Local dealer cuts store in half says audio is dead


My local dealer that has been in business since 1979 has given half his store up for a marial arts studio. He told me that 2 channel audio is dead and people just come in to audition gear and buy off the Internet. He says custom installation is the only thing keeping the doors open and that has slowed down alot lately. Through the years I always tried to give this dealer business but things never worked out. The owner was very arrogant and everything had to go his way. I tried to buy my first system there 15 years ago and he would not budge on price. So I took my business somewhere else and they were happy to have my money. A couple of years ago I was looking at some new speakers so I went up the street knowing that they carried the brand. I asked the owner if I could audition them at my house for a day. He said absolutely not. He told me to bring all my equipment to the store and listen there. It's alot easier for me to take the speakers home than to take my TT, 100lb amp and tube pre-amp to the store. BTW-He had a demo pair on the floor so he could of given those to me for the night. I even told him I would give him my CC# to keep on file. Still he said no.

Well it doesn't surprise me that this dealer is giving up on audio. He never tried to offer the service that is necessary to be a 2 channel dealer. I told him that there are still a few 2 channel stores that are still surviving in these economic times. He told me he didn't believe that and that I knew nothing about the business. With that I left never to return. I hope next time I drive by he will be out of business period. He doesn't deserve to survive with his bad attitude.
taters

Showing 1 response by gawdbless

Seems like some people want first class bend over backwards type service, but want the shop to act like they are running a garage sale.Back over in Europe,
possibly the best hi-fi dealer in the UK is 'Graham's hi-fi' in London who are members of BADA (British Audio Dealers Association) a select group of shops. Grahams has a long list of come back many times 'clientèle' to buy and be guided by the fantastic staff into making the right choices without wasting money, and those that want to haggle like at a Turkish market should shop elsewhere.
Perhaps British buyers do not expect the moon whilst buying a bag of chips.
I do not begrudge the dealers not discounting and for a fellow audiophile to want a dealer to shut down because he would not get his own way, to me is very sad ( I am being polite).
Happy listening.