North Shore Strings is a small business whose primary focus is making custom folk harp strings.

 
 

Kelly Stallings started in the folk harp string business in 2001. Kelly’s parents, Richard (“Skip”) and Joan Lamere, owns Vermont Strings and Kelly’s aunt, Phyllis Robinson, owns Robinson’s Harp Shop. Each business is a stand-alone entity operating independently. Sue Raimond manages Robinson’s Shop. Phyllis, Sue, Joan and Skip were each instrumental with helping Kelly learn the folk harp business and become established in the folk harp community.

North Shore Strings started in the beginning supporting Robinson’s Harp Shop and Vermont Strings meet the needs of their customers. Over time, folk harp makers and harpists became direct customers of North Shore Strings. The business has steadily grown thanks to the support and guidance from Robinson’s Harp Shop and Vermont Strings.

On June 22, 2019, Kelly died suddenly and unexpectedly and her husband, Eric Stallings, has continued to run North Shore Strings. It is with great appreciation and thanks to Kelly’s parents, Joan and Skip, at Vermont Strings for their guidance and support enabling the business to continue in Kelly’s memory.

We can be your one stop shop for harp materials.

 

Kelly, Skip, Phyllis and Joan (top of Mt. Laguna).

 Robinson’s Harp Shop

Robinson’s Harp Shop has discontinued operations in 2023. North Shore Strings has acquired Robinson’s Harp Shop and will continue to serve the needs of the harp community and Robinson’s Harp Shop customers.

Vermont Strings

As of 9/1/2022, Vermont Strings is no longer accepting orders. North Shore Strings acquired Vermont Strings in 2023. North Shore Strings will continue to serve the needs of the harp community and Vermont Strings customers.

In Memoriam

Roland “Robby” Robinson

Started Robinson’s Harp Shop in 1967 with Phyllis Robinson and dedicated himself to bringing the folk harp to harpists and harp-makers. Phyllis and he were also instrumental in the establishment, production and distribution of the US Folk Harp Journal. Robby died tragically in 1993. His legacy and memory lives in the work that continues at North Shore Strings.

Kelly (Lamere) Stallings

Started North Shore Strings in 2001. Kelly had great attention to detail and was very customer focused. She ran the business on her own until her unexpected death in 2019. She taught herself to play the harp having taken piano lessons as a child. Her legacy lives with the work that continues at North Shore Strings. Kelly had a passion and love for animals and insight into her connection with animals can be learned through the stories in her book that she wrote and was published posthumously with the help of her parents and others. In her memory, two funds have been established to assist animals with adoption as well as to assist animals with surgeries so they may be adopted.

Kelly Stallings' book: Never Say Goodbye: Reflections on a Lifetime of Loving Animals was published posthumously on January 22, 2020

It is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites.

Funds created in Kelly’s memory to promote the health and well-being of animals:

Joan Lamere

It is with sadness that I share with you that Joan died on October 2, 2022

Joan Lamere grew up on a dairy farm in Vermont. She was valedictorian of her high school class and, being a natural leader, was its president all 4 years. She could have chosen any career path but after achieving a Master’s degree in counseling from the University of Vermont, she worked as a counselor of people with disabilities for the State of Vermont, retiring as a casework supervisor. She served on several boards of directors and was chairperson of two - one providing adult daycare services and the other being a county-level mental health services provider. After “retiring” she opened her own business offering counseling services to troubled employees for several of Vermont’s biggest employers while concurrently helping her husband with his “retirement business”, Vermont Strings.

She had many strengths and did everything except make strings - bookkeeping, ordering supplies, shipping/receiving, string design, and customer relations (her favorite). She had taken piano lessons as a youngster, but she did not play the harp. However, she established an excellent reputation not only for her overall friendly demeanor and world class service, but also for her ability to design a set of strings in a range that would be best for a particular harp. She often worked into the wee hours doing string design, packaging strings, and doing bookwork. She worked until only a few days before she passed away in 2022 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 78. Her presence in the harp community has been, is and will be sorely missed.

Phyllis Robinson

Phyllis Robinson was born and raised in a musical family in Vermont. She began her working life in Washington, D.C. where she met her husband, Roland “Robbie” Robinson - both were federal employees. The early years of their marriage were spent on assignments in places such as Africa and Vietnam. Robbie retired early and the couple settled in Mt. Laguna, California, a place that reminded Phyllis of Vermont and where she continued her federal work at the local post office, eventually becoming postmaster.

In his government career, Robbie had spent time in South America, where he became acquainted with Paraguayan harp music. As a retirement project, he built a Paraguayan harp and never looked back - he had launched his second career. Phyllis, concurrent with her post office job, worked with Robbie in his newfound career. Together, they opened “Robinson’s Harp Shop” and became pioneers in the folk harp world. They found “The Folk Harp Journal” and manufactured harps, harp kits, harp plans, strings and hardware. They became the premier source for harp information and products. They enjoyed spreading information about harps; their motto was “Each one teach one”. Their good will and expertise spawned other businesses such as North Shore Strings (Phyllis’ niece), Vermont Strings (Phyllis’ brother), and several still-existing harp-making ventures around the world.

Following Robbie’s accidental death in 1993, Phyllis continued their business until she passed away at age 81 in August, 2023. She not only continued to serve customers but also provided employment for many people from Mt. Laguna’s small population. Her pleasant demeanor and quality services were enjoyed by many. Some referred to Phyllis as “the queen of harps".

Phyllis will be sorely missed by the harp community, her family and friends.