Best location for an up-market Guitar shop

ToneControl

where would this be?

In a motorway service station? 

The Trafford centre?

Obviously given the cheesy old jokes, next to a large hospital or dental school, but you get my point

You want well-heeled people from a wide area, and parking really

I would not pick the current locations of the best shops I can think of, e.g. Sounds Great, Coda

stickyfiddle

I have no idea. You'd think somewhere in the south east in a nice part of town, but Oxford Guitar Gallery went under, suggesting it's not that simple. 

Guitar Village appears to do well, though obviously I haven't seen their accounts! I think the important thing is to get a great website with very pro photos, and enough stock that people will travel to visit you because it's a day out. 

And comfy wife-chairs in every room. This is extremely important - I'm not even kidding! MrsF's favourite guitar shops are GV and V&R because they let her sit on a nice couch and offer tea!

Axe_meister

It depends what your marketing strategy is. Are you just looking for footfall or will you invest in a lot of advertising. If the latter you will want to keep rent low but have parking have a reason for people to linger (coffee shop?).
If you go for a typical high street location you should see if you can get a temporary parking permit outside the shop so people can load up with heavy stuff.
I'd actually have a drum, keyboard and PA section as well.
So ideally large premises with parking on the outskirts of a well healed area with lots of advertising

capo4th

Transport links - most people spending £2000 like to run their fingers on the frets. So open near junction 19 on the M25 and you will be fine. Convert an industrial unit which will have parking and the space you require for your high end emporium.

Kebabkid

Chandlers in Kew is on it's 3rd site on the same road! It's an affluent area but also 5mins walk from the tube station. There are parking restrictions though which can be a PITA. The M4 is close by and they've always had people/clients travel in from afar to use their services.

 Same with Charlie Chandlers' Guitar Experience. That's close by to Hampton Wick station or Kingston. That's a nice area and there are metered spaces outside, but parking can be a pain.

The M25 ring of music shops - Guitar Village in Farnham, Andertons in Guildford and Guitar Guitar in Epsom - are all in great areas. The latter has a car park behind it and Epsom Station is 10 mins walk away. It's my favourite and local shop and bar internet or private acquisitions, I've not used another shop in the last 2 years. Superb customer service and stock!

maltingsaudio

Middle of Alton Towers would be my shout!

Axe_meister

Kebabkid;465626" said:

Chandlers in Kew is on it's 3rd site on the same road! It's an affluent area but also 5mins walk from the tube station. There are parking restrictions though which can be a PITA. The M4 is close by and they've always had people/clients travel in from afar to use their services.



 Same with Charlie Chandlers' Guitar Experience. That's close by to Hampton Wick station or Kingston. That's a nice area and there are metered spaces outside, but parking can be a pain.



The M25 ring of music shops - Guitar Village in Farnham, Andertons in Guildford and Guitar Guitar in Epsom - are all in great areas. The latter has a car park behind it and Epsom Station is 10 mins walk away. It's my favourite and local shop and bar internet or private acquisitions, I've not used another shop in the last 2 years. Superb customer service and stock!

I do like guitar guitar but they are a little too guitar focused. I've yet to go to Andertons.

Now where do successfully musicians go to check out gear.

And where do they get all that fancy switching gear from that look commercially made but never makes an appearance in guitar mags/shops, etc

xmrchi

What's a shopl

maltingsaudio

Axe_meister said:

And where do they get all that fancy switching gear from that look commercially made but never makes an appearance in guitar mags/shops, etc

http://www.customaudioelectronics.com/

Flink_Poyd

I think "best location" is difficult to advise on, suggestions on the other hand are easy.
If you're going top end a lot of businesses who want something different, even though it's nothing new, set up in converted farm units/parks. Architects, IT companies etc love them, nice location, can be cheaper than a town centre and some have flexible rental agreements.
Depends on whether you're aiming for passing footfall or more exclusive boutiquey type of feel

BenSirAmos

Denmark Street

bingefeller

I don't know a lot about Glasgow but I have been to Guitar Guitar there a number of times over the years and, IMO, it doesn't appear to me to be in the best end of the city.   Make of that what you will.

Flink_Poyd

ToneControl;30917" said:

where would this be?In a motorway service station? The Trafford centre?

Obviously given the cheesy old jokes, next to

@Gassage s house?

musicegbdf

Not easy. As you mention up market then people will travel. Though on that basis you will need to be accessible. Up market you will expect callers , but not so much footfall. That means expensive slow moving stock. My local that fits the bill is Peach. Though , not so keen to go into Colchester town ,rather than their original location in Braintree. I hate town centres.

Is there any one in Chester? Footballer country...

chillidoggy

I can tell you where you wouldn't want to put one, but beyond that, I'd say Brum.

ToneControl

I'm starting to think Trafford centre

they have a shop in there now that sold music-related mugs etc., and a few Chinese fenders. Now they have a few USA ones

Still not really a guitar shop

If it were a real shop, with practive booths, just full of higher end stuff, surely an affluent chap might be leave his other half/kids for half an hour in the food court or whatever shop, and get some GAS without being the bad guy for taking a day trip to somewhere no one else wanted to go

chillidoggy

Bluewater or Lakeside. That way I could spend all day in there while the missus does her shopping.

Antique_Guitars

The Internet!

capo4th

Rent in a retail Mecca will be sky high ... Just sayin

Skipped

ToneControl said:

I'm starting to think Trafford centre

I want you to be correct.
But I think there is a reason why the shops holding serious levels of high end stock are all in the south of England and I don't see how this can change anytime soon.

It would be interesting to know which part of the (varied)  business is keeping Sounds Great going. Judging from the stock turnover I cannot imagine that it is their Gibson dealership.

richardhomer

ToneControl;465864" said:

I'm starting to think Trafford centrethey have a shop in there now that sold music-related mugs etc., and a few Chinese fenders. Now they have a few USA onesStill not really a guitar shop

If it were a real shop, with practive booths, just full of higher end stuff, surely an affluent chap might be leave his other half/kids for half an hour in the food court or whatever shop, and get some GAS without being the bad guy for taking a day trip to somewhere no one else wanted to go

I know the shop you mean and I quite like it. I saw a young lad buy a Squier Tele in there and it took me back to buying my first electric. It isn't intimidating to someone who hasn't got stacks of cash.

The problem with The Trafford Centre is that rents are really high - far more so than Central Manchester I understand - so big premises would be very hard to sustain.