Falls Church
Matt Baker, Owner
Special challenges in 2013? We’ve been even, but the shutdown hurt us a lot since we’re seven miles from the capitol. All my customers are federal employees – it’s like if you’re in Boston and suddenly every university shut down.
New brands or lines you took on in 2013 with success? We just got Mesa, which I’m really looking forward to. And, honestly, Huss and Dalton acoustic guitars have been great. They make two a day and we’ve sold something like a dozen. Those sell at $3,000, so that means a lot.
Evolution in the industry you’re excited about? I think we’re dealing with a much more educated clientele. Every year, the knowledge base of the people coming in the shop improves. That’s because of the web. Years ago, someone would walk into the store and I’d be guaranteed to know more than them about a product. Now guys will come in and know everything – players at the level we cater to are hyper informed. In order to have an intelligent conversation with them and be competitive with large online places, we have to be able to talk the talk and sell effectively.
Product of the Year? Swart Amps have been really good for us this year.
In Today’s Music Business… Time-Tested Practices Still Serve You Well