Starr’s Guitars Celebrates 25 Years of Serving its Community

For 25 years, Starr’s Guitars has remained a destination for musicians searching for quality instruments, expert advice and a genuine connection to the music community. Founded by singer-songwriter David Starr, the store first opened in 1998 in the River Market District of Little Rock, Arkansas, before relocating to Cedaredge, Colorado, in 2001. Over the decades, Starr’s Guitars has served players with a carefully curated collection of new, used and vintage guitars, amplifiers and accessories.

Starr credits the store’s longevity and success to its ability to embrace change while staying true to its mission.

“There were a couple of years during the 2008 economic downturn that were rough for us and everybody else, and we got through it,” Starr said. “But that was a catalyst for change. I’m ready for whatever comes at me. The pandemic was another period of change and evolution, so I think the key is you have to be willing to pivot and make changes, or you won’t survive.”

As online shopping and large retailers transformed the way musicians buy gear, Starr focused on what sets independent stores apart through building relationships and curating a unique shopping experience.

“When I first started out, the internet was a fairly new thing, and the proliferation of that over the years made it difficult for a small mom-and-pop store like ours to compete with a lot of the big box stores having such a big presence,” Starr said. “Over the years, I’ve looked at my local market and made changes as necessary. I’ve refocused a lot in the last couple of years on vintage and used instruments. I feel like this store has got to be interesting and somewhat of a destination, or people aren’t going to go through the trouble of driving here.”

Beyond selling instruments, Starr’s Guitars has become connected to the Cedaredge community through its support of local arts and music initiatives. Starr is a founding board member of the Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center and launched and produced the Grand Mesa Songwriter Festival, an annual event that celebrates songwriting and brings musicians together from across the region.

“I believe what has helped to succeed is our willingness to be a part of the community and to help build community, whether it’s musical community or just the arts in general,” Starr said, “We continue to have a high profile in that respect, and by supporting our local arts and music centers and craft fair in the fall. One of the things that we’re a huge sponsor of is the Grand Mesa Songwriter Festival that happens every June. We also support our local radio stations. I think you have to be part of the community if you want the community to support you.”

To commemorate the milestone, Cedaredge celebrated Starr’s Guitars’ 25th anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June 16. Musicians, longtime customers and community members gathered to recognize the store’s impact and celebrate the legacy Starr has built.

“I don’t think we could have done this without the community’s support,” Starr said. “I do some online business, but the bulk of my business is walk-in sales and consultation, and I prefer that to the extent that it allows me to meet people, develop a relationship, and one of the things that gets lost in the online world is that personal face-to-face interaction. We invite people to come in. I grew up hanging out in music stores, and I encourage people to do the same these days.” MI