Gibson has confirmed its new Garage in Miami will open on September 10. It will become the firm’s third brick-and-mortar location and second in the US, after stores in Nashville and London.
Located in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood Art District, Gibson Garage Miami – which was first announced late last year – will bring “the full Gibson family of brands to one of the world’s most musically diverse, culturally rich, and creatively vibrant cities.”
That amounts to a whopping 8,000 square feet of showcase space. More than 500 electric and acoustic guitars and basses are set to be housed there, from Gibsons to Epiphones, Kramers, MESA/Boogie amps, Maestro, KRK, and Gibson Amplifiers.
The Garage also features a stage, which will become a major part of the store’s activities. Artist performances, intimate showcases, album release events, and community programming have all been mooted.
The store will also tap into the city’s Latin culture, with exclusive apparel collaborations with local designers, lifestyle gifts, celebrity and film memorabilia, and rare instruments.
Notably, it will feature Gibson's first stateside Gibson Gallery art installation, which will be “spotlighting photography, street art, and iconic moments in music history”.
“Retail is no longer just about what people buy – it’s about what they feel, discover, and become part of,” says Gibson’s Interim CEO, Anne Rohosy, who has temporarily replaced the outgoing Cesar Gueikian.
“Gibson Garage Miami represents the next evolution of that idea,” she continues. “It’s an immersive music destination that invites people in to play, explore, create, connect, and experience Gibson heritage in the real world.
Given that Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi were in attendance at the London Garage’s grand opening, and Brian May was unveiled as a surprise new artist, who knows what will be in store when the Miami branch opens its doors in September. The public will get their first chance to visit on the 10th.
Gibson says its Nashville location has become “a Mecca for guitar players,” since opening in 2021.
Meanwhile, Fender has expanded in a wholly different way, opening a guitar-themed coffee shop in downtown Tokyo, building on the success of its flagship Tokoyo store.
