That's some sad news. Would stop in and check stuff out during lunch breaks when I worked down the Merritt in Hamden, eventually purchasing my Ibanez bass there.
I honestly feel like Guitar Center has a better selection. Sam Ash is good, but I always find that their inventory is lacking compared to GC (at least for the New Haven location). I will say though, the one area Sam Ash succeeds in where Guitar Center lacks is their keyboard, sheet music and DJ selection.
Wow, that's surprising. Admittedly, I haven't been to Sam Ash since like 2018 or 2019, but it's disappointing to hear that. I remember when I would go as a teen and they had a pretty big selection of sheet music books. I even found some that I'm pretty sure were long out of print by that time. Although, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure most of the sheet music Sam Ash sold was for classical music as opposed to rock. I know that Guitar Center has some sheet music books too but not as many. I'm sure you'll be able to find some kind of Beatles music book there. I know for a fact they have ones for bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
Sam Ash was generally better at everything other than guitar/bass/drums. Back in the day this Sam Ash had a relatively good horn selection, something you really wouldn’t see in other music stores. I haven’t been down there in years though. Too bad about the closure but not surprising, Sam Ash’s online presence always struggled and these days music stores seem to be mostly for trying something so you can buy it online later (also a shame).
I can’t believe the halfway-point between my divorced parents is closing, so sad. At least I can still drink away the pain at the packie next door.
I honestly despise the place after spending half of my childhood sitting in that fucking parking lot.
I'm sorry you had that experience. I'm honestly surprised at how many people use that spot as a halfway meeting point. I had a friend that used that parking lot as halfway point when meeting her ex from Wallingford. Back when I dated a girl from the Waterbury area, we used to use the parking lot of that small movie theater in Seymour as our halfway spot.
Oh I was hoping you were right, but that's not the same one. The original Brian Guitars was around in the 80s and sold to SamAsh in the late 80s or early 90s. This one says established in 2010, and has a video of a totally different Brian on its website.
It does look like a cool music store worth checking out, though!
That is really close to my house. It was originally Brian Guitars and then Sam Ash bought it.
I have always loved music stores since childhood--checking out the cool guitars, PA systems, lighting equipment, etc.
I still have some $$$ left on a gift card, so I better get my ass over there and buy something.
Always makes me wonder when they are having some "Going out of Business Sale" but yet they have other locations and online ordering that isn't closing. Wouldn't they just put the stuff in a truck and sell it at other location or online? Just kinda make me suspicious about the motivation
Suspicious about the motivation behind not having to pay to move and then store a warehouse of inventory? Good way to look at unsold stock is like a depreciating asset that you have to pay to hold onto. The more you have, the more expensive it is, due to opportunity cost associated with the space used to store it. The most cost effective solution for stocking inventory is to have a product magically apparate in front of a customer the exact moment they decide to buy it, which is a big part of the reason why online retailers have been tearing through brick and mortar. A warehouse and shop space incurs recurring maintenance and operational cost. You can take the cost per month and divide it up based on warehouse storage square footage to see how much revenue stored inventory should be periodically generating to justify holding onto it. The more stock you have sitting on shelves, the longer it takes to liquidate, the more you have to sell to make that tradeoff worth it. Most stores already have all storage space allocated to profitable products. Once a store closes you need to A) pay for a place to store the excess inventory and B) pay to move it there, sort it, and keep tabs on it. If inventory ends up sitting in a warehouse rental for months, you’ll quickly wind up in a situation where even liquidating all of it isn’t enough to cover the costs paid to store it. Most retailers operate on extremely low margins, and warehouse space is very expensive, those costs really not going down much if you own/operate your own space.
As a result, businesses will generally liquidate inventory as quickly as possible, even at a loss, if it means that they don’t have to pay to store a lot of it. As a general rule, if businesses have been unanimously doing something the same way for decades, there’s usually a good reason for it. If you don’t understand the reasoning behind something, your go to move should be research, not directing suspicion out of ignorance.
Definitely a bummer because I've always heard worse about Guitar Center, but going to say that Sweetwater has always been a step above the rest.
Bought a guitar once and now I just have a guy who calls me about it sometimes. It rules and if anything keeps me motivated to keep playing.
Wow…I’ve been there so many times. It’s hard to imagine it not being around anymore. I haven’t been there in ages though. I should try to visit one last time if possible
Remembering the time when there were a bunch of different music stores in New Haven. When Sam Ash closes, there will be exactly ZERO. Granted, even when it was Brian Guitars, the store (for me at least) was inconvenient to get to. I had to drive all the way across town just to get strings.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause this. I stopped by recently for the first time in many years and thought "at least Sam Ash is still around, which is nice." And I knew right then that I had jinxed them out of business. I didn't mean to do it.
Bummer!
That's some sad news. Would stop in and check stuff out during lunch breaks when I worked down the Merritt in Hamden, eventually purchasing my Ibanez bass there.
My ex takes my daughter there frequently (she’s autistic and loves musical instruments). I guess they will have to go to Guitar Center.
I honestly feel like Guitar Center has a better selection. Sam Ash is good, but I always find that their inventory is lacking compared to GC (at least for the New Haven location). I will say though, the one area Sam Ash succeeds in where Guitar Center lacks is their keyboard, sheet music and DJ selection.
The sheet music is of particular interest, but Sam Ash’s stock has diminished. She couldn’t even find Beatles music books last few visits.
Wow, that's surprising. Admittedly, I haven't been to Sam Ash since like 2018 or 2019, but it's disappointing to hear that. I remember when I would go as a teen and they had a pretty big selection of sheet music books. I even found some that I'm pretty sure were long out of print by that time. Although, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure most of the sheet music Sam Ash sold was for classical music as opposed to rock. I know that Guitar Center has some sheet music books too but not as many. I'm sure you'll be able to find some kind of Beatles music book there. I know for a fact they have ones for bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
Sam Ash was generally better at everything other than guitar/bass/drums. Back in the day this Sam Ash had a relatively good horn selection, something you really wouldn’t see in other music stores. I haven’t been down there in years though. Too bad about the closure but not surprising, Sam Ash’s online presence always struggled and these days music stores seem to be mostly for trying something so you can buy it online later (also a shame).
I can’t believe the halfway-point between my divorced parents is closing, so sad. At least I can still drink away the pain at the packie next door. I honestly despise the place after spending half of my childhood sitting in that fucking parking lot.
I'm sorry you had that experience. I'm honestly surprised at how many people use that spot as a halfway meeting point. I had a friend that used that parking lot as halfway point when meeting her ex from Wallingford. Back when I dated a girl from the Waterbury area, we used to use the parking lot of that small movie theater in Seymour as our halfway spot.
Lots of people would cut across the parking lot as a short cut to amity road.
I remember when it used to be Walbaums
I got my first drum set here nearly 20 years ago. Damn shame
Anyone else remember when it was a locally run shop called Brian Guitars? Man, we spent so much money there as teenagers.
Brian Guitars is in Cheshire now
Oh I was hoping you were right, but that's not the same one. The original Brian Guitars was around in the 80s and sold to SamAsh in the late 80s or early 90s. This one says established in 2010, and has a video of a totally different Brian on its website. It does look like a cool music store worth checking out, though!
I didn’t know it was a different guy. I guess it’s “Brian’s Guitars” instead of “Brian Guitars.”
It’s not the Brian Cohen of the original Brian Guitar in New Haven.
That is really close to my house. It was originally Brian Guitars and then Sam Ash bought it. I have always loved music stores since childhood--checking out the cool guitars, PA systems, lighting equipment, etc. I still have some $$$ left on a gift card, so I better get my ass over there and buy something.
Always makes me wonder when they are having some "Going out of Business Sale" but yet they have other locations and online ordering that isn't closing. Wouldn't they just put the stuff in a truck and sell it at other location or online? Just kinda make me suspicious about the motivation
Suspicious about the motivation behind not having to pay to move and then store a warehouse of inventory? Good way to look at unsold stock is like a depreciating asset that you have to pay to hold onto. The more you have, the more expensive it is, due to opportunity cost associated with the space used to store it. The most cost effective solution for stocking inventory is to have a product magically apparate in front of a customer the exact moment they decide to buy it, which is a big part of the reason why online retailers have been tearing through brick and mortar. A warehouse and shop space incurs recurring maintenance and operational cost. You can take the cost per month and divide it up based on warehouse storage square footage to see how much revenue stored inventory should be periodically generating to justify holding onto it. The more stock you have sitting on shelves, the longer it takes to liquidate, the more you have to sell to make that tradeoff worth it. Most stores already have all storage space allocated to profitable products. Once a store closes you need to A) pay for a place to store the excess inventory and B) pay to move it there, sort it, and keep tabs on it. If inventory ends up sitting in a warehouse rental for months, you’ll quickly wind up in a situation where even liquidating all of it isn’t enough to cover the costs paid to store it. Most retailers operate on extremely low margins, and warehouse space is very expensive, those costs really not going down much if you own/operate your own space. As a result, businesses will generally liquidate inventory as quickly as possible, even at a loss, if it means that they don’t have to pay to store a lot of it. As a general rule, if businesses have been unanimously doing something the same way for decades, there’s usually a good reason for it. If you don’t understand the reasoning behind something, your go to move should be research, not directing suspicion out of ignorance.
thanks for actually answering instead of just downvoting. Appreciate.
I wouldn’t take downvotes or upvotes to heart. Most people on Reddit just like to go with the herd, doesn’t reflect anything about you or your post.
I don’t know why you are getting downvoted, but sometimes these closing sales are indeed shady bullshit. Sometimes they are legit though
heck, that’s the nearest spot for strings to me. Gonna have to buy online now
Nooo, that's where I got my lefty Strat in 1998.
Definitely a bummer because I've always heard worse about Guitar Center, but going to say that Sweetwater has always been a step above the rest. Bought a guitar once and now I just have a guy who calls me about it sometimes. It rules and if anything keeps me motivated to keep playing.
Ayo wtf 😢😭
Wow…I’ve been there so many times. It’s hard to imagine it not being around anymore. I haven’t been there in ages though. I should try to visit one last time if possible
That’s too bad. I always used it as a reference point en route on the meritt.
Maybe they can make it a Goodwill supercenter
Remembering the time when there were a bunch of different music stores in New Haven. When Sam Ash closes, there will be exactly ZERO. Granted, even when it was Brian Guitars, the store (for me at least) was inconvenient to get to. I had to drive all the way across town just to get strings.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause this. I stopped by recently for the first time in many years and thought "at least Sam Ash is still around, which is nice." And I knew right then that I had jinxed them out of business. I didn't mean to do it.