Author Topic: G Guitars - Final Days (Read 597 times)

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2011, 07:03:02 AM »

Steed Music (Zanesville, OH) was a wonderful place, and is greatly lamented, even though I get the old hood about every 3 years. Today I'm fortunate to live in a small city where a 3rd indie shop just opened. And unfortunate not to able to buy anything from them right now.

Peter

keith_h · « **Reply #16 on:** February 06, 2011, 09:00:48 AM »

A friend of mine owns a small local music store. One of the sad facts is his dealer cost is quite frequently more than the retail price at the big box stores. As he cannot do the volume to deal directly with the manufacturers he is forced to go through distributors who each take their cut. The whole setup reminds me of the way the mafia operates.

Keith

lbpesq · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2011, 10:13:59 AM »

Gee, you guys are killing me. I have a friend who is opening a local store selling rock 'n roll memorabilia - old posters, photos and records. We're talking about me going in with him and stocking the place with a wall of old, unusual, boutique, etc. instruments. I'm viewing it as part business, part hobby. I'd be stoked if it could just pay for itself, at least in the beginning. I think it could be the start of an internet presence too. Do you guys think I'm nuts to consider doing this?

Bill, tgo

artswork99 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2011, 10:26:48 AM »

A bit different Bill since you will be stocking vintage and not going to the big guys for your inventory. I think this has a place and if no one else is doing it nearby then go for it! Careful though since this opinion comes from one of the older guys

Good luck with the venture!

artswork99 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2011, 10:28:15 AM »

And very sorry to see G Guitars go

sonicus · « **Reply #20 on:** February 06, 2011, 11:41:26 AM »

Bill, I think your new venture might be fun . I am very passionate about the Old Bay Area Music Scene having grown up in it.

I wish you the best success with this idea!

glocke · « **Reply #21 on:** February 06, 2011, 11:42:46 AM »

Bill, I personally think there is a market (niche market perhaps) for music stores that cater to vintage, boutique and not so everyday instruments. A place where you are just as likely to walk in and find a used Alembic of some sort, as well as instruments and/or amps by other boutique makers that you do not see every day.

The two biggest issues (and I am sure there are more) that I see right from the start are being able to keep prices at a level that is competitive, and in the case of vintage instruments being knowledgable about what is supposed to make them correct for their time period.

thumbsup · « **Reply #22 on:** February 06, 2011, 12:18:51 PM »

Hey Bill,
I've been in several business most of my life. With one business being my bread and butter which supports my Bass addition and other speculative business ventures.
Some have made it and some have lost big time. The ones that lost were the ones I could not have hands on time needed and trusted the partner to take care of business.
(no one will run a business better than yourself)
My question would be Does your friend have a bread and butter job? If not business that need a partner needs OPM (other peoples money).
It may not come up now but any new business needs capital. Partnerships rarely work. You may not not only loose some money/instruments but a friend.
(which is one of my rules,no friends in partnerships, they soon part)
Of course Bill you are a wise ole fella yourself and already know this! So to answer your question..no I dont think your nuts..any sucessful business has it's risk....
I do think you have some Gande Wavoes!
Steve

(Message edited by thumbsup on February 06, 2011)

mike1762 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 06, 2011, 12:26:11 PM »

We had a vintage guitar store in Knoxville, but they had the misfortune and bad timing to open right about the time of the real estate/stock market bust. Needless to say, they didn't last very long. With any niche venture, you just have to be sure you have the market size to support it. That shouldn't be an issue in the Bay area. You could always sell herbs and spices out of a back room!!!

mike1762 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 06, 2011, 12:34:37 PM »

...no friends in partnerships.... Words to live by. I wish I would have had that perspective about 5 years ago. My medical group came very close to imploding after some very risky (and asinine) real estate investments went VERY wrong.

lbpesq · « **Reply #25 on:** February 06, 2011, 02:10:35 PM »

I appreciate the warnings about partnerships. In this situation, we wouldn't be business partners, just sharing the retail space. His stuff would be his, mine would be mine. However, my friend would actually be staffing the store. He is a musician and knowledgeable about guitars. I'd be available by appointment and maybe some evenings and weekends. I also think that each of us would attract people who found the other person's stuff interesting once they saw the store.

Bill, tgo

thumbsup · « **Reply #26 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:04:27 PM »

sounds low risk.....maybe a no brainer!
definetly let us all know the web addres.

Steve

cje · « **Reply #27 on:** February 07, 2011, 08:31:38 AM »

On a happier note... I (growing up in Rockland County NY) always had Alto Music as my independent music shop. It's where I got my first guitar and amp, where everyone knew me and my dad (who would take me there almost weekly, since I was too young to drive), and always had a buy 2 sets, your third is free deal for strings.

Well, here I am 20 years later with my own house in Rockland, and guess what - I STILL have Alto to swing by! They sold their old familiar location and moved just up the street to a MUCH larger store. Most of the people who work there are young kids, but there's still some old timers who remember me, and it's great to have a local business that I can actually support. And, they still have their 3-for-2 string deal!

If only they were Alembic dealers, my personal music retail life would be perfect.

bassilisk · « **Reply #28 on:** February 07, 2011, 09:12:14 AM »

Wow. Too bad. I only bought a couple of pieces from them over the years (Steinberger white XL2 from one of their ebay auctions and a Ken Smith BSR4 Elite G) and they were always very pro to deal with. I was satisfied with my purchases and happy to do business with them. They always had a lot of nice eye candy and were a cool browse.

gtrguy · « **Reply #29 on:** February 07, 2011, 11:19:24 AM »

Ahhh, the fond memories of all the local music stores that kicked me out when I was a kid, for playing too loud or too long.

We have a local music store that is half pawn shop and it does OK, judging from the amount of stuff they carry. Several other small ones have tried to make it but had to close. A few years back I lost all interest in new guitars and basses anyway. Thank Gawd for CL and EBay.

I would not open a retail music store. Too risky, too much overhead, too little return. Most have to give lessons and rent band instruments and carry a cheap line or two of instruments that have enough markup to make a profit that I would not feel good about selling. The big makers may well not be even willing to let you sell their products if you are not selling enough. And if they did, you would have to sit there and watch some kid (like I used to be) with no intention of buying, play your new Fender or Gibson until after a while it would end up looking used. And then they would go down the road to Guitar Center and buy one anyway.