 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-11-03 21:09
Last week while setting up a recording studio (with help from an expert because I know nothing about that art) I needed some audio cables so I went down to Mars Music --- and low-and-behold they are going out of business. Here in Atlanta they have ushered the demise of several small music stores and brought hard economic times (in addition to the general hard times in the music industry) to many others. What economic model is workable in this decade for the music trade - internet mega - mini, stand alone megastores, chains, mom & pop?
The Doctor
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-03 21:15
The recent the closing of The Woodwind/Brasswind in NYC was a foreshadowing (or absolute confirmation) of tough times in the music industry...GBK
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-11-04 00:19
The money is in the sheet music, disposables, upgrades and repairs.
MARS tried the same proven route to failure (the Bunker Hunt brothers started it with silver in the 1980's), it is NOT possible to continue growing and acquiring competition at the same time.
Incoming receipts are forever coming in later than bills.
It's GOOD news, actually... the small repair shops that survived will be in a stronger position.
The real losers will be companies like Jupiter that have huge outlays of product that will be in jeopardy over the next months.
Worse still... consumers will whip themselves into a frenzy over inflated discount prices as the doors begin to close.
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2002-11-04 01:50
Mars Music closed out here in Costa Mesa, CA as well. It was the only place that I knew that carried Leblanc clarinets locally. Oh well.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-11-04 04:16
I remember way back when most small towns had at least one music store offering pianos, band instruments, strings, supplies and sheet music and a reasonably knowledgeable staff. Now it seems that even big cities are greatly diminishing in what's offered.
Here in Sacramento, CA, a small 'cow town'(smile) only twenty years ago is now straining to become somewhat metropolitan due to a sudden population explosion (last ten years)- huge influx from the (San Francisco) bay area. Mars Music never gave it serious consideration I s'pose. Sac'to has only two major music stores seriously offering band instruments. Another two or three stores do very well catering mostly to the Rock and Country music trade (guitars, percussion, etc.). Three major band instrument repair shops handle most of the school stuff. The main string(violin) repair shop closed several years ago and a smaller one closed last year. As does Doc Henderson, most folks in the business here are not quite sure what to make of it - trends, economics, Internet, dwindling interest? Yet, school bands seem to be going fairly strong. Local 'pros' survive by teaching and playing. Music is not dead. But there seems to be a lull, an extended period of no growth, that no one can accurately account for :|
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Author: Jim Mougey
Date: 2002-11-04 09:58
One music dealer told me that he was glad to close for he couldn't and wouldn't keep up with the catalog stores. H.S. teachers went to them for most of their instruments because of price. These stores purchase in large amounts and have,I guess, a lower overhead. Notice how many catalog store suggestions are made on this board and I think the picture is quite clear. We want quality, but must have it at our price.
By the way, Bunky Hunt's dash thru the silver market was brought to a rude halt by Tiffany's in New York. A "60 Minute" bit spoke with the rep from Tiffanys and he explained how he was able to stop this Hunt dash. Too long ago to remeber details, but it was interesting.
Jim (M)
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-11-04 19:07
Yeah, I became aware of Mars going out of business literally in mid-purchase. In a Virginia store, I bought one of their "guitar packages" by credit card for my son (living in Florida) at $296.00. The arrangement was to have a duplicate unit taken off the floor at his local store and he would pick it up with just a faxed copy of my receipt. The purchase supposedly went through with no hitches, the store clerk phoned the Florida store to confirm the package was in stock and set-aside. But, when my son arrived to take delivery they had no record of the transaction and they had no guitar packages in stock.
When I found out I by-passed the Virginia store and called the Florida store directly. The initial story I got from the Manager was Mars had just filed for Chapter 11 and only taking checks and cash. I told him my credit card was already charged to my account and lawfully it might be a good idea to honor/follow through on the transaction, especially as I wasn't informed at the time I purchased the merchandise. Grudgingly but cheerfully they agreed and corrected the discrepancy, however they had to order another package and that could take 2-3 weeks. I told them to go ahead. After I hung-up, I immediately drove to my local store in Virginia and convinced them to take an in-stock package off the floor and ship it down same-day at no cost. I also rode their butts for the major screw-up and got them to knock the price down to $208.76, the difference in which I used to get the boy additional accessories.
It's pretty clear; at least in my experience Mars' future is in jeopardy. Curiously/when questioned, my local store in Virginia (2 Oct 02) acknowledged the situation but denied they were going out of business "nationally". I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open for any sudden clearance sales; they've got a high-end sequencer, mixer and Pro Tools 5.1 edition I’d love to upgrade my studio with if the price is right. v/r KEN
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Author: jenna
Date: 2002-11-05 01:36
Mars went out of Cherry Hill, NJ recently... maybe a year ago?
Unless I am just a complete idiot when it comes to directions, because I certainly couldn't find it when I went. I saw Sam Ash and Zapf's (sp?), but no Mars.
Jenna
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-11-05 03:06
Mars has a store across the hall from the B&N I work at. It's going out of business too, but I hadn't been watching their "normal" prices on things, so I don't know what their "discounted" prices are. Right now they're only offering 10% off most stuff, but sheet music is at 30% off. I'm waiting to get a bunch of cheap reeds! Or maybe a decent alto sax for $300 or something...LOL!
Katrina
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-11-05 03:23
Nashville, TN: Closing as we speak. I need to stock up on discount reeds now.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-11-05 16:24
Yep, it's now official in Virginia Beach, VA too. I just drove by our local Mars Music and they had a huge "Store Closing" sign in big black letters on the front of the building. A shopping I will go, a shopping I will go...
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-11-05 20:31
Just curious, anyone know where the Mars 'headquarters' is? My wife just *had* to ask that :|
Mars Music is, er, I mean, was, I believe (I guess) - a major sponsor of PBS's "Austin City Limits". Did it start out in Austin?
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