Winding down the Valencia era 2019-2025
Transition to next venue. The MISSION continues!
It all seems like a crazy dream! As many of you know, after a turbulent city hall red tape shake-down at previous Fillmore shop (2015-2019), we moved to Valencia, closer to home, in late 2019. The revenue numbers were robust enough and we were cranking out GuitarViols at full steam! Within a few months, New 2020 labor codes and the sudden Plandemic definitely triggered a spiral of delayed supplies, soaring costs, changing consumer priorities during the lockdown. (A previously strong revenue stream turned to trickle-hemhorrage + quicksand). A slight 2020-21 “stimmy check” spike happened when bored people sheltering in place at home went on a click and buy frenzy. That musical chairs “stimmy check” thing ended by 2022. Netflix (streaming goldrush) plateaued/saturated and they figured out they were NOT making money. 2023 writers/actors strike, all year long, over revenue and AI concerns. Those things were settled but nothing sprang back! Today, an estimated 2/3 of LA’s film industry has not worked since 2022/23 and that triggered an exodus. What does this have to do with GuitarViols? Most think of me an niche instrument maker. Turns out, I have been a supplier to the film soundtrack industry for the last 20 years!! (My CORE market base! Not good!) Ugh!
So, it turns out, I had the RIGHT shop space in the WRONG era, perhaps in the WRONG state! (Did not know that when I moved in - and things shifted so fast!) Yes, I held on too long! Given the backstory of previous upheavals, one might imagine that I was in no hurry to repeat the relocation process (the stress, expense, disruption, and the lag time) anytime soon! Been there, done that! (Again? really? UGH!). It is what it is! The mission continues through the foisted vicissitudes! Not by choice! Just bad math.
There is the human side to it! Bittersweet grief! Finally, I had “leveled-up” to the ideal ultimate shop! (Yeah!) The numbers were there! Moved in pre-pandemic! We were positioned to grow and expand the line! Freeway and visitor appointment friendly! Natural skylight! 1085 SF of workstations and tooling I made during off hours and weekends in the previous 2015-2019 Fillmore shop. Home Depot is a 4 minute walk away! FedEx in the same business park! So ideal!! So awesome! HVAC and a dumpster a few steps from the door! A space meant to employ trained technicians in a mini factory. Sadly, the times did not support that! Instead, I worked mostly alone and all the sweat I could throw at it was never enough. “Hang in there” “Things will pick up again” (until all the stay-positive vibes did not work no matter how much sweat and time went into it). On the human side, it is a lot to process and take in! The dream shop came true in the WRONG dispensation of time! Frustration and heartbreak does not even describe it! Pivot? To what? In THIS screwed up economy and market? This instrument has been my career trajectory of the last 35 years! My identity pretty much! Nevertheless, the venue changes, the mission continues!
I am super grateful for the enthusiasm my work has had for all of these years! Those Instagram GV videos that pop-up scrolling with morning coffee remind me of the WHY of what I do! It has aged me though! Have to re-pace. Perhaps a different place where the pressure to keep shop overhead in a flaccid economy does not cut in to peace of mind and working at my best. It’s ironic, for so many years I could not produce enough fast enough! (Or be “enough” enough for such an enthusiastic crowd!) I made the big leap and the world changed right after I did it! Lucy yanked the ball (again). On the other hand, coming to terms with aging. The operating conditions in California are anything but sane for anyone’s blood pressure. For the short term, I’ll be operating the best I can within the constraints of not having a public access space. (No choice, unless a massive miracle comes down from the heavens!). Make no mistake, the mission continues! Turn the page!
I STILL exist to make these special instruments; no MATTER the venue!
Back to my roots! Reach out!
As always, STAY inspired!
Jonathan
Here we go!!