Gray Dog Has More Room to Play

Gray Dog Guitars has moved a few doors down to 231 N. Cortez Street and is now Gray Dog Music, occupying a space that is four times its former size, allowing for a much larger showroom and a greater emphasis on teaching.

Owner Addison Matthew says Gray Dog outgrew its previous space after seven years. “We always wanted to expand with a larger array of instruments and more guitars, drums and keyboards. We also needed more room for lessons and repairs.”

Gray Dog Music has four individual studios for guitars, keyboards, bass and other instruments. The drum room is the largest studio, with space for two large drum sets.

Local musician Anton Teschner is the lesson coordinator. The store has 10 teachers who are also performers. They offer instruction on guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, ukulele, banjo and mandolin. Lessons average around $25 to $35 per half hour.

Teschner, who has performed in a duo with Drew Hall for 23 years, said his job is rewarding. “It’s great because I talk to beginning, intermediate and experienced musicians who want lessons.”

Teschner urges everyone interested in lessons – but especially parents of young musicians – to visit the studio. “Anyone can come check out the studio any time. Parents need to feel comfortable about where they are bringing their kids.”

Gray Dog Music owner Addison Matthew says their business model for offering lessons is unorthodox. He said most music stores set the fee, of which the store receives a percentage. Instead, Gray Dog rents space to music teachers who, in turn, decide their own rate.

“I wanted to give teachers flexibility without interfering with their business,” he said.

Unique Fender, Taylor Dealer

There is not another music store like Gray Dog in the Quad Cities, says Matthew. “We are an authorized dealer for Fender and Taylor guitars. We have many types of instruments, pro audio equipment, lessons, custom-made instruments and repairs all under one roof.”

The store also has industry celebrity Chris Fleming on staff to make repairs and also create custom-built guitars and instruments. Fleming served as a senior master builder and engineer of research and development at Fender, the largest guitar company in the world.

Gray Dog Music opened April 4, and the word is out. “We have a lot of regular customers and I know all of them by first name,” said Matthew, adding that the new store also offers much more parking. “Everybody is friendly. We want people to feel that they can come in and play. In the future, we would like to have workshops and events.”

With the area growing in population, Matthew said there is a need for more lessons and instruments. “To have everything we have under one roof for a community as small as Prescott, it’s a lot,” he said. “We have so much support from the community and they are the ones who made the expansion possible.” QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

For more information, visit graydogmusic.com.