Trade Regrets: John Chase
John R. Chase, Jr. 56 of Palm Harbor, Florida passed away May 15 at Tampa General Hospital surrounded by his family.Chase worked in the music industry for 40 years. He…
Making the Most of Your Accessories Department
Just down the road from the Memphis outpost of certain MI retail giant, Geoff Albert’s independent Revolve Guitars does a brisk business. Since opening in 2012, Albert’s shop has sold…
Play Nice, Fellas
As we go to print with this June issue of MMR, a hot-button topic on our site (and in my in-box) and elsewhere is the recent parting of the ways…
Six 'Best Ideas' for Print
An ever-popular feature of the RPMDA is the annual “Best Ideas” session, which culls new retail ideas from the minds of all in attendance. Here are six standouts, in no…
Craft
Draft beer. Handmade coffee. Artisanal chocolate. Heritage jeans. Hand-carved wooden iPad cases. It’s hard to avoid the retail collateral of the current hipster era, with its emphasis on the bespoke.…
Connecting with Clients and Employees Using Personality Type Indicators
Many tests have been developed to identify your personality, perhaps the best-known of which is the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator. Using a series of questions, it identifies your personality and…
Learning to Love Retail Analytics
Number crunchers have been harping on analytics for years – you’ve seen it take hold of sports (Moneyball and the rise of “sabermetrics”) while advanced infographics have become a staple…
Shure Keeps Up with Changing FCC Rules
In the Fall of 2012, the Federal Communications Commission announced plans for an incentive auction of UHF spectrum in the 600 MHz Band – adjacent to the previously auctioned 700…
Store-Branded Instruments Represent More than a ‘Vanity’ Label for Some
In the course of compiling our annual ’50 Dealer 50 State’ review and forecast each November, we’ve noticed that a fair number of dealers cite their own store’s brand –…
Step Up to the Plate, B&O Dealers
There’s much talk in the industry of “creating music makers” and, while it’s certainly an important first step to get that customer in the door, making that initial purchase, the…
The Music People Turns 35
It’s a rare venue or studio that doesn’t include at least a few items from On-Stage Stands, the flagship brand from MI manufacturer and distribution company, The Music People. That…
RPMDA Surveys Print’s Ongoing Redesign
As a core group of print music insiders met in Dallas for the 38th convention of the Retail Print Music Distributors Association (RPMDA) in May, a resilient picture of the…