Sam Ash is closing 18 stores

[mcnach]

I have not entered a physical music store in more than a decade. But you wouldn't know that from a decade's worth of online charges! Physical stores are a dying breed from the past.

Sadly, I think you are right...

 

[Grinderman]

I’m always scooting across the 10 or 210 for something or other, unfortunately the last couple of times were sad occasions(a celebration of life for a woman who had worked at Tower on Sunset many years ago, then to visit a cousin of my wife’s who is not doing well at the City Of Hope). But as the GC in Palm Springs leaves something to be desired, I’ll hit all the other ones along the way to Hollywood or the Valley. Otherwise, as there’s not much else out here, I love going into a variety of other places, just to see what’s there. There’s a sad little guitar store in Redlands that still manages to keep going, the Folk Store(and Rhino Records)in Claremont, Gard’s in Glendora, Imperial Vintage in Burbank, and my favorite, Caveman, east of DTLA. I might have asked before, but do you ever go to Future Music on York?

I used to go out to the desert every winter but it's been years since I last went... we almost went in January but got busy with other family things.

I've looked at the Caveman website meaning to go. It's not far from here. Future Music is about a mile from my place--somehow always closed whenever I walk by.

 

[WannaBeatle]

I used to work at the store in Industry, California (AKA Twin Pines Mall) back in 2010.

I'm not at all shocked that one is closing. But, really shocked the Hollywood store is. That one was always busy and made great business.

 

[Grinderman]

This isn't a case of one store that will be inevitable replaced by another. This is about physical music stores disappearing altogether.

It is likely that a handful of high-quality and/or high-end stores will remain open in big cities, but there's going to be fewer and fewer places to try instruments in person. And given the cost of shipping a bass, you'd better be sure you want it before you order it...

And Rock'n'Roll Vintage. And we had Bass Club Chicago for a long time. Not to mention the Lakland factory. It was a gear paradise. I moved away about two years ago--I miss the shops, but not the GAS.

Maybe that's why I don't go to instrument/music stores out here. I liked the places in Chicago when I was young. I remember the old-school GC down in Beverly before GC became something else.

I used also to go to Flynn and Guitar Works up in Evanston. I had some buddies who did luthier/tech work a GW, and I used to hang out with them in the back around closing time on Saturdays. Geoff Benge is one. He's had his own shop on Belmont for maybe 20 years--we go away back. He made the 16-string guitar Steve Albini gave to Lee Renaldo. Albini has a duplicate.

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/when-steve-albini-gave-sonic-youth-a-phallic-guitar/

 

[JenderBazzFass]

That’s too bad. I lived near a music store in Florida that Sam Ash took over and seemed to do a good job with. Hope the folks working there are all right if it ends up closing.

 

[Spidey2112]

once, we traded them 3 basses and guitars to pay for a guitar my husband fell i love with, it took about 2 hours - the store had been closed for some time by the time we were done.

Did they also offer free oil changes for a year? Always hold out for the premium windshield wipers, too.

 

[Spidey2112]

I had a Rickenbacker bass on backorder for a month. After a month I got a better discount with a new code and ordered one again. Last week, after 4 days I got a notification that they cancelled my orders. Yesterday, when I was finally able to reach my salesman, his excuse was that they weren't allowed to sell them that low and if I wanted one I had to pay full price.... and wait a year or more. Nope...that ain't gonna happen.
Looks like this experience fortold the event that the OP was about.

I would have contacted my AG, with a printed invoice/quote.

 

[pcake]

Did they also offer free oil changes for a year? Always hold out for the premium windshield wipers, too.

LOL i can't imagine taking more time that night to hold out for anything

but ariex still has the '82 ibanez artist we did that trade for all those years ago in maybe 2001 or 2002ish...

 

[eddybuzzard]

Maybe that's why I don't go to instrument/music stores out here. I liked the places in Chicago when I was young. I remember the old-school GC down in Beverly before GC became something else.

I used also to go to Flynn and Guitar Works up in Evanston. I had some buddies who did luthier/tech work a GW, and I used to hang out with them in the back around closing time on Saturdays. Geoff Benge is one. He's had his own shop on Belmont for maybe 20 years--we go away back. He made the 16-string guitar Steve Albini gave to Lee Renaldo. Albini has a duplicate.

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/when-steve-albini-gave-sonic-youth-a-phallic-guitar/

Wait, on 95th street?
And Biasco Music was just a couple doors down

This SA news is sad to hear, that Buffalo Grove location has been my go to for about 25 years now.

 

[Snakeman1066]

i did notice some stupid cheap deals online the last few days...

 

[rysker6]

Mine used to be really good, and now it's a morgue.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

I don't buy enough stuff to help any of them much anymore.
It happened years ago now to the Stereo places. Circuit city, The Federated.
Its a changing world.
Brick and mortar is on its arse in every sector.

 

[Snarf]

Any news on the White Plains location? I will go there for immediate need type stuff, and I really like their sheet music department.

 

[skycruiser]

Yeah but how to try stuff out? Big web site gets annoyed with returns.

Problem is like that blue home improvement store that competes with the orange home improvement store. It is not about serving the customer it is about the formula that sells stuff. That is why you go into the blue one and the first thing you see is stuff that they sell in the grocery store. These corporations have lost their way, focusing on "TRENDS" not focusing on "DELIVERY" of core business.

It is like when you go to a web site to browse and the first thing is they shove a pop up in your face that you have to X out before you can search. THEY ARE NOT CLEAR ON THE CONCEPT.

What's a "pop up"?

Use an ad blocker.

If I buy a bass from Sweetwater it costs like 20 bucks to return it. And if anything at all is wrong with it, the return is free. They never give me any hassle or show annoyance.

 

[Michael Jewels]

Wow!

I can’t believe they’re closing the 34th street store.

Is the Queens, NY store on the list?

That place has been anemic for a few years.

What a shame!

 

[60bass]

In Phoenix I bought quite a lot of gear from the Sam Ash store on Cactus Road. Just up the street was a guitar center. I relocated here to Charlotte NC one day I drove to both of the guitar centers and the Sam Ash store. I have to admit that the Sam Ash store here in Charlotte was a pretty dreadful experience when I went in there.

The store was dimly lit inside and I walked around in there for at least 15 minutes maybe longer and absolutely no one greeted me or even acted like they even cared that I was in there. I even walked right by what was looked like a store manager and a department manager standing there discussing something . They looked right at me and I looked at them and neither one of them asked me if I needed help or welcomed me into the store. I have never been back there since. I just couldn't even believe I was in the same franchise of stores compared to the one in Phoenix which is brightly lit and the employees always take time out to greet you and ask how they can help you. They say a retail store always takes on the personality of its manager. Based upon the number of employees who didn't bother to greet me and the three I saw standing outside having the smoke when I pulled into the parking lot, I can only imagine what the manager must be like.

 

[Not_Shane]

They closed the one I used to work at in Paramus a few years ago. Seems to be telling.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...Tower on Sunset...

I've been there a couple of times, but usually I went to the Westwood store.

 

[Michael Jewels]

I found an article, and they are closing the Queens store.

I understand the cost of Commercial rental space, but if Sam Ash is closing the New York store, and not bothering to open a smaller, better run store, I think the writing is on the wall.
Sam Ash Manhattan (& a bunch of others) closing

 

[Jeff Scott]

Not surprised. I saw an ad on Reverb today and ..."purchased" the item only to be told that they
"checked their inventory" and it was no longer available. Nice inventory control with current
POS controls available...

I had to deal with that kind of crappy POS computer inventory stuff at a camera store I worked at in Phoenix in '92.