Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto already faces the challenge of steering the guitar gear retailer through uncertain waters in the face of a digital market boom, but he’s also faced with the challenge of reshaping its entire image and restoring its former prestige.
In the past, Dalporto has spoken at length about his strategy to tackle the former, which involves catering to ‘the serious musician’ by overhauling Guitar Center’s inventory and creating an improved destination space that allows players to get hands-on with high-end electric guitar gear and beyond.
This, he believes, is how the store can “win” against the likes of Amazon.
But that’s only part of the battle. In a new interview with Guitar WorldDalporto discusses some of the work being done to raise Guitar Center standards across the board, and instill within the workforce a renewed sense of pride in the stores in which they work.
To do so, he went quasi ‘Undercover Boss’ at one branch in Connecticut… and ended up scrubbing a bathroom.
When he first joined the firm as CEO, Dalporto notes, the Guitar Center stores were in a rather sorry state. And, in the case of the Connecticut store, not only was stock of poor quality and haphazardly arranged, the overall cleanliness of the place was lacking.
Naturally, Dalporto – whose objective is to increase foot traffic through the stores and reconnect with guitarists – wasn’t impressed, and he saw it as an opportunity to set an example.
“I was visiting one of our stores in Connecticut, and the second I walked through the doors, I’m like, ‘This is not very clean, not very organized,’” he tells Guitar World.
“I went into the bathroom, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is terrible.’ So I went to the Operations Manager, and I said, ‘Give me a mop and some cleaning supplies and I’m going to clean this.’
“I scrubbed that bathroom and I made it spotless, and I had someone videotape me, and then I sent it out to the entire system.”
As for why Dalporto decided to take matters into his own hand, well, he’s trying to inject a new lease of life into the retailer.
If his strategy is to be successful, Guitar Center needs to become a bustling hub of activity for musicians, one that will rely on repeat visitors who see Guitar Center not just as a place to buy gear, but to socialize with and meet like-minded instrumentalists.
So, while it might seem unimportant, clean facilities – and clean bathrooms, especially – are all part of contributing to that welcoming, high-end environment that Dalporto is intent on creating. The ‘broken window theory’ brought to the guitar space.
“A little bit of it is setting that expectation and holding people accountable, and they eventually get there,” he adds. “We are far from perfect, but we’re setting the expectations. Our associates are responding. They totally get it. They’re passionate about it, and we’re making a ton of progress, and we’re going to get there.”
Elsewhere in his Guitar World chat, Dalporto gave his thoughts on brands such as Fender and Gibson entering the retail space and outlined one of the store’s biggest new priorities for 2025.
Guitar World’s full interview with Gabe Dalporto will be published soon.
