Kinda sad news...

Jeremy said:
With the closing of Woodwind and Brasswind a while back, ALL of the ones I used to go to are gone. Hell the one I can't even remember the name of anymore. :(
Click to expand...

I thought WWBW was still around, just Musician's Friend bought them? :confused:
 
Mark Wein said:
thats how it used to be here. There is still one store like that called Jims Music here along those lines that seems to be doing pretty well. The problem here is that population density will support a ton of big box retailers to the point where folks just don't bother looking for the little guys since they know where the big ones are (if they are first time or new instrument buyers). I think it's easier for an independent in a place like where you are.
Click to expand...

The inventory at GC is so bad here, I think they mostly get the first time buyers or Mom and Dad buy them a guitar type business. Their new inventory is in used condition at best. The noise levels are ear splitting. I think a big advantage our local is we only have one newspaper and two of the writers take lessons there so they get a lot of articles written about them. We have a great local music scene. Most of our bars have live music on Thrus- Sat nights. Two of them feature only original bands. They cross sponsor a lot of shows with Reverend so they tend to be in the forefront of peoples minds. We are lucky that this area still supports live music, there is only one dance type music club here.
 
Last edited:
reverend1 said:
The inventory at GC is so bad here, I think they mostly get the first time buyers or Mom and Dad buy them a guitar type business. Their new inventory is in used condition at best. The noise levels are ear splitting. I think a big advantage for them is we only have one newspaper and two of the writers take lessons there so they get a lot of articles written about them. We have a great local music scene here. Most of our bars have live music on Thrus- Sat nights. Two of them feature on original bands. They cross sponsor a lot of shows with Reverend so they tend to be in the forefront of peoples minds. We are lucky that this area still supports live music, there is only one dance type music club here.
Click to expand...

kind of the opposite of here.
 
reverend1 said:
The inventory at GC is so bad here, I think they mostly get the first time buyers or Mom and Dad buy them a guitar type business. Their new inventory is in used condition at best. The noise levels are ear splitting. I think a big advantage for them is we only have one newspaper and two of the writers take lessons there so they get a lot of articles written about them. We have a great local music scene here. Most of our bars have live music on Thrus- Sat nights. Two of them feature on original bands. They cross sponsor a lot of shows with Reverend so they tend to be in the forefront of peoples minds. We are lucky that this area still supports live music, there is only one dance type music club here.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call our GC inventory bad...just expected. You've got the inevitable Fender Blues Jr and Hot Rod Deluxe amps, etc. Solid fare, but not very adventurous. I do think you're right about the clientele, though.
 
cuffdc said:
I wouldn't call our GC inventory bad...just expected. You've got the inevitable Fender Blues Jr and Hot Rod Deluxe amps, etc. Solid fare, but not very adventurous. I do think you're right about the clientele, though.
Click to expand...

It's not really that the products are bad, the stuff is just beat to death by a bunch of teenagers who play everything in the store with no intention of buying anything. Then the instruments are put back on the wall without so much as being wiped down.
 
I remember going on our cross country driving trip and we drove by WWBW and we didn't have time to stop - it must have been something like the last month or so they were open. I missed that opportunity. Locally things have slowly stagnated - one was a store that had been in business for decades and had to move to a different location due to development. The location they chose was possible THE worst place you could go and they soon shut down and became a pawn shop. Then that place closed and the building is for lease. There are two or three other mom and pop places that just didn't have a chance when the economy was bad.

The mom and pops locally that are still in business are in business because of excellent service, inventory that makes you go "I never thought I'd see one of those here" and prices that aren't highway robbery. That would be: Lavonnes in Savage (closest to my place, I've bought a ton of stuff there), Willies American Guitar (in St. Paul, kind of a national destination and a mix of new and vintage), Twin Town in South Minneapolis (I like that place though I haven't really gotten anything of substance there yet, they have just about every effect box in the business and some you might not even know existed and a good mix of new and used gear as well as Fender, Gibson and Vox guitars) and Solidbody Guitar (Moundsview - vintage purveyors - they have an actual real '59 Les Paul burst for sale if you want one).

I'm sad about some of the places that closed too - it is sort of a "my lost youth" deal when you think about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top