Best Buy Live?

Best Buy, the electronics retailer, is setting aside space in 85 of its stores to sell musical instruments and equipment. This is an interesting brand extension although one that I don’t quite understand. I get it from the point of Best Buy expanding into other electronics. But you are also talking about a completely different skill set. Your average techie that knows all there is to know about the latest Bose or Samsung might not have a clue about the best guitar amp to go with that Gibson.

I could see this concept working for the parents buying their child a starter electric guitar and amp. I don’t see this working for true musicians. Nor do I see the Best Buy vibe being improved when 50 year old businessmen are purchasing 55 inch plasma’s to the cacophony of 13 year old guitar amateurs testing the volume limits on that Marshall amp. If nothing else, the Best Buy employees will begin having terrible nightmares full of bits of mediocre guitar solos while selling mediocre washer and dryer sets.

Unless Best Buy adds a new workforce full of knowledgeable musicians, I don’t see this concept working or lasting.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com