GC Opens New Store in Illinois

Guitar Center opened its 264th location in Champaign, Illinois, on February 26.  Guitar Center’s latest store, a state-of-the-art musical instrument and technology center covering over 8,000 square feet, is the first in a series of new store grand openings in 2015.  The announcement was made by Michael Amkreutz, Guitar Center executive vice president, marketing, merchandising and e-commerce, and is said to “further [exemplify] the company’s ongoing plans for growth and long-term expansion and its primary goal of providing customers with the widest selection of musical instruments and professional audio products at the best prices sold by an experienced and knowledgeable sales staff.” 

“Our Champaign, Illinois, store is the first in a series of 2015 new store grand openings,” states Michael Amkreutz. “In addition to opening new stores, we are revamping many of our current locations to bring them in line with our new store designs that foster a hands-on environment in which customers are encouraged to interact with the products. We are always looking to create a more immersive in-store experience for our customers.”  

Guitar Center’s Champaign location features modern showrooms equipped with the latest products for musicians—from guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments and keyboards to live sound, DJ, lighting and recording equipment. The store also provides customers with a vast selection of products and a dedicated staff with unparalleled musical knowledge and experience. 

To commemorate this occasion, Guitar Center hosted a special Grand Opening Weekend celebration featuring exclusive savings, gear giveaways and a free performance catered to local musicians. The grand opening kicked off with a free live in-store performance on February 26th by The Fights. In addition, shoppers received exclusive savings throughout the grand opening weekend including deals on guitar and drum essentials.  

Additionally, the new store features Guitar Center Lessons, an in-house, state-of-the-art lesson facility, which will create unrivalled opportunities for Champaign’s musicians of all ages and skill levels. Guitar Center Lessons provides music lessons from beginner to advanced featuring certified instructors teaching world-class curriculum as well as one-on-one and group courses. Additionally, Guitar Center Champaign’s GC Repairs, Guitar Center’s on site guitar repair service, will offer a variety of repair and set-up services on stringed instruments.   

Champaign customers will also be able to attend free classes every Wednesday and Saturday through the Music Mentor Series. These classes include introductory instruction on a variety of instruments and Recording Made Easy classes are available for anyone who wants to make the exciting journey into recording their music. Guitar Center Champaign will also feature GC Rentals, offering the ability to rent instruments and other gear.