Finally made it to the guitar shop in Cherokee today! It's a nice little store that, at present, doesn't have a whole lot of merchandise in it. Considering the shop is closing in two weeks, this makes sense, but still. Walking in I saw a spot that, marketed correctly and with the right mix of merchandise, could have made for an interestingly quirky little shop.
Searching, as I am, for a job up there, I even asked the girl running the place whether they were only open such limited hours because they couldn't find someone to be there on a more regular basis. She said, that, no, they were just closing the shop. Apparently the decision had already been made.
It's a shame. They had a few nice instruments on the racks. If I'd had a bit more extra cash right now, I'd have walked out with a guitar. If they'd had a thinner bodied 12 string, I'd have left with one for sure.
What the shop really needed was a few things, be it a line of guitars or something else, to make it stand out from the crowd. Most of the instruments were off brand, like Cort. Companies that I had heard of, but not necessarily your Fenders and Gibsons that the average teenager is going to come in looking for. Now, I understand fully that one needs to be officially licensed in order to sell your Fenders, Gibsons, Taylors, Martins, etc. but still. They did have a number of Ibanez guitars, and there's a brand name that has been on the rise.
Between a unique brand of merchandise and quality customer service, they could have made something of their small shop. I enjoyed stopping in, but I would have felt a bit better had the girl behind the counter not spent 90% of the time we were in the shop on the phone.
I'd gladly have run the shop as a job in Cherokee, and while I know there's nothing I can do about it, it makes me sad to lose even a small music store.
I'd have taught lessons out of it, too.
Searching, as I am, for a job up there, I even asked the girl running the place whether they were only open such limited hours because they couldn't find someone to be there on a more regular basis. She said, that, no, they were just closing the shop. Apparently the decision had already been made.
It's a shame. They had a few nice instruments on the racks. If I'd had a bit more extra cash right now, I'd have walked out with a guitar. If they'd had a thinner bodied 12 string, I'd have left with one for sure.
What the shop really needed was a few things, be it a line of guitars or something else, to make it stand out from the crowd. Most of the instruments were off brand, like Cort. Companies that I had heard of, but not necessarily your Fenders and Gibsons that the average teenager is going to come in looking for. Now, I understand fully that one needs to be officially licensed in order to sell your Fenders, Gibsons, Taylors, Martins, etc. but still. They did have a number of Ibanez guitars, and there's a brand name that has been on the rise.
Between a unique brand of merchandise and quality customer service, they could have made something of their small shop. I enjoyed stopping in, but I would have felt a bit better had the girl behind the counter not spent 90% of the time we were in the shop on the phone.
I'd gladly have run the shop as a job in Cherokee, and while I know there's nothing I can do about it, it makes me sad to lose even a small music store.
I'd have taught lessons out of it, too.
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