Guitar consignment and repair store sees local entrepreneur fulfilling a dream in a historically musical space.
When you walk past J.King Guitar on the way to the West Ave District retail shops or to a Cannon Ballers game, you can’t help but notice his wall of beautiful guitars. Whether you are looking to add a vintage guitar to your collection or buy your first one, you are sure to be impressed by his selection on consignment in his retail store.
King said there was a surge in guitar sales during the pandemic as people looked to start new hobbies. Combined with artists who are always looking for a new sound, the guitar consignment business has heated up and King is happy to be a part of it, especially in the growing downtown Kannapolis district. You can also find an assortment of guitar straps, amplifiers, and other accessories at his shop.
Local Entrepreneur Returns Home to Grow Business
King, a 2010 graduate of Northwest Cabarrus High School, started his guitar repair business while he was living in Charlotte. βI didnβt think there was much of a music scene happening in Cabarrus County, so I opened my shop in the Elizabeth area in 2019,β said King.
King became part of the program which was established at the Cabarrus Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship through a partnership between the Flywheel Foundation and the Small Business Center at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
βI quickly learned that my little part-time business could become full time,β said King. βI realized that I was a lot further along than I thought I was. The Retail Lab taught me the steps I needed to take to make it a reality and connected me with the right people to make it all happen.β
Irene Sacks, Director of Economic & Community Development for the City of Kannapolis, was one of the people King met while in the Retail Lab program. That connection was invaluable for him as he started investigating setting up shop in the revitalized downtown Kannapolis business district. He could reach out to her and ask questions that were vital to his startup.
βFrom graduating the Retail Lab program to establishing a brick-and-mortar presence in downtown Kannapolis, Jack King has clearly put in the effort to turn his business idea into a reality,β said Sacks. βHe is creative with ideas on how to generate additional foot traffic and has done the follow-up work to pursue connections that we have suggested to him. Businesses like Jackβs provide the local culture and commitment that make downtowns thrive. Heβs a great example of how the Cabarrus Center and the Retail Lab can help new businesses sharpen their business model and prepare them for launch.β
J.King Guitar Keeps the Vibe in West Ave Space
Kingβs participation in the program also led to him applying for and receiving a Spark Grant that helped him get a small inventory of guitar straps and accessories. He was then able to participate in the Retail Labβs Pop Up Store which was created for program graduates to test things like their pricing and marketing. Shortly after that, he was asked to do a pop up in downtown Kannapolis, which led to a meeting with Ken Lingafelt, owner of several buildings in downtown Kannapolis, including the Swanee Theatre.
Kingβs location on the corner of Oak Avenue was a record store from the 1950s-1980s which is why he pays homage to it with a display of his own favorite records featuring lots of classic guitar artists.
What advice does King have for people considering the Retail Lab? Just do it! Itβs hard to believe that it is free to aspiring entrepreneurs and yet, everything you learn can take your business to the next level.
Head to downtown Kannapolis and visit J.King Guitar in person or follow him on Instagram or Facebook.
Planning to visit? Tell ’em Cabarrus Weekly sent ya!
41 Edgewood Ave NE
Concord, North Carolina 28025
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