The Tao of McRib
“Roland, the Japanese firm that designed the [TB-303], has spent three decades pretty much ignoring the calls for a proper reissue of this simple little instrument,” writes Jasper Hamill in…
Roland AIRA Line of Synth Instruments
With roots in the very origins of electronic music, Roland’s new AIRA line is designed to meet the evolving needs of modern electronic musicians while offering throwback functionality inspired by…
MI Store Lighting Know-How: Part I
The selection of the right lighting can be a major contribution to retail sales. Lighting can establish a store’s image, lead customers inside, focus their attention, make the products attractive…
School Rental Business
The business of supplying rental instruments to school-aged children or entire school districts has long been the bread and butter of many in the MI trade. Constricting music program budgets…
Moving That Store: Do’s and Don’ts
Bob Maggio of Mojo’s Music spent two months moving from a building he rented to one he bought. Asked to reflect after the dust settled, here are some of his…
Mojo’s Music Move Offers Chance to Reset
Bob Moggio can’t be accused of moving his retail store because he no longer cared for the neighborhood. After all, he only moved it right next door.In the college town of…
Hamilton Stands Expands, Takes Over Own Distribution
Hamilton Stands entered its 131st year in business this year with an eye towards the future and a blueprint for big changes. President Bill Carpenter brought their distribution in-house, brought in…
10 Tips to Greenify Your Store
Hopefully by now you’ve got your recycling program figured out. What next? In retail, as in any other part of life, it’s a lot easier to call for everyone else…
Green Guitars
At the end of the day, people will buy an instrument because it sounds good and performs well,” says Blackbird Guitars founder Joseph Luttwak. That’s the challenge facing a wide…
The Big Green Picture
When judging a product as sustainable or not at first glance, it’s easy to wonder about a few obvious characteristics. Is it recyclable? Was it built using endangered wood? But…
Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound 2014
With over 110,000 visitors and 2,242 exhibiting companies from 57 nations, it’s unquestionable that the annual Musikmesse gathering in Frankfurt – held this year from March 12-15 – remains a…
Seeing Green
We revisit the environmental/sustainability movement this issue, but I’ve got a different kind of green on my mind, and I can’t help wonder if some are seeing it when it…