Members air guitar Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 I am praying for the Dayton Ohio store to close!*Crosses fingers.Why do you want them to close? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Motorcycle Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 I like the GC by me. Hope it remains open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bjcarl Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 There's a lot of unfair, whiny crap in this thread. Not only does GC have the best prices to begin with, but everything's negotiable there. Take the time to form a buyer/seller relationship w/one of the better salespeople and he/she'll save you hundreds if not thousands of $ over time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MoreGuitars Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 They are public so you can read all about their business moves if you search around. They were public. They were purchased by Bain Capital, and are being restructured for a eventual sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jhorne Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 Not only does GC have the best prices to begin with.Charging MAP for everything is hardly 'the best prices', more like 'the same price everyone else charges'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bjcarl Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 which guitar center charges MAP? their list prices are the standard 30-40% below that. i can go into any mom and pop store in the DC area and get them to price match w/guitar center on most(not all) items, but when i go into GC, i get an additonal 20% off their list price... here's an example: fender robt cray strat: MAP=$950GC price=$675my price=$475 I have one on order, if it comes in and i don't dig it, i have 30 days to return it. otherwise, i'll keep it and if i get sick of it in a couple of years, i'll sell it on craigslist for $475, make back my investment and save someone some $ in the process... how could anyone knock that deal? i think people just like to bitch to hear themselves bitch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashtray Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 As far as the topic of them closing stores goes, it's not that far from the realm of possibility with all things considered. They'll likely close any stores not performing at a certain profit level to reduce operating costs. The purpose of being bought out by investment firms is to reorganize the company and sell it off once it looks really good on paper. If that doesn't happen, they liquidate the assets and cut their losses. Exactly. I have been looking at GC's corp job posting for the past year now, and it's been the same positions open for the longest time - which leads me to believe they might have a hiring freeze that they're not allowed to fill open positions at the moment. A company in restructuring or poor financial times would usually do that. Now we now of the buyout that took effect last fall, and its safe to say some changes will be taking place. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the smaller stores closed down, or the ones that were too costly to run - which could be a larger store in a big city (high lease cost, etc) but doesn't more sales than others in smaller towns. Or if there's a bunch of GC in one area, they could close one and people could still drive 20 minutes and find another one. (I have my choice of 4 stores in this area to go to within 45 minutes of my house.) If GC were to close all their stores, I think the local musicians would feel the hurt immediately. And then all the children, won't someone think of the children?! No seriously - the kids who don't have credit cards, and have their parents drive them to the guitar shop for lessons or accessories, etc etc - where would they go? Private lessons perhaps, but what happens when they break a string? (or want a larger amp, etc). I could go on and on... but there's certainly a need for local music B&M stores that carry a very large selection of gear and accessories, that most M&P shops can't afford to carry that much inventory. As for the argument that GC puts out small businesses - well, that *is* true - if the small businesses can't adjust. Essentially, it would give the smaller M&P shops the opportunity to cater to a more niche market, and continue to grow their business. If you look around, there are a lot of small businesses that have done just that, and have earned a name for themselves beyond the local market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 Until I see something in writing this is all speculation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamesclark Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 I hear ya. Sometimes people bitch just to bitch. I like Guitar Center, I know it's limitations and I deal with it. I'm not looking for buddies or validation, I just want my stuff cheap! I couldn't agree more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jhorne Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 which guitar center charges MAP? their list prices are the standard 30-40% below that. i can go into any mom and pop store in the DC area and get them to price match w/guitar center on most(not all) items, but when i go into GC, i get an additonal 20% off their list price...here's an example:fender robt cray strat:MAP=$950GC price=$675my price=$475I have one on order, if it comes in and i don't dig it, i have 30 days to return it. otherwise, i'll keep it and if i get sick of it in a couple of years, i'll sell it on craigslist for $475, make back my investment and save someone some $ in the process...how could anyone knock that deal? i think people just like to bitch to hear themselves bitch... $950 is MSRP, not MAP$675 is MAP (Minimum Advertised Price, the price set by manufacturers that retailers are not allowed to advertise below) If you got it for $475, you got a good deal. And you may get deals like that at GC, then again, you may not. As far as I know, no one charges MSRP any more, and if they do, I'm betting they don't stay in business long. And the deal in your example is closer to 30% off MAP. If I could get 30% off MAP at GC on anything, I'd love them too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members harold heckuba Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 I love Guitar Center. I dont buy much there anymore, but I still like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Armchair Bronco Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 So far, no one has posted even a single link anywhere confirming this "rumor". We have a rhetorical question in the original post, and someone saying that a friend "heard" about it at NAMM. This is exactly how internet rumors get started and then spiral out of control. Look: GC is a huge operation with lots and lots of brick and mortar properties around the country. The bigger a company gets, the more likely it is to open stores in locations that may not work out in the end. After all, big companies can afford to make more "bad decisions" than small companies. And then when it's time to get rid of the dead wood, big companies tend to close lots of store all at once instead of piecemeal. So if a bunch of low-performing store close all at once, no biggie -- except for the unfortunate folks who have now lost a venue for trying out new guitars, amps, and pedals. Personally, I love having no less than 3 GC's all within 30 minutes or so of where I live. Sure, there are better deals out there, but there's no better place to test drive gear. And for my 9-year-old son, GC is his favorite weekend destination. He LOVES going to GC and showing off the new riffs and licks that he's learned (and he always get a small crowd of shoppers and salespeople looking over his shoulder). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Puddlegum Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 There are 4 stores in the Metro Detroit area that are maybe 20 minutes from each other. I wouldn't mind seeing one of them close. Might get some decent deals on stuff finally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neilr11 Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 I've gotten some great deals at GC, no problems with service or selection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted February 24, 2008 Members Share Posted February 24, 2008 There's a lot of unfair, whiny crap in this thread. Not only does GC have the best prices to begin with, but everything's negotiable there. Take the time to form a buyer/seller relationship w/one of the better salespeople and he/she'll save you hundreds if not thousands of $ over time... I have to disagree on "absolute best prices to being with." While everything is negotiable at GC, a lot of the DC/Balt. area stores that GC competes with or bought up offered a starting discount of 40% off of list (GC's was 33%), which is never been the case at GC when I went in there. None the less, their unbundling practices a the Virginia stores were deceptive and preyed on the new buyer and they won't ever see any business from me. When still in DC, I had Action, Atomic, Victor Litz, and Chuck Levin's to buy from (plus private deals with everyone from Danny Gatton to Bill Kirchen) and out here in La-La land I have True-Tone and others and Centre City (who have discounted over 50% off a new Gibby for me) is only a day trip away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chunkytele Posted February 25, 2008 Members Share Posted February 25, 2008 I love GC's ...I hope that make it . Guitars dont sell well during a recession Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted February 25, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 25, 2008 So far, no one has posted even a single link anywhere confirming this "rumor". We have a rhetorical question in the original post, and someone saying that a friend "heard" about it at NAMM. This is exactly how internet rumors get started and then spiral out of control. Thank you!My intent as the OP was to get information. It appears that nobody has information and the thread has sort of morphed into general speculation and GC bashing. Not my intent. I'm sorry.So just for the record, there is NO EVIDENCE to substantiate the rumor I heard that GC was planning to close some of their stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Johnny Z Posted February 25, 2008 Members Share Posted February 25, 2008 GC RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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