PRODucts - Music & Sound Retailer

porting the local economy andlocal small businesses.We own a store by local musiciansfor local musicians. We docare and will do everything in ourpower to ensure that your buyingexperience is a pleasant andrewarding one both before andafter the sale! We have a knowledgeableand experienced staffand will try our best to answerany questions to the best of ourabilities. We truly appreciate yourbusiness and enjoy being a partof this community! These are allqualities that we hope you valueover the convenience of orderingfrom your laptop or buying gearfrom a national chain catalog orshowroom.Support local music. Supportlocal business.Sincerely,Gerri Veith, C & G Musicindy(continued from page 23)to go and experiment.”People also need a placeto take lessons. Eight lessonrooms are located downstairsand more than 200 studentsare taught per week. “Theteachers who teach here arequite professional,” said Watkins.“Some stores hire collegestudents to teach. We don’t.We have Broadway musiciansand published composersteaching. One of our guitarteachers performed on ‘Cats,’and another wrote six booksand is a Sibelius clinician. Sowe’re unique in that area. Weadvertise about the studios bygoing and conducting clinics.We visit the schools. We bringit to them. They don’t come tous. The schools really appreciatethat.”Now, you might be wonderinghow Watkins attracts thoseprominent teachers whilestill making a profit. He doesthings differently from some.His teachers pay Wright Musicrent money for the spacethey use. The teacher takeshome all of the money fromthe lessons themselves. “It’smuch easier for me that way,”said Watkins. “It’s a headacheI don’t have to deal with. Theteachers make their ownschedules and they make moremoney, which allows me tomaintain higher quality teachersthan other locations.”Diverse BackgroundWatkins worked for a mail ordercompany only involved withwoodwinds for 16 years from1980 to 1996. “The mail ordercatalog was about a page when Igot there,” said Watkins. “WhenI left it was 104 pages.”Watkins then worked for SamAsh for three years. During hisSam Ash tenure, he managed aNew York City store for a yearand later became the band andorchestral instrument buyer forthe chain.But after three years, traveltook its toll on Watkins and hedecided to give Woodwind &Brasswind—which was tryingto expand into the New Yorkmarket at the time—a shot.However, New York’s sky-highbuilding rental rates were notconducive to Woodwind &Brasswind’s pricing structure.So Watkins became a manger ofa smaller MI store. “One day, anindustry rep told me [the priorowners of the Port Washingtonstore] wanted to sell thebusiness,” said Watkins. “I’m abassoonist and the owner of thestore at the time was a bassoonist.We studied under the sameteacher. I came in and spent twoand a-half months studying hisbusiness and seeing what it waslike. I figured if [I don’t buy astore now], I’ll never do it.”That was August of 2003.Certainly, MI has faced manychallenges in the four yearssince Watkins purchased thebusiness. What bothers him themost? “My pet peeve is what’shappening with student-level instrumentsand parents shoppingat the big-box stores,” he said.“Our whole approach to runningour business is education. Wefeel if we educate parents, theywon’t go to big-box stores tobuy an instrument. They’ll realizethat’s a toy. Our analogy is ifa parent was going to buy theirchild a tennis racket, chancesare they’re not going to go to aBJ’s or Costco. Why when buyinga trumpet, violin, or guitarwould they want to go thosestores? Parents think they’resaving all of this money. But inmany instances, they’re buyinginstruments that are subpar. Notonly are they not repairable, butthey’re set up to the point whereit doesn’t give the child an honestchance. It’s like giving themrolling skates with three rollerson them. The parent’s rallyingcry always is, ‘I don’t know if mychild’s going to stick with theinstrument.’ My reply to that is,‘When you buy the expensive rollerskates, kids grow out of themin six months. Why not giveyour child a real honest chanceto explore the field of music?’”On the independent dealerfront, Watkins said he has beenapproached by indie dealergroups and is considering joiningone. “I’m interested becauseof the access to merchandisewithout having to make hugebuy-ins,” he said. “Also, the supportnetwork is always a goodthing.”Music & Sound Retailer 41233JN08_p_001-041.indd 4112/21/2007 8:53:13 AM