Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Lawson.
Hi Todd, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2004, I was selling a few things on eBay from a drop shipper in Wisconsin. I was approached by a factory in Taiwan to do some Importing of Guitars and after probably a year of negotiations and mostly fears. I decided to take a loan and Bought couple hundred Guitars they turn sent more Guitars in fact a whole container load to my house. So I literally started the Business out of the garage sewing Guitars on eBay.
2009, I got laid off from my job and couldn’t get an interview anywhere. I had roughly 200 guitars in a climate controlled storage unit, no longer working out of the garage. And found a little warehouse space in Watauga that was inexpensive and I opened up a shop. I’m an old retail guy anyway, but opening a store was not what I wanted to do in a bad economy.
About a year later, I got an opportunity to move the Guitars into an Antique Mall in Grapevine. Previously a guy had been selling Guitars before, but the gentleman moved out but the antique mall wanted to keep it going.
So I hear I am, 15 years later, still going at it in the Antique Mall. The other location was downsized into another Antique Mall. It’s just a small booth over there..
However, Grapevine Guitar Loft, in the grapevine antique mkt is a full line full service guitar shop. And here we are 20 years later after that initial shipment in my garage.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not a smooth road, I had a Chinese factory rip me off on a $10,000 order just after signing a lease on a new retail location. I would’ve called it quits then if I could,
But decided to move on under the new lease.
It’s been a journey, lots of prayers answered on, especially at the end of the month when bills are coming due. But the Lord has always provided. I’m $1 million away from being a millionaire, but I have a roof over my head, and little debt in the business.
Although, my PPP loan from Covid, I just discovered is not gonna be forgiven and I’m contesting that as well. I met all the criteria, but I’m not real sure what their reasoning is. I can’t talk to somebody in person about it except for the bank that took over the loan. And I’ve seen it on my documents and everything they’ve requested as well as meeting all the criteria for the loan. Which was to keep everybody employed and even could use towards inventory. I went a step beyond and paid all my employees backpay for the time we were closed. That’s something that’s not required, but, we will make it through that too.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Prior to the Guitar shop I had 29years of experience in retail, 25of which is retail management in grocery& drugstores.
Then another 10 years of warehouse management until I was laid off in 2009.. owning my own store now since 2010.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Lots of lessons, trading with China is a struggle although better now there are some ways to get guarantees. Advertising other than the free Google Business listing, has mostly been nonproductive. Naming the shop where it is search friendly is important. Irene good friendly help and watching margins and costs is everything.
Pricing:
- New guitars from $129
- Most setups are $65 plus strings
- String changes while you wait from $20 plus strings.
- Guitars for every needs and budget
- We also sell Vintage Vinyl Records!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.grapevineguitars.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grapevine_guitars
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BPs5zh6UB/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@guitarasaur-guitar-store
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/H1m_9pFcIJ
