Supporting your local music retailer

[Chipotle]

...is getting harder and harder.

Our great local music dealer (guitars & accessories, amps, keys, etc.) has gone to a non-retail business model, and the other two chain shops have a pretty disappointing inventory. If I want to look at those inspired-by-Gibson Epiphones, or need DR Rare strings, I'm out of luck.

I would love to support a local retailer rather than mail order, but they simply don't carry the stuff I want. This is true of businesses other than music, as well. I simply can't find what I need locally, even if I were willing to pay a premium. It seems to be a downward spiral, too--I can't find it locally, so buy online; the local shop gets less business and has to cut their stock or even goes under, so I have to buy even more online....

I guess this is more of a rant than asking what I can do, because I can't make retailers carry the brands and models I need. But I would love a way to support and keep the local guys around. Anyone else see the same thing happening where they are?

Edit: This started happening before the pandemic as well--I understand supply chains are a mess (and addressed in another recent thread). I'm wondering more about local vs online.

[Mandobart]

So much of what I purchase is somewhat specialized. My local auto parts stores have cheap parts produced elsewhere for fairly recently-built cars. When I want something they don't usually have it. They offer to order it, but hell I can do that, pay less, get it faster and it's a US made part.

Same with music supplies. I have some specialty custom instruments that I can't get strings for easily. And no one sells Alvarez, Yamaha, let alone Martins, Gibson's, Taylor, etc. near me.

And there's the whole TMI thing. Events of these last few years have led to many people expressing their beliefs and opinions in very loud, ugly and sometimes violent ways. My closest local music shop proprietor is one who has gone this route. I just don't want to support his business or even enter his shop anymore.

[boombox]

What's a local music retailer? We lost our last one four years ago. Used to have three, but they all went to the wall or moved elsewhere.

[TwangGang]

This has been an ongoing problem especially in less populated areas where there is less population to support local stores. Some of the big guitar manufacturers (Gibson and Taylor I know for sure and probably Martin) require a minimum dollar amount of inventory to be carried and many small retailers just don't have the capitol to do it.

Two smaller guitar shops have closed in my area in the past couple of years. There is one about 40 minutes away that is still in business, and he carries PRS and Fender guitars, but no new Gibson, Martin, Taylor, or Collings for example. At least I can still get strings and other small items (polish, fretboard oil etc.) but the guitar selection seems to be geared toward the beginner with a limited budget.

Collings seems to give their dealers a chance by not distributing to stores that are close together. I had to go on a 3 hour drive Northeast to purchase one and the next closest dealer was about 2.5 hour drive in the opposite direction. Granted I live in a fairly remote area.

I guess it's mostly economics. An online warehouse (Sweetwater) is cheaper to operate than a series of brick and mortar stores, is open 24 hours a day and through economies of scale can have a bigger selection and because of high volume a better relationship with the manufacturers. Guitar center is still big nationwide, but has been through a couple bankruptcies so I don't imagine we'll see a reversal of the on-line trend anytime soon.

[rllink]

I did buy a guitar from my local independent music store back in February. I stopped in to look at strings and there it sat. I wasn't even looking for one and he didn't have a lot of them, but he had one I wanted. The manager of the store, and at this point the only one working there, was so grateful and appreciative that since then I've gotten out of my easy chair and wandered downtown when I'm in need of anything else. Yesterday I dropped in and he only had two guitars on the wall. I feel bad about that for him but I'm not going there to specifically look at guitars. But he has plenty of accoutrements. I did specifically go in for strings and some picks to try out and he had exactly what I was looking for. He gave me a bit of a discount because of the guitar purchase in February. So I've gotten on a first name basis with him and I think that I probably won't be purchasing strings, straps, picks and the like on line much anymore. He seems to have what I need.

[SalFromChatham]

I try to buy whatever I can from Russo's in Asbury Park - my "local".

I bought my Epi there, a few Gibsons, a J45-Studio, other acoustics, electrics, amps... do repair work there as well. I wanted to get A martin through them, but The inventory is not there. I felt bad. I went mail order. Felt bad about it. I'll feel less bad about it when it comes Friday though

[zombywoof]

I frequent local stores because I wants them to be there. If you get enough of the regulars dropping by they have a tendency to turn into picking parlors.

I have a couple of local music shops within a 1/2 hour or so drive. Woody's in Kent has the widest and most diverse sampling carrying Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, Eastmans, and others. My wife bought her Martin D12-28 from them. Lay's Guitar Repair in Akron sells guitars they build but also provides space in what they call "The Loft" to another seller and is the place to go if you want to try out a Huss & Dalton, Santa Cruz or the like.

While I cannot get everything I might want particularly in the way of accessories and smalls most local stores can order it in and have it to me in less than a week.

[rllink]

One other thing I've learned about our local independent music store is that the guy is a repository for information about the local music scene. He has helped me connect up with other musicians and pointed me towards some opportunities I would surely have missed otherwise.

[Br1ck]

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far away, you waltzed into your music store and bought whatever phosphor bronze strings they carried, and a Shubb capo. Strings and capo worked just fine. My, they had a D 28 and a D 18. Lucky day. Once you saved up, you went back and bought the D 18, and it came with a lifetime of minor tweaks, and a decent price on any repairs, because you were a valued customer. You knew the people and between working in the store and local gigs that actually paid, they got by. They had a bulletin board with pins tacking up the looking for a bassist, or the Howdy Dos were playing Red's Roadhouse the 21st.

Now your chrome molly grease coated strings you can't live with 'cause your favorite singer uses them aren't stocked, and the three sets a year you buy are a four year's supply because the store has to buy a box, and the D 18 costs $200 more and thanks for letting me play it but sorry XYZ Boxey has a deal.

Can't have it both ways. Collectively we've chosen price. And really, is there anyone who can't make do with plain old D'Addario PB strings? Like you'd quit playing if you couldn't buy Elexirs?

[dnf777]

Brick and mortar retail are inefficient business models in terms of inventory and volume distribution. Its a natural evolution. I dont like it, but it is what it is. NEVER thought Id buy shoes online either, but that train left the depot years ago...

[MBee]

Originally Posted by dnf777

Brick and mortar retail are inefficient business models in terms of inventory and volume distribution. Its a natural evolution. I dont like it, but it is what it is. NEVER thought Id buy shoes online either, but that train left the depot years ago...

"Train?" "Depot?" Never heard those terms before

[hubcapsc]

There's a whole thread about good local guitar stores to go to.

My good local guitar store is on the list. "Local" = 1 hour away.

Maybe this is a "I'm lucky" post and not an argumentative post ...



is there anyone who can't make do with plain old D'Addario PB strings?

I just got 5 packs of D'Addario B strings. I like Elixirs, though...

-Mike

[KevinH]

Yeah, that is sad. Going into a small-is guitar shop to see their wares is usually a fun experience. But guitar shops aren't going away everywhere. I was in Corvallis OR a few weeks ago and found four guitar shops within a 5 block distance. Some were doing better than others, but at least they were there.

[dnf777]

Originally Posted by MBee

"Train?" "Depot?" Never heard those terms before

Ha! Meethinks you might have!

May have to start a thread about the link between our beloved guitars and trains. Ever since Jimmie Rogers...and probably before that...

[caperrob]

I'm in the opposite camp. I bought my first Martin sight unseen, online. Nightmare from start to finish. So much so that I wanted rid of the guitar from the day it arrived.

That didn't change my opinion of the brand though and I could have bought my next one the same way or from a small store two hours away. In the end, I decided to buy it local. Hopefully by doing so, they will be around for years to come.