SHINE A LIGHT
Deep in the HEART OF TEXAS By Michelle Loeb
Strait Music has been the rhythm behind Austin, Texas’ vibrant music scene for more than five decades, beginning when Dan Strait opened the doors at the store’s original location in 1963. Now in its third generation of family ownership, Strait Music operates Three generations of Strait Music two locations, with the second shop in northwest Austin opening in 1998. “It’s cool to be part of a business with that much history,” said Chris Cowart, guitar and drum department manager, who has been a part of the Strait Music family for 14 years. Cowart started off behind the counter before moving into sales and eventually management. He officially took over as manager of the combo department two years ago, and has worked hard to create a department that keeps its customers not only excited to play music but also excited to come in and shop at a locally-owned, brickand-mortar retail store. One of the ways of achieving this is making sure that his department has an impressive depth and breadth of merchandise. “We always have the newest and latest models, and our customers appreciate that,” said Cowart. “We carry the necessities, as well as those instruments that people can dream about.” The store offers a wide variety of brands that includes Martin, Taylor, Gibson and Cordoba, and Cowart makes sure it stocks instruments aimed at every skill level from entry-level to high-end. “If someone comes in asking for a certain model, we want to have it,” he said. “We always keep things in stock, and we don’t have empty hooks.” Strait Music’s combo department sells mostly new instruments, but Cowart will offer the occasional used item. “We have no real desire to dive into the vintage market, though,” said Cowart. “It’s very competitive, and what we are currently doing is working.” Finding that ideal product mix has been a work in progress for Cowart,
Chris Cowart
Strait Music Co. 2428 W. Ben White Blvd. Austin, TX 78704 (512) 476-6927 13945 N Highway 183 Austin, TX 78717 (512) 918-3743 www.straitmusic.com Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Chris Cowart, Guitar & Drum Department Manager
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JUNE 2020
