50Dealer50State is a highlight. I just had to go through a layoff, so it was a low spot at the same time. We’ve extended our hours of business – we’re in a rural area we estimate the 40 percent of our customers drive five to 20 miles to get to us, so that helped with those customers. We switched over to the the AIMsi bookkeeping system and now orders that used to take six hours in sending in a book order now takes 5 minutes.
Working with social media? We don’t do a lot of social media at this time, but it’s something I will be moving into in the coming year. I’m an old guy, but I do have an understanding of its importance. Biggest concern for 2012? I have a big concern of feeding the beast – the Guitar Centers of the world. These people sell things at going-out-of-business prices. So it puts me in a bad place – I’m
baffled. Don’t get it. Who does it help? Product of the year in 2011? Casio keyboards are phenomenal for the money. For under $1,000, you can get a really nice keyboard. Tama Drums blow my mind year after year. Anything from Godan. They had some new finishes that Godan came out with on the acoustic guitars that were especially nice.
Illinois The Music Shoppe, Normal
“The Sound”
Randy Wood, Manager 2011 vs 2010? We’re up in almost every category in 2011, including our band & orchestral rentals, so we’re pretty happy. 2010 was a very good year and we’re running well ahead of it.
as requested by you.
You asked for the playability and sound of the early Otto Links.
Highlights and lowlights of the year? Losing the MFA/BOA Summer Symposium to Ball State was a low spot. The Music Shoppe had been providing equipment through Yamaha and running a resource room at Illinois State University where the event had taken place for the last 19 years. The highlight is that 2011 is our 50th anniversary in business. My father, Tom Wood, purchased Noonan Music Co. on April 1st, 1961. He always thought that was funny – April Fool’s Day.
We listened. With structural changes both inside and out, “the sound” of yesteryear has been recaptured.
Working with social media? The Music Shoppe has a Facebook account where we post information and pictures from clinics et cetera, a website with online renting for our band & orchestra rental program, and we are about to embark on the Yamaha Paragon Program.
Otto Link Vintage for tenor sax.
www.jjbabbitt.com
Biggest concern for 2012? Our largest concern is State of Illinois budget issues. I know many states are facing these same concerns. Budget problems have such an adverse effect on school music programs. You can only cut and consolidate so much; then a program is pushed into survival mode. Product of the year in 2011? Our product of the year was Vandoren reeds and mouthpieces. Sales are so good, we
Mouthpieces for clarinets and saxophones
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