Tobias Music: the little guitar shop that could (very well)
April 5, 2021
If you’re looking for the key to profitable music retailing, you might want to think small. A few months ago Taylor Guitars President Kurt Listug visited Tobias Music, one of his most productive dealers, for the first time. According to owner Ken Tobias, Listug kept circling the premises, peering into the small storage area and even the bathroom, apparently looking for the rest of the store. But there was no “rest of the store.” Based upon Tobias Music’s sales, Listug seemed to be expecting a much bigger operation than the modest 18 x 18 facility, which is staffed solely by Ken on weekdays and by Ken and his wife, Margaret, on Saturdays. “There’s no room for anybody else,” explains Ken Tobias.