Was traveling through and thought I'd check out what looked like a "good ol' mom-n-pop guitar shop". At first I saw a small inventory of what looked like mostly used instruments, and that part's fine, kinda' what I was hoping for. One of the downsides to the "internet age" has been the difficulty in finding independently-owned brick-and-mortar music shops--which has only gotten harder and harder. And thanks to the weird-wide-web, you're not going to walk into said mom-n-pops or pawn shops scoring any kind of "deal", because everyone has access to the global inventory of "things". I don't go to real shops thinking I'm going to get a great deal on something kitschy, uncommon or awesome, I just go because I'll always be a sucker for the general atmosphere of being surrounded by a wall full of guitars and amps, seeing if something calls out to me to play it. But I also have to trust and believe in the proprietor of said establishment, if I am going to spend my hard-earned dollars there. I'm honestly a little shocked there aren't more guitar shops around this exit at the Commerce outlet mall, because it would be the perfect spot for a well-stocked guitar store. This shop is just up the road on the other side of I-85, so it was close enough for me peruse before my dinner. It should've been either a cool experience where I might have walked out with some new instrument or gadget, but when you walk into a place and are hit with an overwhelming vibe of far-right political tension and some strange culty worship of a certain felonious politician, it's a major turnoff. I'm certain I have done business in the past with folks whose ideologies I'd find offensive and cringey, but it was never all out there in everyone's faces in such a cartoonish fashion, so I wouldn't have known. Unfortunately, this business owner is not discreet or humble in his social and political leanings (along with some strange pseudopatriotism and jingoism which is ironic considering most of the inventory was imported products), and I couldn't bring myself to even pretend that I was actually considering purchasing something at this shop. My advice to all small businesspersons is that perhaps some attention should be paid to demonstrating a little class and restraint with advertising, social media and storefront presentation/conversation. Because when someone feels immediately insulted and disrespected they're likely not going to be doing any business with you, and you're only damaging your bottom line at the end of the day. Be who you want to be in private, but if you're going to bring your unsettling political and social ideologies to work, it's going to result in people with any self-respect walking right back out and taking their business elsewhere. read more