Community Highlights: Meet Susan/John O’Leary of Wadsworth Music

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan/John O’Leary.

Hi Susan/John, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Wadsworth Music was originally established in 1995. John and I rescued the store from closure in the summer of 2002. At the time, my husband John was a painting contractor and guitar teacher at the shop. When the previous owner announced plans to close, we saw the store’s potential and decided to take the leap. Combining my retail management experience with John’s extensive musical knowledge, we became the new owners just one month later.

In the early days, the inventory was sparse, but the lesson program provided a steady foundation. I focused on listening to our customers, building our inventory based directly on their requests. Simultaneously, we invested heavily in expanding our facilities, building more lesson rooms, and hiring additional instructors. Through years of 80-hour work weeks, constant investment, and the help of our son, Scott, and dedicated part-time staff, the business grew. John even completed his Business Administration degree during this time to further support our growth.

A major milestone occurred in 2014 when we became an authorized dealer for Fender and other premium brands. John also became a certified repair technician for Fender and Taylor Guitars, and we launched our online store at www.wadsworthmusic.com.

Over the past 22 years, we have navigated many economic and social challenges, including the hardships of 2008 and 2020. Staying small has allowed us to remain flexible and resilient. My favorite part of this journey has been working alongside my husband and watching our students grow from their first lessons through graduation. We are also proud to have a loyal team, with many instructors staying with us for over a decade.

Our store is located in a historic 1924 building in downtown Wadsworth, constructed with local brick and timber. We are honored to be part of this community’s history and are deeply grateful to the citizens of Wadsworth and the surrounding areas for their continued support. We truly have a blessed and sacred store.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our journey as Wadsworth Music has been quite challenging. Fortunately, the decisions we made allowed us to remain flexible and adapt to continuous economic changes, shifting competition, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While our lesson program was completely shut down for half of that year, rebuilding it has been a significant undertaking. We are pleased to share that we are successfully moving forward.

As you know, we’re big fans of Wadsworth Music. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Wadsworth Music, we specialize in music lessons, instrument sales and repairs, and band and orchestra rentals.

Our lesson program features 16 professional instructors offering sessions in guitar, bass, piano, drums, violin, voice, cello, viola, ukulele, brass instruments, and woodwinds. We pride ourselves on creating a friendly environment where students of all levels can thrive.

As an authorized Fender dealer, we carry an extensive selection of guitars, amplifiers, and accessories, along with Gretsch and Jackson equipment. Unlike many other stores, every instrument in our showroom is professionally set up and ready to play. We also stock a wide range of essential supplies, including strings, reeds, effects pedals, Roland digital pianos, and method books.

Our service department provides expert repairs for stringed instruments on-site, and we offer weekly pickup services for band instrument repairs. Additionally, as a Sweetwater affiliate, we provide a high-quality band and orchestral rental program with competitive pricing available both in-store and online.

We invite you to visit our showroom to experience our large inventory and meet our excellent repair and teaching staff.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Our first significant business risk occurred in 2002 when we decided to purchase Wadsworth Music. Although it was a failing business at the time, we recognized its potential and viewed the purchase as an opportunity. Every risk begins as a potential opportunity; you must either commit fully or decline.

It is essential for business owners to discern when it is in their best interest to take a risk. For instance, in 2016, a competitor moved in next door. In response, we decided to renovate our storefront, taking out a loan to invest in new windows, doors, awnings, and paint. This updated look made our store much more inviting. We also invested in a large new product line. These efforts were successful, and the competitor closed after four years. While we still had a significant loan to repay, the investment secured our position.

Unanticipated economic shifts at the local, state, and national levels, along with personal life events, often necessitate changes in direction. Flexibility and a positive outlook are key to weathering these challenges and identifying the new opportunities that arise from them.

Pricing:

• We price our products the same as on-line store prices.
• Music lessons are $28.00 per half hour.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wadsworthmusic.com
• Instagram: wadsworth_music
• Facebook: Wadsworth Music