The new guitars are starting to trickle in a couple of cases at a time. I've been frantically trying to create space to put them - which accounts for yesterday's gap in the diary. Not that I need excuses. The front of the shoppe is crammed full. The store room is stuffed to overflowing. Might be able to clear some space in the back closet whenever they finally come to take away the broken cello. In the meantime I'm piling guitar cases in the attic. I've still got four more cases of guitars in transit. Or was it five?

Oh man - didn't expect the first round of books to get here this quickly. Just finished unpacking oh right at a half ton of music books. That's from one publisher. Another is on the way. No, the others aren't ordered yet. That's probably a good thing at this point...

Got a french horn in yesterday. I'll bet there are only about three places in the entire bay area where you can buy one today, and none of those are in the south bay.

I also continue to find buyers for the flotsam and jetsam of this business - to my amazement. Yesterday was an electric guitar from the attic. Wholesale price was probably about 70 dollars in 1982. It was rented out for four or five years bringing in several hundred dollars. Sold it for $75. Cool. That opens up space to display one more new guitar.

Over time I've become more acutely aware of some of the cultural patterns of my customers. First a disclaimer - every human is unique. This is not meant to portray a stereotype. Just a recurring pattern, My best customers are generally from the Spanish speaking community. Typically young adults in their mid-twenties. Music is a part of their lives, and they've been exposed to a wide variety of instruments. Most can play them. They seek value. And they'll pay for it with cash which they just got from their paycheck. Young anglo adults generally buy guitars. Keyboards if I had more of them. And they're acutely brand conscious. I've really got to work to get them to accept a second-tier brand. And they put it on the card. This is the culture they were raised on. Oh wait - I'm one of them. Hmm...