Sam Ash closing ALL stores ...

[Ralph124C41]

https://www.samash.com/closing-stores

I've never been inside a Sam Ash store and I don't know if I have ever seen the outside of one. I did order an electric Epiphone SL from a store a few years ago when they came out at $99 new and got a swell discount deal with good customer service ... actually great customer service.

[YamahaGuy]

Kinda sad, but not surprising.

[abn556]

I’m not surprised either. The store closest to me on I-45 in Houston is in a terrible neighborhood and the store never had more than a couple of decent guitars. Mostly cheap stuff.

I wonder if they are going to have a fire sale?

[martingitdave]

It's sad. It was the oldest family owned music store in the US. But the retail model has shifted. And, I suspect it was hard to maintain relationships with creditors after Sammy Ash died.

[jricc]

While I haven't been to Sam Ash in sometime, it is a drag to hear they are closing. They've been around a long time...

[Inyo]

Originally Posted by abn556

...I wonder if they are going to have a fire sale?

Sam Ash having a fire sale, eh?

Very good. I was going to try to come up with some kind of word play on "Ash," but you can't get much better than that, one must assume.

[brencat]

End of an era indeed. Hard to believe the NYC Sam Ash I used to pop into periodically before hopping on the train at Penn Station won't be there anymore.

[gurroz]

We have one in town, I have never been to it and have never bought anything from them online.

[ScottSD]

Bummer, I bought a 2018 Taylor 714CE from their San Diego location. I preferred their store to our other big box retailer. Although, they never had a really good selection of the mid range guitars...

I'm sad to see them go.

Scott

[LAPlayer]

Checked and it looks like most/all of their prices are simply "original prices" changed to full retail and the "sale" price is now the same as all other vendors. Nothing special yet.

[Boozehound]

Sad to hear. I bought my first nice acoustic at Sam Ash. It was an HD-28. I later bought my J-45 and a Les Paul standard from them. This isn't particularly surprising news as they have been on a downhill slide for a while. They never really adapted to the Omnichannel environment, IMO. Their website was/is terrible, and I think the only way to survive as a big box brick and mortar retailer is to have a significant online presence as well as GC/MF is trying to do.

[rllink]

I didn't even know that they had stores. I guess I thought there was a Sam Ash store somewhere at some time, but I thought they just sold on line and were using the name.

[Osage]

I've never purchased anything larger than a strap from Sam Ash but it's sad to see them go. The biggest bummer for me is that they were a pretty large retailer of school band instruments and supplies. I know that that industry has moved online like everything else but if you needed a mouthpiece, a reed, some rosin, a string for your cello or whatever, they had that stuff in stock.

[CoastStrings]

Based on what I have read, they are closing their brick-and-mortar operations. Which suggests that they will switch to just an online retail operation.

Speaking to amNew York Metro at the time of those closures, Sam Ash had said the “company must continue to adapt to ensure its continued success” as it looks toward the next 100 years of its operations.

[rstaight]

The few Sam Ash stores I have been in have always been busy and a good selection of instruments in all price points.

I was in the Sarasota store. Of course the high dollar electrics were behind the counter. I was eyeballing a Gibson SG, Blueberry burst. The gentleman behind the counter asked if he could help.

I told him I was just looking, was on vacation and wouldn't be spending a few thousand on a guitar. He then asked, What are you looking at? I told him and the next thing I know he's pulling it down.

He then asked any particular amp and I told him I always thought Gibson sounded good through a Marshall. So he sets me up on a Marshall and I play for the next 30 to 45 minutes.

I did end up purchasing a Levy strap and a Music Nomad cleaning kit.

Every other Sam Ash I have been in the service was the same. It's a shame they are closing. I hate ordering online, I like to put my hands on what I am purchasing before I put down my hard earned money.