4 Strings Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Walking to Newcastle Station, passed a shop with three nice looking dutch style bicycles in the window. Surrounded by clothes, I thought them props in a clothes shop. I was surprised to see it was "Start Cycles", a bike shop! The more I looked the more I saw racks of helmets, gloves, shoes, more and more clothes and, yes, there was a display of some new bikes, and then more and more racks of clothes. Only a few years ago the shop would have been showing off racks of bikes and then, somewhere, the clothes and shoes etc displayed. I wondered if it wouldn't be long before music shops selling predominately muso clothes (I don't know, pork pie hats, jolly roger heavy metal tee-shirts, Dr Marten boots, key rings for belt loops etc) with some musical instruments for sale in the corner would replace those with racks of guitars and piles of amps to which we have become used. I suppose when the turnover becomes 1/3 musical instruments and 2/3 musowear it's easy to see which display will become prominent. With more and more musical instruments being bought on-line I don't suppose it will be long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 A lot of musicians could do with lessons on how to dress for live performance IMO. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Yeah I mean you can't just wear anything... nothing looks cooler than a dad rock covers band in matching black tee shirts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1401884750' post='2467807'] A lot of musicians could do with lessons on how to dress for live performance IMO. ;-) [/quote] ... and sometimes... undress..! [attachment=164341:Dick_Veno.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 It's already happened to music shops; remember when HMV used to have row after row of records on shelves? Now you have to fight past games, DVDs, silly plastic headphones and clothes before you can look at the meager supple of music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Coffee Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Starbucks is getting the same. It isn't even called Starbucks coffee anymore - it's just Starbucks so they can sell tea, and hot chocolate, and porridge, and crisps, and other stuff that has nothing to do with coffee. Bit like premiership football, looks like it, smells like it but when you pay close attention it's just a prima-donna haircut and fake pirouette party to cheat your way to three points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 It is the real world of retail. If you sell something like guitars that cost hundreds, there is the risk that you will be carrying thousands of pounds worth of stock indefinately. The money is to be made from moving stock rather than warehousing it so the pressure is on to find some products that move quickly to support your main operation. For a music shop it woudl be strings, straps, fast-fret and plectrums etc My kid brother opened a Harley garage in Chepstow with a view to working on bikes but he now mostly sells biker related clothing. I have spent time at his shop and seen, at the most, one or two bike related transactions but a dozen pr more purchses of jackets, boots etc. I guess most musicians own one, two or three guitars but a couple of dozen t-shirts. More transaction is less warehousing costs so the best plan is to sell lots of things cheap rather than hardly anything expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='bassman344' timestamp='1401886832' post='2467837'] Starbucks is getting the same. It isn't even called Starbucks coffee anymore - it's just Starbucks so they can sell tea, and hot chocolate, and porridge, and crisps, and other stuff that has nothing to do with coffee. Bit like premiership football, looks like it, smells like it but when you pay close attention it's just a prima-donna haircut and fake pirouette party to cheat your way to three points. [/quote] Ha! Maybe that's why I always meet my friends in a local greasy spoon before Leyton Orient games! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1401884380' post='2467800'] ...when the turnover becomes 1/3 musical instruments and 2/3 musowear it's easy to see which display will become prominent. [/quote] [i]Musowear..?[/i] Is that a thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 What qualities would we be looking for in musowear? Hard wearing, comfortable... flourescent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) Musowear could be the salvation of small independent music retailers, as long as the Saturday boy does not insist on sashaying around the shop in the selected T-shirt before the customer is allowed to try it for size. [color=#ffffff].[/color] Edited June 4, 2014 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) Unless you stock particularly exclusive or unique stuff you'd probably run into some of the same issues as with instruments though: Customer likes look of t shirt, tries it on, comes up with excuse not to buy and goes home to order it elsewhere online for 20% less including postage. Edited June 4, 2014 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Well now I wonder which came first, was it distressed finish jeans or distressed basses? I'll have that Fender P in a stonewash please... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Coffee Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1401890853' post='2467908'] Well now I wonder which came first, was it distressed finish jeans or distressed basses? I'll have that Fender P in a stonewash please... [/quote] Or distressed bassists , at the rising costs of a new Warwick it'll be mortgage needed for one soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1401890853' post='2467908'] I'll have that Fender P in a stonewash please... [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Muso wear ? I where the same clothes I wear when causal as I do when I gig, the type of gig might dictate if I pick shoes or trainers, whats muso wear ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 There used to be a shop in Canterbury that did this. Music Mart and Trash. I worked there for a couple of years in the late 80s early 90s. The clothes were very rock n roll, rubber dresses, trousers, basques etc . The girls that worked there would occasionally dress up in the gear. What a laugh. One of them put a rubber skirt on and asked me to smack her ar*e. We were just the boring musos in the music shop part. They went hand in hand really. I bought some great cowboy boots from there. Black & white wrangler boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) [quote name='police squad' timestamp='1401892059' post='2467920'] Music Mart and Trash. I worked there for a couple of years in the late 80s early 90s. [/quote] Do you remember a guy called Zac , think he had a PK50 Scooter? Think a big fella called Alan with a flat top , also worked there ? Edited June 4, 2014 by lojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Does this mean that every 15 year old that comes into the shop on a Saturday will want to try on a "Stairway" or "Smoke" related T-shirt? and all the Dads over 55 ask if they have anything in XL with a Mustang on the front Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1401892264' post='2467923'] Do you remember a guy called Zac , think he had a PK50 Scooter? Think a big fella called Alan with a flat top , also worked there ? [/quote] I didn't know a Zac but I do remember Al. He worked for Trash. He was there a long time. People I worked with in the shop in Canterbury, Jim (from the rock n roll band, The Keytones), A guy called Max (drums and synths), Andy (prat), Big Mart (Boss). In the clothes bit, Laura, Sophie,Emma, Mog, and another stroppy girl with red hair. Edited June 4, 2014 by police squad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='police squad' timestamp='1401893331' post='2467948'] I didn't know a Zac but I do remember Al. He worked for Trash. He was there a long time. People I worked with in the shop in Canterbury, Jim (from the rock n roll band, The Keytones), A guy called Max (drums and synths), Andy (prat), Big Mart (Boss). In the clothes bit, Laura, Sophie, Mog, and another stroppy girl with red hair. [/quote] Small world isn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1401893598' post='2467957'] Small world isn't it [/quote] yep. do we know each other too then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='police squad' timestamp='1401892059' post='2467920'] One of them put a rubber skirt on and asked me to smack her arse. [/quote] Why can't I get jobs like that?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Selling the image along with the bass is a well tried and tested theory. Look at Harley Davidson bikes. They sell the image of a Harley and others are catching on fast. Yep i fell for that image and bought one many moons ago - Ooops !!!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1401893598' post='2467957'] Small world isn't it [/quote] Not half. I used to shop there between '85 and '88. Quick rummage then some delicious Canterbury cake in the tea-shop just up the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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