— Company opens its sixth store in 2011 with special savings and events —
— Store features on-site lessons and guitar repair services —
Westlake Village, CA (August 3, 2011) – On Thursday, July 28, 2011, Guitar Center hit a milestone as it opened its 220th store, its newest retail location in Huntsville, Alabama. A 14,202-square-foot location, Guitar Center Huntsville also features Guitar Center Studios, an on-site lesson and rehearsal facility. The store’s opening brings to the area vast product selection, along with the unparalleled knowledge and experience of its dedicated staff. To celebrate the opening, Guitar Center hosted a Grand Opening Weekend featuring exclusive savings, gear giveaways and free events tailored to local musicians.
Located at 5900 University Dr. NW, Suite A, Huntsville, AL 35806, the store features well-equipped showrooms with the latest products for the musician, from guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments and keyboards to live sound, DJ, lighting and recording equipment. In addition to special Grand Opening Weekend programming, early shoppers also enjoyed exclusive savings throughout opening weekend with deals on a wide selection of music instrument and professional audio equipment, including guitar and drum essentials.
In addition to offering the biggest selection at the best prices, the store includes Guitar Center Studios, an in-house, state-of-the-art lesson and rehearsal facility, which will create unrivaled opportunities for Huntsville musicians of all ages and skill levels. Guitar Center Studios provides music lessons from beginner to advanced, featuring certified instructors providing world-class curriculum, as well as one-on-one Pro Tools, Logic Pro and GarageBand courses. Rehearsal spaces are fully equipped with the latest backline gear, and musicians have access to a digital recording of their rehearsal sessions. Guitar Center Studios is the most modern and affordable lesson and rehearsal facility in the city.
The store also features GC Garage, offering on-site guitar repair services. Throughout opening weekend, musicians were able to test drive the Garage for free, with any guitar purchased at Guitar Center Huntsville Grand Opening night getting a free, 22-point personalized set-up (strings and parts not included).
Building on their ongoing initiatives designed to educate and inspire artists nationwide, Guitar Center in Huntsville is offering unique opportunities for musicians to craft their skills, maintain their instruments and experience many aspects of the music industry first hand. Musicians interested in learning the many facets of home recording were invited to participate in a free workshop with Avid, the makers of popular recording software Pro Tools, on Friday, July 29. Opening weekend attendees were also able to interact with music business expert Chad Jeffers and Royal Crown Revue drummer Daniel Glass as they shared their experiences and insights during special Guitar Center Sessions events (with Jeffers on Saturday, July 30, and Glass on Sunday, July 31). The grand opening weekend kicked off with a performance by hard rockers Lynam.
Huntsville shoppers are also able to enjoy Guitar Center’s new multi-channel “endless aisle,” with multiple combinations of shopping options to conveniently choose from – not only the Huntsville inventory, but also the over $400 million in gear Guitar Center has to offer nationwide. Consumers can combine a myriad number of in-store, online and phone options to purchase music equipment from anywhere, allowing for a completely personalized and endlessly convenient shopping experience for every customer.
In addition to special programs at the store, each year Guitar Center offers nationwide programs designed to spearhead creativity and highlight the nation’s most promising undiscovered talent. Huntsville area residents will now be able to participate in these ongoing national events from their hometown:
• Your Next Record gives artists a chance to record with some of the top recording artists in the country, including legendary guitarist Slash, country superstar Keith Urban, and rock icon Travis Barker.
• Guitar Center On-Stage gives undiscovered bands the opportunity to compete against their peers for a chance to share a stage with their idols. The most recent On-Stage competition features Jane’s Addiction, for more info go to http://gc.guitarcenter.com/onstage/.
• Guitar Center’s Drum-Off and King of the Blues are national competitions that highlight local talent from across the country, giving them widespread exposure and the chance to win incredible prize packages.
Guitar Center Huntsville is now open seven days a week. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.