RETAIL PROFILE USA DAVE’S GUITAR SHOP
Home of the Dave
The last thing Adam Savage expected to find in the idyllic state of Wisconsin was one of the world’s biggest guitar specialists. Here he discovers why so many see Dave’s Guitar Shop as the guitar player’s paradise…...
I
love being surprised by MI dealers. Whether it’s a clever idea for an in- store event, an eye-catching new display or department or simply exceptional customer service, it’s always pleasing to come across dealers that offer something you weren’t expecting. I’d heard nothing but great things about Dave’s Guitar Shop on my recent trip to the States to visit accessories specialist String Swing (see page 20) and was urged to see it for myself, but my first thought was ‘how could a small town music store in the quiet, picturesque state of Wisconsin compare to the biggest and best retailers we have here in the UK?’ It was only when I was told that this
“ 58 July 2012
All I know is that I can buy a guitar for ‘this price’ and then sell it for
‘that price’. Dave Rogers
his own store that at the time was smaller than his current office and stocked just 17 guitars. Now, he offers around 3,000 Fenders, Gibsons, Paul Reed Smiths, Gretschs, Rickenbackers and much more – all housed in a giant 20,000 square-foot building – as well as an online business that caters for guitarists all over the world. With there being so
much competition out there, how did Rogers get to where he is today, especially in such an unusual location? As well as obviously having an excellent understanding of retail,
it seems that superior product knowledge and a simple love for guitars go a long way toward explaining his success. “My older brother played in a band, so
now 30-year-old dealership is believed to be one of the biggest vintage guitar sellers in the world and has served the likes of Eric Clapton and Billy Gibbons that I grabbed my keys and made the drive westward. Back in July 1982, Dave Rogers opened
I got into guitars at a really young age,” Rogers reveals. “Everything was vintage right off the bat in the first shop and I worked for five or six years without taking a pay cheque. I used to go to all the big vintage shows in Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia when the market wasn’t as
Dave’s now offers more than 3,000 different guitars
soft as it is now. I went from a 20’ x 20’ spot in a building on the South side of town into what is now the acoustic area and it just went from there.” As for the shop’s excellent reputation
with musicians and collectors all over the world – 85 per cent of Dave’s sales come from outside the local area – surely getting the name out there took a great deal of time and effort? “To be honest our reputation just
came about naturally,” admits Rogers. “We’ve had people fly over from the UK, Japan and Australia and not just professionals and touring bands. One guy flew in from the UK because we had ten Martin Brazilian Eric Clapton guitars and he wanted to try them out.” But surely the thought of moving into a busier location – perhaps through a second store – has crossed Dave’s mind at some point? Of course it’s understandable why a small business would want to stay true to the town where it all began, but wouldn’t being
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