Recent

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

August 22, 2025

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

August 22, 2025

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

August 22, 2025

Seattle Cascades Now a Fully Powered KHS America Drum & Bugle Corps

August 22, 2025
Reid Peterson (Audio-Technica U.S. Executive Director of Sales, Professional Markets); Julie Van Berg (Mavric Incorporated sales associate); Kazuo Matsushita (Audio-Technica Corporation CEO/President); Pete Petty (Mavric Incorporated principal); Manabu Aoki (Audio-Technica U.S. CEO/President); Jeff Beck (Audio-Technica U.S. Regional Sales Manager, System Solutions); and David Barrett, Jerry Silhavy and John Herr (Mavric Incorporated sales associates). Photo credit: Corey Walthall, Clyne Media

Audio-Technica honors Mavric, Inc. with its President’s Award

August 22, 2025

Solid State Logic Appoints Mark Skipper to National Sales Manager, Eastern U.S., for Broadcast & Live Audio Production Systems

August 22, 2025

Boston Crusaders Win 1st-Ever DCI Gold Medal Playing Pearl/Adams

August 22, 2025
Monday, August 25, 2025
  • Contact
MMR Magazine
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!
No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!
No Result
View All Result
MMR Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Another Year in the Books

Christian Wissmuller by Christian Wissmuller
December 3, 2018
in Editorial
0
938
SHARES
2.3k
VIEWS
Share on Facebook
ADVERTISEMENT

For 11 months out of the year, opening an issue of MMR begins with me spouting off on some topic or another. Certain editorials are met with agreement and thanks from readers; others yield indignant, angry emails (For what it’s worth, I welcome feedback of all types, so keep those messages coming!). Each December, though, I yield this space for some observations on the state of our industry from individuals who actually know what they’re talking about in meaningful ways that my own armchair theorizing cannot match.

Below are some thoughts on the past year and the future from a few of the principal figures at some of the MI retail operations mentioned in our Annual “America’s Top Music Chains” report (page 50):

ADVERTISEMENT

“2017 was a good year for us. 2018 is better yet, and we’re already looking forward to taking it up another notch in 2019.The battles don’t change that much from year to year; it’s just who happens to be nipping at our heels.”

Nick Rail, Nick Rail Music

 

“2018 was down in overall merchandise sales, but up in services: Lessons, repairs, rentals, installations. What concerns me is how people won’t even drive 15 minutes to come into our store. ‘Ship it to me. It’s free, right?’”

Whitney Grisaffi, Ted Brown Music Company

 

“We have had a good year so far. All indicators point in the right direction. I think the import tariffs will play a part in changing our industry pricing.”

Tim Jones, N Tune Music & Sound

 

“It’s not so much a concern, but the huge tariffs on Chinese made goods and the impact that will have on overall pricing of products [is an issue]. Unfortunately, the ‘race to zero’ will be on again as we look for cheap products instead of affordable, quality products from China.”

Tim Kletti, Music Go Round

 

“2017 was a record year for us and 2018 is shaping up to surpass that! A concern for me is the market becoming flooded with ultra-low quality product and first-time buyers/parents not being able to distinguish the difference as they are purchasing from non-traditional music outlets that they otherwise would ‘trust.’”

Dave Kessler, Kessler & Sons Music, Inc.

 

“In the retail stores, we kept our sales staff focused on margins and put an intentional focus on being aware of high-margin versus low-margin items within the same product categories.”

Amanda Rueter, Springfield Music

 

“The U.S. economy, our school systems, and our customers, in general, are very positive and optimistic about the economy and their economic well-being. The very positive impact of the new tax code, for our business and our customers, is supporting revenue and net income after-tax growth.”

Jeffrey Eckroth, Eckroth Music Co.

Previous Post

A Tale of Two Strangely Similar Retailers

Next Post

Zooming In on Innovation: ZOOM North America’s David Via

Related Posts

Current Issue

Bridging the Sound – Audio Interfaces and the Modern Musician’s Toolkit

April 25, 2025
Current Issue

Twang, Nostalgia, the Americana Boom – and Why Now is the Time to Take Advantage

March 25, 2025
Editorial

Enough with ‘It’s Back!’

March 25, 2025
Editorial

Is Your Store an ‘Experience Destination’?

January 9, 2025
Editorial

A New Year – and Potentially Plenty of Change – Awaits

March 25, 2025
Editorial

FOMO Can be Good for You!

December 17, 2024
Next Post

Zooming In on Innovation: ZOOM North America’s David Via

Please login to join discussion
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Furch Guitars Introduces Pioneer Series: All-Solid-Wood, Travel-Friendly Short-Scale Guitars

July 21, 2025

NAMM’s Top 100 Dealer Awards Rebranded as The NAMM Retail Awards

July 21, 2025

Music Sales swoops for Carisch

April 8, 2015

Jessica Tropea Joins Neutrik Americas as Customer Solutions Engineer

August 15, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

Seattle Cascades Now a Fully Powered KHS America Drum & Bugle Corps

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

August 22, 2025

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

August 22, 2025

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

August 22, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
The Latest News and Gear in Your Inbox - Sign Up Today!
  • August 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • July 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • June 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • May 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • April 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
© 2005 - 2025 artistpro, LLC
7012 City Center Way, Suite 207
Fairview, Tennessee 37062
(800) 682-8114

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!

© 2005 – 2024 artistpro, LLC 7012 City Center Way, Suite 207 Fairview, Tennessee 37062 (800) 682-8114

This is Modal Title

Click Me
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?