Guitar retailer set to strike a chord with new wave of budding musicians

A family-run guitar shop based in a barn in Kirkby has tripled its trading space as it looks to expand its sales in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Now in its fifth year of trading and having weathered the storm of lockdown, Austin Guitars has moved into a new 540 sq ft retail space that owner Reg Clappison says offers all the charm of its previous home, coupled with all the space they need to display their impressive range of new and used guitars.

Reg has been in the guitar business for more than 10 years. Formerly an arboriculturalist, he spent his earlier years gigging at bars and clubs across the North West with a covers band.

In November 2016, he made the decision to turn his passion into profit and launched Austin Guitars, trading online and from a small room upstairs at The Barn on Shevingtons Lane.

Reg now supplies hundreds of guitars each year right throughout the country and, until recently, had a growing customer base in Europe, too – market that has become more difficult since Brexit.

The Barn provides a base for a number of other local businesses, including a hair salon, wedding planner and florist. Reg says it’s been a fantastic home for his business over the years, so when the opportunity came to occupy a larger space he jumped at the chance.

He said: “Given the uncertainty of the last 18 months many people might think it’s an odd time to expand, but actually, despite the impact on retailers, there remains a huge, perhaps even growing market for guitars.

“When I came away from the gigging scene almost 10 years ago, live music was pretty much on its knees. But there’s been a real resurgence, particularly in Liverpool where the Mersey Beat era paved the way for a new wave of singers, songwriters and performers – music is just in the veins here.

“The scene is vibrant and exciting again and I’m really looking forward to becoming more connected to it again now lockdown is over. We will also continue to provide a guitar repair and set up service.”

Reg added: “Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, the purchase of a guitar is something completely personal. And as such, we want to provide a service that is personable in a space that is functional and comfortable for all our customers, and we believe we’ve achieved this.”