Local Guitar Store Presented with Challenges Due to COVID-19

JOHNSON: Ish Guitars is a retail guitar store in Syracuse that focuses on online sales. The store transitioned to this business model about a month before the pandemic hit. Ish Guitars media and content creation employee Tom McCormick said the timing of this change was crucial to their success.

MCCORMICK: It’s weird to say because of what was happening, but it’s almost like it was a blessing for us in disguise a little bit.

JOHNSON: Right after the pandemic started they relocated, and no customers were allowed inside due to COVID. McCormick said this was good because it allowed them to transition easier. During this time their online sales increased since more people were buying instruments during the pandemic. But this created massive supply and demand issues.

MCCORMICK: You know, our biggest brands that we work with to order a specific guitar is like 18 months.

JOHNSON: Although online sales has many positives, Ish Guitars sales employee AJ Piszcz said it can be a little more difficult.

PISZCZ: It is a little more challenging to kind of convey certain ideas or information when you’re limited to pictures or video as opposed to being in person

JOHNSON: Customers are now allowed in the showroom, but have to make an appointment. McCormick said that this is helpful not only for COVID safety, but helps with their productiveness too.

MCCORMICK: It allows us to focus a lot on our online business and know that nobody’s gonna come in and interrupt that work flow, and then when there’s people here we can stop what we’re doing and be super focused with them too

JOHNSON: Ish guitars asks that if you are not vaccinated and visiting the showroom to wear a mask. Colleen Johnson, N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Ish Guitars is a retail guitar store in Syracuse that focuses on online sales. The store transitioned to this business model about a month before the pandemic hit. Ish Guitars media and content creation employee Tom McCormick said the timing of this change was crucial to their success.

“It’s weird to say because of what was happening, but it’s almost like it was a blessing for us in disguise a little bit,” McCormick said.

Right after the pandemic started they relocated, and no customers were allowed inside due to COVID. McCormick said this was good because it allowed them to transition easier. During this time their online sales increased since more people were buying instruments during the pandemic. But this created massive supply and demand issues.

“You know, our biggest brands that we work with to order a specific guitar is like 18 months,” McCormick said.

Although online sales has many positives, Ish Guitars sales employee AJ Piszcz said it can be a little more difficult.

“It is a little more challenging to kind of convey certain ideas or information when you’re limited to pictures or video as opposed to being in person,” Piszcz said.

Customers are now allowed in the showroom, but have to make an appointment. McCormick said that this is helpful not only for COVID safety, but helps with their productiveness too.

“It allows us to focus a lot on our online business and know that nobody’s gonna come in and interrupt that work flow, and then when there’s people here we can stop what we’re doing and be super focused with them too,” McCormick said.

The store also does lessons, repairs, consignment and trade.

To book an appointment visit: https://ish.guitars/

Ish Guitars asks that if you are not vaccinated and visiting the store to wear a mask.