tennessee area. Sound engineer, employee and longtime friend of Ken Huddleston, Danny Freeman has over 30 years of experience leading the KK’s crew in sound installation.
In 2017 the business opened up a third store, this time by Ken Huddleston’s son and future owner Zakk Huddleston. This store is located in McMinnville on North Chancery. Zakk Huddleston, like his father, is interested in music and plays locally around the area while helping to run the family-owned business.
Ken Huddleston also started the KK’s Jam, a biannual, public get-together in the community, with his family in the early ’90s.
“It was just an opportunity to give people to play live who have never been on stage before. We’ve always had nice gear, so we’d bring in the backline gear and set it up,” Ken Huddleston said. “It was also a way to introduce new people within the town to other musicians, and we’ve kind of helped build that community.”
The next KK’s Jam is being held on Oct. 7 at 6:00 p.m. The Jam will take place in Manchester, Tennessee, at Prater’s Bar-B-Que. KK’s will provide the sound system, guitars, bass, amp and drums for players to get on stage and play. Original songs and covers are encouraged. It is a great way to network and meet other players in the area. Those interested can sign up to play by seeing the host, John Cook, upon arrival.
Ken Huddleston’s favorite part of his job is interacting with a diverse pool of customers.
“I also love seeing generational customers that I’ve watched grow up from kids and turn into great players,” he said.
KK’s Loans, Music and Jewelry has been a propeller in the middle Tennesse community for 45 years with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. They welcome everyone to stop by any of the 3 stores for all their loan, music and jewelry needs.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email [email protected]. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
