Saw this today on Umanov closing

MLBob

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Interesting quote:
......Vintage guitar sales have dropped by 20 to 30 percent in the last two years, says Umanov, and young buyers are increasingly shopping online. “To put it in very simple terms, the business model has changed.” “If you want to sell guitars, you have to have less expensive stuff—new or old—which is less expensive for a variety of potential reasons. I’m not interested in it.”
 

chazmo

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That is a good read. Bob, thanks for posting the link.

Certainly, it's the end of of an era, as has been coming for a while. Rudy's may be the last independent place left in all of the city. I think Matt Umanov is right in that there's really no way to actually run an independent store for rare, high-end guitars anymore. This also says something about what's popular in our culture these days. The guitar may just not be cutting it.
 

Neal

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RetroFret is still alive and well in Brooklyn. If you are in NYC, it is definitely worth a visit.

Don't take your wallet.
 

davismanLV

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That's a bummer, but not a huge surprise.

On a somewhat related topic, the financial forum I frequent had a recent thread on brown/antique furniture.

https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=232352
GREAT link, so thanks for that. We're downsizing here and trying to get rid of junk we've been hauling around for years and years!! I have to photograph and see if any of the consignment places around here are interested. A couple of the pieces are legit antiques but lots of it is just old furniture that needs to go, so I'm feeling this quite acutely right now. That link to the New York Times article is great as well. Oldies with tons of furniture, antiques, china, crystal, etc., and when they pass on or downsize, NO ONE WANTS IT!! Great reading!!
 
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