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Thread: Woodwind-Brasswind Closing Its Store

  1. #1

    Woodwind-Brasswind Closing Its Store

    Thanks to Snorlax for providing this information:

    http://www.wsbt.com/business/wsbt-so...,4589567.story

    If I understand the article, WWBW is closing its store in South Bend (that part seems quite clear), but they are moving their call center to the Indianapolis area. If I infer a bit from that, it sounds like there will no longer be a facility at WWBW's new location for trying out and comparing horns, and it will be exclusively a mail-order operation. (And I'm even assuming a bit at that - I don't know for sure that WWBW will remain a wing of the parent company Guitar Center.)

    That's too bad. It was a great place to check out instruments. I suppose an optimist could think the prices might be lower for mail order, since they have less overhead without the big physical store. Of course, that's assuming they actually keep selling roughly the same lines of brass.

    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
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  2. Woodwind-Brasswind Closing Its Store

    This is from WWBWs facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-wo...23133154401760



    The Woodwind & Brasswind announces relocation to a larger facility to better serve our customers. Our contact center in South Bend Indiana will be moving to Indianapolis next year. The expanded contact center will increase our ability to serve our customers with more agents and capability. This will be a seamless transition for our customers. Along with the lease expiring in South Bend we will be closing our retail location in conjunction with this relocation.



    The Woodwind & Brasswind will continue to be the place for the largest assortment, best price, and unparalleled customer service. Please continue to use the same contact information for all of our customer sales and institutional sales, we will be there for you!


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Indianapolis area
    Posts
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    Woodwind-Brasswind Closing Its Store

    I am hoping that there will be some kind of warehouse/trial facility after the move.
    Of course, the fact that I live less than a half-hour south of Indianapolis has NOTHING to do with that.
    I'm just altruistic.

    While I don't know all WWBW's logistic details, I do know that there was a major warehouse facility in Kansas City,
    so moving horns from KC to South Bend must certainly have added cost.
    In the ideal case, the KC facility will also close and all the instrument inventory will move to Indianapolis.
    Right now, Indianapolis has fairly low rental costs due to a significant number of large vacant spaces...
    so WWBW/MUSIC 123/Guitar Center was probably able to negotiate favorable terms for the move to Indy.

    Jim W.
    Jim Williams N9EJR (love 10 meter CW)
    Formerly Principal Euphonium in a whole
    bunch of groups, now just a schlub.
    Shires Q41, Yamaha 321, 621 Baritone
    Wick 4AL, Wessex 4Y, or whatever I grab.
    Conn 50H trombone, Blue P-bone
    www.soundcloud.com/jweuph

  4. Woodwind-Brasswind Closing Its Store

    I didn't realize ALL of these fell under Guitar Center: WWBW, Music 123, Musicians Friend, Giardinelli. That's quite a corner on the online band instrument market--a casual observer would think those players were all competitors.

    Interestingly (for political junkies), I just learned that Guitar Center is owned by Bain Capital.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Indianapolis area
    Posts
    1,003

    Woodwind-Brasswind Closing Its Store

    Mitt Romney and partners started Bain Capital in the early-mid 80s.
    Jim Williams N9EJR (love 10 meter CW)
    Formerly Principal Euphonium in a whole
    bunch of groups, now just a schlub.
    Shires Q41, Yamaha 321, 621 Baritone
    Wick 4AL, Wessex 4Y, or whatever I grab.
    Conn 50H trombone, Blue P-bone
    www.soundcloud.com/jweuph

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