Current events

Hi-fi dealerships need to find creative new ways to get customers into their stores—to stoke their interest and to help new people feel welcome.

- BY JULIE MULLINS

Special events are the obvious way to get them through the door and keep them coming back. In last month's column, I wrote about Audio Concepts, the Dallas dealership under new ownership, and their Community Vinyl Nights where anyone can come, bring a record, and share a track via one of the showroom's setups. In the December issue's column, I discussed Denver-adjacent Wheat Ridge, Colorado-based Crescendo Fine Audio's expansion to a new location in Boulder and owner Matt Alterman's plans to incorporate live-music events with hi-fi.¹ Boutique Audio Gallery outside Toronto held an event a while back combining hi-fi with rare whiskeys.² There are countless other examples.

Not long ago, I attended some events at Common Wave Hi-Fi in downtown Los Angeles, a dealership I covered in this column previously.³ Only in hindsight did I realize and come to appreciate the broader significance of those Common Wave events.

The first of two events over as many evenings was one in their series they call Night School, held from 7–9pm on selected Thursdays. Presented by various audio and music industry folks, “Night School” is Common Wave's listening and learning event. Night School events are open to the public, though an RSVP is necessary and it's not completely free; the token admission fees benefit music programs at the local L.A. Unified Schools.