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The death of the local music shop in the BR
Posted on 3/12/22 at 6:41 pm
Posted on 3/12/22 at 6:41 pm
Growing up in BR in the 70’s and 80’s especially and into the 90’s, obviously pre-internet, there was a plethora of different options to choose from when shopping for musical instruments. Just off the top of my head, you had BeeBop Music Shop, Marks Music, Michael Notos, C&M, Sound City (later to give birth to Bob and Ronnies Live Music), and so many more. Today, I’m not even aware of an actual local music store in the area anymore. There are quite a few luthiers, a few exchanges, pawn shops, and stores specializing in running sound, but no real stores to shop for a more higher end new guitar, save Guitar Center and a very very sad Music and Arts chain, both of which deal almost entirely in very lower end to bare middle of the road music equipment, almost all imports, and mostly beginner stuff. And look, there’s definitely a place for that, but If you want to try out higher end equipment, you have to travel to Lafayette, NOLA, or the North Shore where there is a much more significant market for it.
Given the fact of how many different options you have to purchase online via Sweetwater, Reverb, Musicians Friend, and others, and they carry so many different brands and at excellent prices, I get the fact that local music stores have struggled and many gone out of business, but given the fact that making a more significant purchase on a higher end guitar, bass, amp, etc, is something most guitarists would like to try before they make such an investment, and given the size of the area, I don’t really understand why there are absolutely none in the area to cater to that market of more serious or seasoned musicians. C&M was the last of the serious shops to leave town many years ago, but they’re still very much alive and kicking elsewhere in Louisiana. I know, because I have to travel there to shop on ocassion. The inventory is pretty amazing TBH. PRS, Mesa Boogies, etc. Loaded with higher end equipment. Nothing boutique or custom shop really, but still a far side better than anything you can find here.
I’d be interested to have someone help me wrap my head around the fact that it still exists in most other cities I travel to in the southeast, but just none in the BR. What gives?
Given the fact of how many different options you have to purchase online via Sweetwater, Reverb, Musicians Friend, and others, and they carry so many different brands and at excellent prices, I get the fact that local music stores have struggled and many gone out of business, but given the fact that making a more significant purchase on a higher end guitar, bass, amp, etc, is something most guitarists would like to try before they make such an investment, and given the size of the area, I don’t really understand why there are absolutely none in the area to cater to that market of more serious or seasoned musicians. C&M was the last of the serious shops to leave town many years ago, but they’re still very much alive and kicking elsewhere in Louisiana. I know, because I have to travel there to shop on ocassion. The inventory is pretty amazing TBH. PRS, Mesa Boogies, etc. Loaded with higher end equipment. Nothing boutique or custom shop really, but still a far side better than anything you can find here.
I’d be interested to have someone help me wrap my head around the fact that it still exists in most other cities I travel to in the southeast, but just none in the BR. What gives?
5
Posted on 3/12/22 at 8:59 pm to Mike da Tigah
I used to hang out at Mark’s Music and miss that place. I remember when he told me he had to quit carrying Gibson and I think most local shops were in the same boat. The big brands were satisfying Guitar Center and that was the beginning of the end.
Only positive from that was he sold me my Les Paul for $750 when he clearanced them out.
Only positive from that was he sold me my Les Paul for $750 when he clearanced them out.
Posted on 3/12/22 at 9:52 pm to rustyjohnson
quote:
I used to hang out at Mark’s Music and miss that place. I remember when he told me he had to quit carrying Gibson and I think most local shops were in the same boat. The big brands were satisfying Guitar Center and that was the beginning of the end.
Only positive from that was he sold me my Les Paul for $750 when he clearanced them out.
Yeah, I bought a Lone Star Strat from him back in the 90’s It was actually my first higher end guitar purchase. I really liked those people. They were super friendly and helpful, and as you say, missed greatly.
This post was edited on 3/12/22 at 9:53 pm
Posted on 3/13/22 at 3:00 am to Mike da Tigah
When my best friend and I were 11, we walked 2 miles down a railroad track, through a cement drainage ditch, over a fence and a walk over roads carrying his acoustic guitar and case... so he could play his guitar live in front of people covering Beatles songs as the store we were headed to was having a promotional event.
Posted on 3/13/22 at 11:30 am to Mike da Tigah
Guitar Center bought their last few competitors about 4 years ago.
Posted on 3/13/22 at 12:15 pm to Mike da Tigah
quote:
Today, I’m not even aware of an actual local music store in the area anymore.
Baton Rouge music exchange
Posted on 3/13/22 at 12:18 pm to Mike da Tigah
I was in the Springfield, MO area recently and they had at least 3 good, independent shops (and a trashy Guitar Center where all the better stuff was locked up, if they had any, a ton of low to mid tier guitars though).
One of the independents was devoted entirely to acoustic instruments (guitars, mandolins, banjos, etc) and seemed to be doing well although I'd guess the area is a hotspot for bluegrass.
Odd that BR can't sustain at least one as it's quite a bit larger than Springfield.
One of the independents was devoted entirely to acoustic instruments (guitars, mandolins, banjos, etc) and seemed to be doing well although I'd guess the area is a hotspot for bluegrass.
Odd that BR can't sustain at least one as it's quite a bit larger than Springfield.
Posted on 3/13/22 at 2:17 pm to SidewalkTiger
I get asked monthly if and when I'd evolve my local repair and pickup workshop into the music store you guys dream about. To the extent I've been approached by investors on multiple occasions. My answer to them and y'all is "absolutely no way." Because it would be a suicide mission.
This market is simply not big enough nor its consumers loyal enough to sustain a high-end and/or pro-caliber music retail storefront in today's internet-savvy world. Like a hip restaurant or live music venue, a nice local music shop will hit and pop and be "it" for six to 12 months. But when the newness dies, you've bought your one or two high-end pieces and that consumer market segment is saturated, the store then withers and slowly dies on the vine.
Example: You overlooked The Perfect Guitar/The Perfect Bass on your MIA list. They had a thriving web operation and for whatever reason opened a local storefront. They were EXACTLY that music store for which you lust some 15ish years ago. Very esteemed product lines, the nicest music retail showroom in the South, a knowledgeable and polite staff. And the overhead of brick and mortar combined with a lack of local market support for multiple owners of multiple units of high-end acoustics and electrics put the ENTIRE operation under. Savvy BR players had their chance. And we - me too, guilty - didn't give them what they needed to stay around.
Or better yet, look at what's still around ...
* Even with Guitar Center's product lines, their advertising and marketing efforts, and their (alleged) buying power ... look at their BR inventory now compared to when they first opened some 15 years ago. It is READILY apparent if you've frequented the place since it opened that they effectively saturated the local high-end market they could capture and have moved to emphasize lower-ticket, quantity driven gear. That's not "our" market's decision, that's the decision of the bean counters in California who diligently study our market's consumption data every quarter. I promise, promise you they know our market better than we know ourselves.
* C&M has at best lackluster competition in south Louisiana, not even from the NOLA GC (my above comment applies to the Harahan store). Plus they have a robust web presence to extend market(s) reach. Do an eBay search for guitars and basses within 100 or so miles of Baton Rouge. At least 80 percent of the listings (auctions and BINs) are C&M retail inventory. That tells me not only are they web commerce receptive and savvy, but also that the local market alone ain't carrying the load. If the immediate geographic market was in fact robust, they wouldn't want or need the web necessarily due to the cost and effort it takes to service that market segment.
Of course, this is all just my two cents, observations and total speculation and conjecture on my part. And be sure to know I am so, so thankful C&M is here. If you want to buy a nice high-end guitar in person, I recommend you do so with Melvin and his team.
This market is simply not big enough nor its consumers loyal enough to sustain a high-end and/or pro-caliber music retail storefront in today's internet-savvy world. Like a hip restaurant or live music venue, a nice local music shop will hit and pop and be "it" for six to 12 months. But when the newness dies, you've bought your one or two high-end pieces and that consumer market segment is saturated, the store then withers and slowly dies on the vine.
Example: You overlooked The Perfect Guitar/The Perfect Bass on your MIA list. They had a thriving web operation and for whatever reason opened a local storefront. They were EXACTLY that music store for which you lust some 15ish years ago. Very esteemed product lines, the nicest music retail showroom in the South, a knowledgeable and polite staff. And the overhead of brick and mortar combined with a lack of local market support for multiple owners of multiple units of high-end acoustics and electrics put the ENTIRE operation under. Savvy BR players had their chance. And we - me too, guilty - didn't give them what they needed to stay around.
Or better yet, look at what's still around ...
* Even with Guitar Center's product lines, their advertising and marketing efforts, and their (alleged) buying power ... look at their BR inventory now compared to when they first opened some 15 years ago. It is READILY apparent if you've frequented the place since it opened that they effectively saturated the local high-end market they could capture and have moved to emphasize lower-ticket, quantity driven gear. That's not "our" market's decision, that's the decision of the bean counters in California who diligently study our market's consumption data every quarter. I promise, promise you they know our market better than we know ourselves.
* C&M has at best lackluster competition in south Louisiana, not even from the NOLA GC (my above comment applies to the Harahan store). Plus they have a robust web presence to extend market(s) reach. Do an eBay search for guitars and basses within 100 or so miles of Baton Rouge. At least 80 percent of the listings (auctions and BINs) are C&M retail inventory. That tells me not only are they web commerce receptive and savvy, but also that the local market alone ain't carrying the load. If the immediate geographic market was in fact robust, they wouldn't want or need the web necessarily due to the cost and effort it takes to service that market segment.
Of course, this is all just my two cents, observations and total speculation and conjecture on my part. And be sure to know I am so, so thankful C&M is here. If you want to buy a nice high-end guitar in person, I recommend you do so with Melvin and his team.
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