The House of Guitars holds a lot of nostalgia and memories for people who grew up in the Rochester area. I spent a great deal of my youth waiting in line to buy concert tickets, buying tapes and CDs, and searching through the clothing for t-shirts from my favorite bands. There was a certain rite of passage about going to the House of Guitars for the first time with your friends. This place was the pinnacle of cool. However, we never realized just how lucky we were to have a store of this significance in our own backyard. We sort of took it for granted.
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New York State has lots of unique and unusual places that stand out as more than merely exceptional, they are quintessential. The House of Guitars should come leaping to mind when it comes to extraordinary destinations of this particular caliber. This iconic music store isn’t just remarkable, it’s world-famous. Anyone who is anyone in the music industry has, at one time or another, crossed over the threshold of this renowned and historic music store.
History
In 1964, two brothers, Armand, and Bruce Schaubroeck started the House of Guitars from their own home. Focusing on providing young musicians with affordable instruments that they could personally get a hands-on trial before purchasing. In 1972, the brothers purchased the House of Guitars’ current location, the Irondequoit Grange Hall building, followed by three other buildings that were eventually connected to the main building.
The brother’s stood out from other guitar and instrument retailers in the United States in the early 1960s by being forward thinkers and innovative salesmen. When the Beatles were at the top of their popularity, the Schaubroeck brothers knew that there would be a demand for the instruments used by the band. Vox amps were not available in the United States. Therefore they reached out to the company in England and became the first retailer in the United States to sell Vox amps.
Today, the House of Guitars is known as the largest guitar store in the world for its extensive collection of new, used, and rare vintage guitars. Along with instruments, their enormous warehouse contains a vast collection of vinyl, cassettes, and CDs, some quite rare and hard to find.
Museum
To many music fans, visiting the House of Guitars is similar to visiting the Rock n’ Roll hall of fame. It is steeped in history and filled from floor to ceiling with all sorts of music history and artifacts. There is so much to take in, it’s almost overwhelming. This isn’t the place where you run in to make a purchase and run out again. The House of Guitars needs to be toured slowly to truly be appreciated. Visiting here, one sees the passage of time literally written on the store’s walls, and the history is tangible. This is the place where true music lovers come to buy vintage vinyl records so that they can own a bit of the music history that they cherish and fondly remember.
Visitors can spend time searching for the signature of their favorite artist on the Wall of Rockstar Autographs, and chances are, it is probably there. There are photographs lining the walls of bands and musicians who have visited over the years. Artists like Metallica, Aerosmith, Marilyn Manson, and Ozzy Osborne have all made a point not only to visit this iconic store but also to shop here. The store has one-of-a-kind music artifacts such as Jimi Hendrix pants, John Lennon’s military jacket, and Elvis’s pants, as well as instruments signed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dave Matthews, just to name a few.
Music School & Recording Studio
If you have the desire to learn a new instrument, you can learn from the very best. Costello Music has taught people ages 5 through adult instruments and voice for over 30 years. Lessons are available for beginners and advanced students and include performing opportunities.
There is a professional recording studio within the House of Guitars as well. Local and national acts have used the world-class recording studio to record their albums. Debuting this year, the House of Guitars will feature a podcast, the HOG cast, that will be featured on all podcast services.
Stock and Merchandise
I’m not going to lie; a visit to the stacks at the House of Guitars is extraordinary but a bit overwhelming. They have a seriously huge amount of inventory. The records, CDs, and cassettes are separated into categories, but after that, it gets extremely intense. The crazy part, ask one of their friendly employees for help finding something; they know EXACTLY where to look. If they don’t have it, I can almost guarantee it doesn’t exist.
While the House of Guitars has a huge stockpile of band and concert t-shirts, it is their own T-shirts that are the coveted item. They carry a wide assortment of styles, including hoodies, longs sleeved shirts, hooded long-sleeve shirts, and t-shirts with various printed House of Guitars logos. Don’t miss the free live music every Saturday!
If you should find yourself in the Rochester Area, this is a must-visit destination for all music lovers!
Address: 645 Titus Ave, Rochester, NY
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Helpful Links: House of Guitars
Have you visited the House of Guitars? What are your favorite memories of this iconic store? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.