Wedding Anniversary

[CVS]

I have been married for 39 years. Just went to the central coast of California for our anniversary. Found a great guitar shop in Arroyo Grande ( a small wine town) called Lightning Joe's by accident. What a store with loads of good high value inventory (guitars, amps, pedals)! And they are about to become a PRS dealer. Must have talked with the owner for 30 minutes.

Here is a link to their web site. Don't miss this store if you are in the area.
http://www.lightningjoes.com/

All of you probably have heard of this store, but I had no idea.

 

[CVS]

& I should add - My wife suggested that we go into the store. From the outside it doesn't look like much, & she just about forced me to go in. I was thinking it would be more like a typical store you see in a small town - a few beginner guitars hanging on the wall & and a few amps and a few music books. Was I ever surprised! I could have spent the whole day there just trying out pedals, which they let you do.

Only minor damage done to my wallet - I purchased an EHX pedal. More damage done at wine shops after leaving the store.

 

[alantig]

Found a great guitar shop in Arroyo Grande ( a small wine town) called Lightning Joe's by accident.

Are you sure they didn’t call it that on purpose?

I love finding those kinds of places. I’m visiting my daughter this weekend. She now works in the town I lived in for about 6 months over 30 years ago. Tom’w we’re going to see if we can find the guitar store where I bought my Charvel back then. Going to be tough because I can’t remember the name of the store and only have dim memories of where it was or what it was like.

 

[CVS]

Are you sure they didn’t call it that on purpose?

I love finding those kinds of places. I’m visiting my daughter this weekend. She now works in the town I lived in for about 6 months over 30 years ago. Tom’w we’re going to see if we can find the guitar store where I bought my Charvel back then. Going to be tough because I can’t remember the name of the store and only have dim memories of where it was or what it was like.

All I can say is that the current owner is the original owner, so I guess that means that he grew this store from pretty much "nada" to what it is today. A real American success story!
The owner spends most of his time doing repairs and set ups. The rest of his family takes care of the "front end" and the books / finances. Met them all - very nice folks. The owner is also the person who pretty much decided that they would become a PRS dealer. (Just my opinion on this....)

 

[László]

I have been married for 39 years. Just went to the central coast of California for our anniversary. Found a great guitar shop in Arroyo Grande ( a small wine town) called Lightning Joe's by accident. What a store with loads of good high value inventory (guitars, amps, pedals)! And they are about to become a PRS dealer. Must have talked with the owner for 30 minutes.

Here is a link to their web site. Don't miss this store if you are in the area.
http://www.lightningjoes.com/

All of you probably have heard of this store, but I had no idea.

Looks like a fun place, and so VERY California!

 

[CVS]

Looks like a fun place, and so VERY California!

You are "right on" about this place being VERY California. A much smaller version of Napa Valley (and much harder to get to for most folks, which is why it is not a big tourist destination). The local central coast wines have really improved over the past 10 years or so and the acreage devoted to grapes has expanded quite a bit.

 

[László]

You are "right on" about this place being VERY California. A much smaller version of Napa Valley (and much harder to get to for most folks, which is why it is not a big tourist destination). The local central coast wines have really improved over the past 10 years or so and the acreage devoted to grapes has expanded quite a bit.

I love it there; my eldest daughter went to University of California, Santa Barbara, which is nearby. Beautiful place.

 

[CVS]

A few pictures that I took of the store

Soon there will be PRS guitars on these walls!

I love it there; my eldest daughter went to University of California, Santa Barbara, which is nearby. Beautiful place.

Isla Vista - Brings back memories. I had a number of friends who went to UCSB - a great party school back in the mid 70's

 

[alantig]

We went to the downtown area today and I believe we found the store I bought that Charvel at all those years ago - have to check the receipt, but I’m pretty sure it was Picker’s Supply. Nobody recognized me. And apparently they sold the other Charvels on the display because it was gone.

 

[László]

A few pictures that I took of the store

Soon there will be PRS guitars on these walls!

Isla Vista - Brings back memories. I had a number of friends who went to UCSB - a great party school back in the mid 70's

All schools were great party schools in the mid-70s. Except law schools, which was where I was stuck, and where the parties were so dismal, they couldn’t accurately be referred to as parties. Law school parties were the Burning Man of neurosis reinforcement festivals.

Also, no one got any. Hell, no one even wanted to.

There was very little point to the whole business.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

A few pictures that I took of the store

Soon there will be PRS guitars on these walls!

Isla Vista - Brings back memories. I had a number of friends who went to UCSB - a great party school back in the mid 70's

The second pic looks like Matt’s attic!