A lot of folks were worried that the new Guitar Center on Youree Drive might put our locally-owned music stores out of business. And while Shreveport Music Company has closed its doors on East 70th Street, it's not gone for good. Owner Don Teach says he's moving his store into the old Centenary Hardware building on East Kings Highway. So...what was the reason behind the move?

"Almost a year ago, Guitar Center came to us and wanted to have this building," Teach says. "And I looked at it real close, and I went, 'You know, I just don't think Guitar Center is a company that I want to put all my money into right now,' the way they were looking. So, I declined. But the real estate agents kept hearing that I was up for lease, so they brought me an offer I couldn't refuse on this building."

Turns out, that offer was from a dialysis operation out of Colorado, which is moving into the East 70th Street location. Teach says he heard from enough people asking him not to close the business altogether, so he decided to move into the new building. And it's in the same neighborhood where Shreveport Music got its start. He says residents he's heard from are excited about the store relocation. But the building isn't up to the standard he would like, so he's still remodeling.

"We had to get in there and paint it and clean it up quite a bit," Teach says. "It hasn't had much done to it in the last 60 years. It's a neat location. It's pretty much where Shreveport Music Company really got established as far as the current generations living go. The store's been around 103 years, but that's pretty much what we consider home."

Teach says he can't deny Guitar Center will hurt his business a bit, but he says the big-name company satisfies a different niche in the market than his store has done. He says Guitar Center is needed, and a welcome addition. But he says there is some positive news for his business...so far, what he's heard is that Guitar Center's prices are higher than his.

I asked Teach...what can you offer that Guitar Center can't? CHECK OUT HIS ANSWER, AND THE REST OF OUR INTERVIEW, HERE:

 

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