Kenny's Music Set to Reopen with New Ownership] - Guitar | Technique

Kenny’s Music – the popular Scottish guitar store chain that was forced into closing late last year – is set to return under new ownership.

The chain, which had stores in Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and Dunfermline, has been acquired by Vista Musical Instruments, which is now the owner of the intellectual property, brand assets and goodwill of Kenny’s Music.

Kenny’s Music was set up in 2008 by Kenny Graham and quickly established itself as one of Scotland’s premier guitar gear retailers, with deep-rooted connections to local artists and a solid social media presence that put them on many players’ radars.

Kenny’s was but one of many guitar stores that were forced to close globally last year, with fellow UK favorites GAK and PMT both closing, while Bax Music, one of Europe’s largest instrument retailers, filed for bankruptcy.

The trend hasn’t been confined to the UK or Europe, though. In the US, Sam Ash suffered a similar fate.

(Image credit: Vista Musical Instruments)

This acquisition, though, sparks new hope for Kenny’s, with Vista Musical Instruments laying out a three-pronged strategy to lead Kenny’s Music into a bold new era.

That strategy includes a trio of pillars – The New Digital Gateway, Concierge Gear Services and Immediate Access to Global Brands – which will look to revive Kenny’s online presence, deliver personalized and expert gear support, and offer rejuvenated inventory for players.

“This acquisition marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the storied brand,” a press release states. “To ensure the Kenny’s Music community remains supported and connected, Vista Musical Instruments (VMI) has debuted a revitalised digital home for the retailer.

“The Kenny’s Music community can now shop an expansive collection of world-class brands including Fender, Martin, Heritage Guitars, Harmony, MONO, and more.”

The emphasis on finding a new ‘digital home’ for Kenny’s, and no mention of the potential re-opening of stores, seemingly rules out the return of physical shops, with the storied music brand poised to become a digital-first retailer.

It looks to follow the precedent set by Sam Ash, which was revived by Gonher Music and now operates solely as an online retailer.

Vista Musical Instruments is part of the Caldecott Music Group, which owns gear brands such as MONO, Harmony, Teisco and Heritage, as well as media outlets BandLab Technologies and NME Networks.

“We’re excited to welcome Kenny’s Music into our VMI ecosystem. While the brand’s recent pause was unfortunate, it followed a period of its strongest sales on record,” said Meng Ru Kuok, CEO of Vista Musical Instruments.

“There is a great foundation here to build upon, and we appreciate Hilco Global’s professionalism in helping us ensure this legacy is reimagined for the next generation of musicians.”