Wildwood Guitars Showroom Still Closed

[Lone_Poor_Boy]

Living nearby, and having stopped in multiple times to try guitars pre-2020, I was a bit surprised to see their showroom in Louisville, CO is still closed. I bought a Reverend Baritone from them last year and it was curbside pickup and that's still what they have going on. I emailed last week and they confirmed this is still the case.

What makes it most surprising is they had just moved into this new showroom in late 2019 I believe, and were quite proud of the layout and amenities relative to their previous space, such as number of rooms to test in, overall size etc.

I thought maybe a key person is higher risk, but then that person could still work from home. Maybe they just decided they like the mail order and curb pickup only. Maybe their current staffing level doesn't allow for consistent staffing of an open showroom.

Thoughts?

 

[EXPLRGAB]

I ORDERED TWO GUITARS AND AN AMP SINCE THE START OF THE UNPLEASANTNESS...BEST HASSLE FREE, HI END, SATISFACTORY COMMERCE I EVER ENGAGED IN..EVERYTHING WAS ACES.

 

[JSMac]

Interesting. I live a few miles up the road from them and have been planning on visiting the new location. The old place was pretty cramped.

Maybe they've learned that it's not necessary to have to deal with walk-in retail that would require more staff and other related expenses.

And it would keep the looky loo tire kickers like me away too.

 

[Back at it]

I miss it…. But I got a guitar last year and the service was still great but weird over the phone and email

 

[Texicaster]

When I bought my Broadcaster from them last year they said appt. only and probably gonna stay that way.

Rainbow Guitars in Tucson took the same route....

Not sure if I agree it's a good business practice other than the ability to hire less people; save $$$. I can't tell you how much I've spent at guitar shops when I just stopped in for some strings. Total loss of impulse buys IMO....

 

[bgmacaw]

And it would keep the looky loo tire kickers like me away too.

A lot of boutique-ish places were like that already, pre-you-know-what. Thanks to their snooty attitude, if I was buying a high end guitar I'd go on a long road trip before darkening their doors again.

 

[Stubee]

When I bought my Broadcaster from them last year they said appt. only and probably gonna stay that way.

Rainbow Guitars in Tucson took the same route....

Not sure if I agree it's a good business practice other than the ability to hire less people; save $$$. I can't tell you how much I've spent at guitar shops when I just stopped in for some strings. Total loss of impulse buys IMO....

Rainbow Guitars is appointment only? They were a cool guitar shop, where I took my son to shop for an amp after I gave him my Pacifica 912. That’s a serious bummer if so…

 

[Jakedog]

A lot of boutique-ish places were like that already, pre-you-know-what. Thanks to their snooty attitude, if I was buying a high end guitar I'd go on a long road trip before darkening their doors again.

This actually sucks. Because I’m in the planning stages of a long road trip for my 50th birthday next year, part of which is stopping at high end shops and eventually finding my present. Budget is rather substantial. I was putting Wildwood on the list. Now I’m not.

I’m the king of buying sight unseen, via the net. Even for my nice stuff. But the whole point of this trip is going to be to actually get them in my hands and personally select my favorite. It’s a once in a lifetime trip to visit certain places, and at some point, find the prize. Doesn’t seem like their business model is at all compatible with the idea.

I’ll sure I’ll have a load of fun at Dave’s.

 

[trandy9850]

Maybe they've learned that it's not necessary to have to deal with walk-in retail that would require more staff and other related expenses.

Bingo.

A lot of places have adjusted and learned that they can, indeed, do just fine without the walk-in traffic.

 

[Wallaby]

I'm okay with however they want to run their store, I'm capable of making appointments.

I've actually been in that store, it's okay, it serves its purpose. It's no Elderly instruments for curb-appeal, but has a killer inventory to make up for it.

 

[Old Plank]

I was one of those walk-in tire-kickers pre-pandemic, specifically to check out the Rev Koch Tele; while out there visiting my daughter ... we're curbside here only because I asked the salesman for a pic with the Wildwood storefront sign, tourist that I am, and he kindly obliged.

 

[jrblue]

Why not ask them? We can all guess, I suppose. Mine would be that they don't need to staff and manage a walk-in business if they achieve most of their sales volume online. It sure seems like the vast majority of forum members purchase their stuff online.

 

[gitold]

I bought 2 guitars from them since they closed the show room and I live about a hour away in Greeley. Both times they convinced me just to ship it to my house. It was cheaper than picking it up because sales tax in Greeley is half of what Louisville is. They also ask what strings I used and how I would like it set up and both guitars came ready to go. Both guitars came in 2 days. I’ve been going to Wildwood since they first opened and I’ve noticed they have had less of a showroom vibe the last 5 years. I do look at their new guitars every day and I just don’t understand how they can sell so many $5000 to $10,000 guitars. Who are these people?

 

[Lone_Poor_Boy]

I’m the king of buying sight unseen, via the net.

Gentlemen, we have been challenged.....

 

[Mike_LA]

I stopped by Norm's Rare Guitars last week and same thing.
Appointment ONLY

 

[ruger9]

Such a shame. Not all "improvements" actually are.

 

[Texicaster]

Rainbow Guitars is appointment only? They were a cool guitar shop, where I took my son to shop for an amp after I gave him my Pacifica 912. That’s a serious bummer if so…

When I was in Tucson a few months ago I called and they said they don't even have the guitars on display so you need to make an appointment for particular guitars...no browsing..

No more of this sort of thing...

 

[MilwMark]

Thoughts? They get to run their business how they want. You get to decide whether that works for you.

What else is there?

 

[Lone_Poor_Boy]

Thoughts? They get to run their business how they want. You get to decide whether that works for you.

What else is there?

Hello MilwMark

'Thoughts' was geared toward why they might have taken this course, as a matter of discussion, on a forum of discussion.

Thank you for your feedback MilwMark

You have given much to consider.

 

[BobWithOneO]

Sounds like it's time to eat someone's lunch. We shut down for 3 months because the governor ordered us to. We reopened and haven't missed a single day since. All these fat old boomer businesses got it too good it seems, they aren't hungry anymore. Good riddance.