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01 Aug 05 - 11:20 AM (#1532652) Subject: real life in new acoustic music store From: wilco I thought there might be some interest in my new acoustic music store. I don't do any internet or mail order sales, so this isn't an ad. I'm in east tennessee, home of Appalachian music, close to nashville, and surrounded by bluegrass music. There are tesivals every weekend. Often, there are several each weekend. I stock about 300 instruments: fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolines, upright bases, dobros, and their derivatives. I had not previously been in the music business or in a retail business. Mandolins and fiddles are the top selling intstruments. Also, sell a lot of upright basses. 95% of inventory is made in Asia. Big surprises have been that there are so many musicians who have no one to play with regularly, that there are so many fiddlers, that the internet guts your sales, that quality control is a minor issue with many manufacturers, how competitive guitar sales are, that you need to have some "expensive" lines of instruments, that lots of people just like to "hang out" in music stores, and that this lots of fun. Plus, it cost more than I anticipated. Many musicians have told me that they have dreamed of doing what I'm doing: let me encourage you to do it. Wilco 48 |
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01 Aug 05 - 11:25 AM (#1532656) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: mooman I did it too in the UK for a number of years and really enjoyed it. May I wish you every success in your business! Peace moo |
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01 Aug 05 - 11:55 AM (#1532683) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: Amos Wilco: Good on ya! Are you in the black a bit? A |
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01 Aug 05 - 01:07 PM (#1532717) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: GUEST,leeneia Best of luck. Re " Big surprises have been that there are so many musicians who have no one to play with regularly..." Yep, for people to get together regularly, someone has to be the organizer. It takes effort, but it's worth it. |
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01 Aug 05 - 01:17 PM (#1532721) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: freightdawg Congrats, Wilco. I would very much like to go into business for myself as you have, but since my business acumen is only slightly lower than my musical ability (which is to say, not very much) I doubt I will ever have the courage to do so. One word of encouragement. You complained about internet sales, how they gut your sales. I am looking at a guitar purchase in the near future, and I found out (via the internet) that a local music shop had the model of guitar I wanted in stock. I went and talked to the salesman. He was so full of spit and vinegar about how he could make me a "great deal" on the guitar in question and how he was going to have to sacrifice blah, blah, blah. I know what the guitar retailed for on the internet, but I was willing to pay a little extra in order to have a local, real live person to talk to should there be a problem with the guitar, etc. But the guy put me off so much that I decided before I left the shop that I would buy the guitar on-line and run the risk of some of those related problems. Its true that on-line shops sell for less than what you can probably afford to sell the same instrument (you have overhead, taxes, etc). But a lot of people would love to pay the extra for you to make a living so that they can come to you if there is a problem, for additional instruction or advice, or to "move up" to a higher quality instrument when the time comes. I really wanted to help support a local business man. If you come across as a genuine musician wanting to help your customers in an honest way you can overcome the cost difference real quick - its called good ol' home town service. My local dealer failed with a resounding thud - and so he lost a rather large purchase to the internet. Just a little story and a huge bit of encouragement - may you have so much business that you don't know how to spend the profit! Freightdawg |
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01 Aug 05 - 03:15 PM (#1532805) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: John Robinson (aka Cittern) I bought one instrument from an Internet store - a Cittern would you believe - which is why I now play guitar. Put service first, and never under estimate the importance of getting your hands on a potential purchase and playing it ... and everything else in the store .... before making a decision. |
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01 Aug 05 - 04:34 PM (#1532849) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: open mike do you open the shop for picking circles in the eveneing or weekend? you could be the central focus of all things musical in your neighborhood if so. my local music store often features small concerts by folks who perform as representatives of instrument makers....Dan Crary, Chris Proctor for Taylor Guitars, for example. do you offer lessons with specialists in certain instruments teaching students? do you have a relationship with a qualitfied repair person? I wish you luck in your venture and hope it is an adventure, too! Laurel |
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01 Aug 05 - 06:57 PM (#1532945) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: Ned Ludd Best of luck Wilco! I'm another who did it for years! Still repair a bit just to keep my hand in.(I can give up any time!) Never made a fortune but never went hungry either. |
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01 Aug 05 - 07:09 PM (#1532961) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: Jeremiah McCaw Luck to you, Wilco. It's not likely I'll find myself in east Tennessee, but it's not a total impossibility, either. Mayhaps you should share with Mudcatdom Assembled your store name, location and phone. Just in case, you understand. |
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01 Aug 05 - 07:59 PM (#1533006) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: The Fooles Troupe You can put your deatils on the Links page, maybe even on your profile page! |
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02 Aug 05 - 01:41 PM (#1533452) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: open mike if you get a web page, send us a link so we can visit your store too. |
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02 Aug 05 - 05:07 PM (#1533594) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: katlaughing Congratulations and good luck to you! kat |
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02 Aug 05 - 07:25 PM (#1533710) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: wilco Again, if anyone is interested, this is how this developed. About two years ago, I started a "slow jam circle," on a once a week basis. Since then, we've had about 800 musicians come through, and we have added two more weeknights and a weekend jam. Nobody dominates the jams, and we confine it to "the kind of music you would have heard on the Grand Ol Opry prior to about 1952." We pass a mike around the circle, and you can play, pass, or ask someone else to play something. We usually run off the big egos in an hour or so. Dozens of bands have formed out of the jams. Out of the jams, I saw that people couldn't get decent acoustic instruments at fair prices, so I opened a store. I probably ahve more mandolines or fiddles or autoharps or harmonicas or upright basses or banjos or ukes than all of the other stores put together within 80 miles. Guitars are another matter, since everyone has them. Thanks for encouragement!!! |
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02 Aug 05 - 09:06 PM (#1533812) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: freightdawg "We usually run the bit egos off in an hour or so." Please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease pass on your recipe!! Freightdawg |
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02 Aug 05 - 10:18 PM (#1533845) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: jimmyt Hey All, I went to a bluegrass session tonight and who should show up but ole WIlco himself! It was really great to see him and he told me about his store etc. I had lost touch with him for about a year or so as he doesn't get in here too much. It was very strange to see someone I had met in cyberspace mudcat when he lives just up the road in Chattanooga. One of the fellows at the session had one of Steve's (WIlco's)Basses and it was a darn decent instrument! He told me he has sold about 80 basses since he opened. Anyway, I just happened to be at this sesssion as I play folk music (ie PPandM and Kingston Trio ) but my group has been taking off some time this summer and I needed a music fix. I enjoyed it a lot. Good luck to WILCO anf his store's success |
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03 Aug 05 - 04:26 PM (#1534181) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: Jeremiah McCaw So Wilco, still keeping the actual name and location a secret, are ye? :-) |
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03 Aug 05 - 08:41 PM (#1534534) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: wilco The "secret" is to have few ground rules, and make sure that you live by the rules. 1. Select and limit the type of music and limit the kind of instruments. In our case, it's all acoutic (no electric), and pre-1952 Grand Ol' Opry Music. 2, Take turns all the way around the room. 3. Remind the "break hogs" that other people want the breaks too. 4. Start and stop at a set time: we run three hours. 5. If someone wants to focus on a particualr style of music in your genre (like driving bluegrass), and they aren't happy with old country music or fiddle tunes, announce their interest and tell eberyone which room they'll be in. 6. pass the hat to pay utilities. 7. If someone won't keep the rules, tell him/her to leave. Steve Daugherty |
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03 Aug 05 - 08:43 PM (#1534535) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: jimmyt Well, It is in Chattanooga, Tennessee or the surrounding area, that is what I know. He posted about thinking about opening the store about a year ago. Last night when I saw him he seemed to be doing very well. Wilco if you read this, I would like to buy one of those HArmonica cases you had last night to keep my harps in! let me know $ jimmyt |
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04 Aug 05 - 12:26 AM (#1534578) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: Kaleea Wowie! Acoustic Music is alive. Sometimes, when I peruse "Music" stores, I have wondered if all the Acoustic Musicians have been escorted from the gallaxy by aliens. But, I know we really do exhist, cause some of us meet up here. |
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04 Aug 05 - 01:45 PM (#1534965) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: wilco I forgot to mention that all of our jams are 100% drug free, including alcohaol and tobacco products. |
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04 Aug 05 - 02:46 PM (#1535037) Subject: RE: real life in new acoustic music store From: Ebbie Good for you, Wilco! And I think the idea of a songcircle on the premises is a great one. For peace of mind, just install a gate between the public part of the store and the inventory. The best of fortune to you. |