New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Guitar Center) Guitar Center has announced the grand opening of the retailer's brand new store location in world-renowned Times Square, further cementing Guitar Center as the leading force in the industry. The new store is located at 218 W. 44th St. and opens its doors at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 7, 2014. This opening coincides with another milestone for Guitar Center as the retailer celebrates its 50th anniversary year.
Standing as the 262nd store nationwide, Guitar Center Times
Square location is housed in what was the original New York Times building, updated with a modern look by award-winning design firm Eight Inc. (Apple, Nike). True to all Guitar Center stores, the Times
Square location will foster a hands-on environment in which customers are encouraged to interact with the wide selection of instruments and a dedicated staff of unparalleled experts.
To commemorate such a momentous occasion, Guitar Center will host a Grand Opening Weekend, kicking off on
Thursday night with a performance by hip-hop icons and current
Tonight Show house band The Roots, across the street from the new store at the Best Buy Theater. Tickets will be given away at New York-based Guitar Center locations in the days leading up to the event. Locations and times can be found at guitarcenter.com/timessquare.
Guitar Center Times
Square will feature a number of programs such as in-house lesson facility Guitar Center Studios, free Recording Made Easy classes, in-house rental department, a hands-on electronic music department, and onsite guitar repair service GC Garage. Innovative features unique to this location include a Fender custom shop where craftsmen tailor guitars to unique specifications, a boutique pedal selection in a stunning 360-degree display, and The Platinum Club, which showcases top-of-the-line, high-end luxury guitars.
"Joining the caliber of retailers that have established a presence in Times
Square over the years is a huge accomplishment and a statement as to how far the brand has come," says Mike Pratt, Guitar Center CEO. "By opening a Guitar Center in such a visible, high-traffic area as Times Square, we are able to open more eyes to the inherent joy that comes from playing an instrument. The store is amazing, and we can't wait to share it with our customers. It's a proud moment for all of us at Guitar Center."
"Guitar Center is one of the few brands out there working to inspire people to make music. They are able to survive in a culture that supports creativity and musicianship, just like us," says Questlove. "New York is where I reside and Times
Square is the heartbeat of the city, so to have Guitar Center in the center of it all is an exciting moment for New York musicians."
Additionally, throughout the weekend the Times
Square store will feature exclusive savings, gear giveaways and free events. Eric Clapton's "Blackie" Fender Stratocaster, purchased by Guitar Center for $959,500 at a Christie's Auction to raise funds for Crossroads Centre Antigua, will be on display all weekend, and
Dream Theater's John Petrucci will be greeting customers in the store on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Store Address
218 W. 44th Street, New York, NY 10036
Store Hours
Mon-Friday 11:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 10:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm - 6:00pm
About The Roots:
Formed in 1987 in Philadelphia, PA, the legendary
Roots Crew consists of
Black Thought (MC), Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (drums), Kamal Gray (electronic keyboards), F. Knuckles (percussion),
Captain Kirk
Douglas (electronic guitar), Damon Bryson (sousaphone) and
James Poyser (electronic keyboard). Having previously released twelve projects, The
Roots have become one of the best-known and most respected hip-hop acts in the business, winning four GRAMMYs, including "Best R&B Album" for Wake Up!, "Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance" for "Hang in There" (with John Legend) and "Best Group or Duo R&B Vocal Performance" for "Shine." The ensemble was most recently nominated for "Best Rap Album" for the 2011 release of undun. This brings the band's GRAMMY nomination count to twelve. Additionally, The
Roots have also become the faces of Philly's "Fourth of July Jam," an annual concert held during the Fourth of July with the biggest names in music, and "The
Roots Picnic," a yearly star-studded mix of musicians that has become a celebrated institution during awards season. Recently The
Roots were named one of the greatest live bands around by Rolling Stone and became the official house band on The
Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, where they currently perform every Monday-Friday. The
Roots celebrated the release of their 11th album, then you shoot your cousin, in May 2014.
