Klarinet Archive - Posting 000037.txt from 2006/12

From: <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl]Zapfs
Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:56:02 -0500

Well, to be fair, Music & Arts, which also bought Zapf's other suburban out=
lets in Horsham, PA and Pennsauken, NJ, is geared more toward student instr=
uments and volume school sales/rentals than anything else and doesn't seem =
to claim any ambition to aim at a professional or serious amateur market. A=
nd much of their stock is in their Frederick, MD warehouse and needs to be =
special-ordered even by their own stores. In its way, the fact that we *can=
* shop online so easily is probably a big part of why local broad-market mu=
sic stores like Zapf's of old (and, in Philadelphia, Knecht's and 8th Stree=
t Music) are no longer here. Others on the list have far more insight than =
I into the enormous economic challenges of operating in the era of easy Int=
ernet-based interstate and even international commerce. But we're not ever =
going to be able to put that genie back in the bottle (nor, I suspect, woul=
d most of us want to). Meanwhile, be glad there are The Discount Reed Compa=
ny and other outlets available who can fill the needs no longer served by t=
he big local stores of even 30 years ago that are now gone.

Karl

From: Steve Boardman <sboardman@-----.com>
Date: 2006/12/07 Thu AM 08:30:38 CST
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: Re: [kl] re:Zapfs

I have not seen the Music and Arts store, but from what you say, I am=20
not missing anything. Conditions for service-oriented music stores in=20
this large, very music-oriented city are simply atrocious, and I do not=20
understand why things have reached this low ebb. I now find that I am=20
reduced to buying reeds--and even cork grease--online from The Discount=20
Reed Co. because they have an excellent selection and give great=20
service--unlike many of the stores in the area. As for=20
instruments--there is simply no selection around here--if you don't like=20
the one R-13 that Sam Ash (sometimes) has in its Cherry Hill store,=20
you're out of luck!

Streve Boardman

David Blumberg wrote:

> Steve Boardman <sboardman@-----.com>
> Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2006 09:50:22 -0500
>
> Yes, it must be the same Zapf's, since the address that was given in
> their lawsuit against WW&BW was Cherry Hill, NJ, right across the river
> from Philadelphia (and where I now sit). I patronized the old Zapf's
> when they were on 5th St (I think) in Olney--a truly great old music
> store. That is the kind of local store that I have been looking for (but
> no longer seems to exist in this area) now that I playing once again
> after a lengthy hiatus. (All we have now is Sam Ash.) I believe that
> they had a store in Cherry Hill, but that closed several of years ago.
>
> Steve
>
> ---------------------------------------
>
> Zapfs also had a store in Conshohocken (I'm in the Phila. Suburbs=20
> too). Music and Arts (which I personally can't stand - to me they=20
> aren't even remotely a local mom and pop music store to patronize, to=20
> me they are the equal to Walmart but without the low prices) bought=20
> their location there. They buy up the local mom and pop stores.
>
>
> David Blumberg
> http://www.mytempo.com
>

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