Hidden Gems: Meet Casey Green of Guitarma

Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Green.

Hi Casey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a “townie” having spent my entire life living and loving Lawrence, Kansas – especially its vibrant music scene. After graduating with my journalism degree from KU, I started my career in Advertising, even though I really wanted to build guitars or be a full-time rocker. Instead, I worked as a copywriter/creative director in ad agency creative departments for nearly 15 years. Until I finally got a smidge burnt out with corporate/office life.

I decided in late 2018/early 2019 that I was going to bite the bullet and open a guitar store. It was always my “if I win the lottery” dream plan – but instead of waiting for the jackpot, I just borrowed some money! A music shop also got me closer to that rock star dream I had when I was younger without the sacrifices of touring. Plans officially came together in the summer of 2019, especially when we added the community giveback component to our business model. I love Lawrence and want the business to offer more than just your typical retail shop. That’s why we donate a portion of every sale back to community programs in Lawrence, hoping to give back a little to the community that has offered me so much. This also helps provide a little differentiation/incentive to shop with us versus big-box shops and online retailers. We opened in late August of 2019 and have been going strong (enough) for four years. Including having survived the pandemic and even thrived a bit during the lockdowns. There were a lot of folks picking up instruments for the first time! And fortunately, our online infrastructure was already in place, allowing us to continue to serve our customers, even from home.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The pandemic threw some curveballs our way, for sure. During our first 6 months open (pre-pandemic), we were big on community events, weekly jam sessions, musical education presentations, and even live concerts/events in our upstairs space. That all fell by the wayside as soon as lockdowns hit and has never quite regained footing. Other than that, it’s been all about figuring out how best to co-exist with the other 3 music instrument stores in town that we’re lucky to call friends. Luckily, we’ve been able to do that the same way we thought we would from the beginning – keep a steady stock of cool stuff people want, price it fairly, and treat people with compassion and respect.

We’ve been impressed with Guitarma, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Guitar+Karma=Guitarma – and that credo extends to more than just our charitable giving. We aim to be the most welcoming music shop in town, providing a space where all walks of life can feel safe, heard and respected. There’s a certain perception surrounding used music stores – that you’re going to be talked down to, ripped off, etc. We exist to combat that perception. Guitarma is all about good vibes, because that is what music SHOULD be about. Sure, we specialize in a lot of the same items that other stores do (used guitars, amps, records, jukeboxes, guitar repair) – but were we hope to differ is how people FEEL when they come in, whether they’re buying a single guitar pic, a pro-level instrument or just popping in to chat.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
If I had tried to start this business in my twenties, I’m pretty sure I would have failed. Working in different fields and meeting many creative/entrepreneurial people before starting Guitarma was imperative to our success these first few years. Every experience offers an opportunity to further define and hone your business – and yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.GuitarmaLFK.com
• Instagram: @guitarmalfk
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GuitarmaLFK