by KELLI FONTENOT
Published February 1 in The Heights Observer.
A variety of instruments at Heights Guitars
Heights Guitars, the instrument shop at 2128 Lee Road, is now operating under new ownership, but it still exudes a welcoming atmosphere to accommodate regulars and newcomers. Customers amble in to chat and try out the new merchandise at the store, which offers a wide range of instruments and accessories, and specializes in hard-to-find vintage items and instrument repair.
Former Heights Guitars owner Gregory Stiles died last February. John Carden and Jim Ross, who operate the Vintage City shop in Toledo, took ownership of the Heights store in October, which employs salespeople and repair techs.
Varying musical tastes help the store’s sales staff cater to local buyers, according to Samantha Wandtke, district manager for Heights Guitars and Vintage City. Wandtke, who is also a vocalist and drummer for the local rock band Fangs Out, notes her style differs from that of the new store manager, local resident Darrell Branch. His genre of choice, she says, is bluegrass, a perfect fit for the shop’s roots.
“When we took over, it was more of a bluegrass boutique-style shop,” Wandtke said, explaining that the store now carries drums, keyboards, wind and brass instruments, and an expanded assortment of accessories. “We’re now a full-on instrument store.”
With guitars ranging in price from $40 to $5,000, recognizable Fender and Gibson electrics line the showroom walls. But the store also aims to maintain its local, little-guy style, seeking vintage and locally handcrafted items, as well as products from suppliers in Akron and other nearby cities.
Unique products at the shop include a Burgundy Mist Gibson ES 335 12-string, an 1890 Harp parlor guitar, a 1920s Ditson banjo-mando and a Gibson GA-5 Les Paul Jr. amplifier from 1956. The shop also offers vintage pedals from manufacturers Boss, Electro-Harmonix and Morley.
The shop provides lessons, which not all larger stores offer, Wandtke says. Five teachers at the store share their expertise in guitar, bass, banjo and vocals. Wandtke adds that Heights Guitars aims to host more events, inviting customers to hear bands play and get to know the shop’s staff.
Knowledge is a key asset to the small business, according to Wandtke, who says she has about 10 years of experience in the industry, having previously worked at Peeler Music. Erik Erdman, whom Wandtke and Branch refer to as the shop’s “tech guy,” expertly mends instruments that customers bring in for repairs. Though Branch's background is in IT management, he assured that he could name every guitar in the shop before he took on his sales role and later became store manager.
A longtime friend of Stiles, Branch says he used to come to the store often to visit with the store owner, a retired teacher who repaired guitars and greeted customers at the front desk. “He was a good friend,” Branch says. “We knew each other for more than eight years.”
Today, Branch aims to continue his friend's respectful treatment of both clients and coworkers, and maintains Stiles had a major impact on neighborhood youth. “Kids would come in all the time who knew him. They’d come in after school to play instruments or just hang out,” he said. “Greg always considered this place a sort of safe house. Instead of hanging out on the street, kids could come here. And they still do.”
Wandtke says that stores like this are becoming increasingly rare. “There aren’t many music shops left in the world, let alone in Cleveland," she says. "And 10 years ago, there were so many cool independents, and now none of them are left. “We need to be competitive with those big-box stores, and it’s about finding the right people to work with.”
