Norman's Rare Guitars, the none-more-legendary LA guitar store owned by Norman Harris – one of the world's most respected vintage guitar dealers – has been acquired.
The buyer is TNAG Global, a company that happens to own one of America's other much-beloved boutique guitar shops, Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, in addition to that city's equally hallowed Cotten Music Center.
“I’ve always known there would come a time when I needed the right long-term partner to carry Norman’s Rare Guitars forward,” Norman Harris said in a statement. “I couldn’t imagine a better steward for the shop and its legacy than Ben Montague and TNAG Global.
“The goal has always been to share my love of great guitars with the community, and this partnership allows that community to grow, while protecting everything that makes the shop special. I feel a deep sense of comfort knowing the shop, its history, and its values will still be here for future generations of my family and for guitar lovers around the world.”
According to TNAG, the nitty-gritty of the deal includes, of course, the store's 1,000+-strong guitar collection, and, notably, Harris’ personal and private collection. The store itself, TNAG says, will continue to operate in its current physical location, “with its team and culture remaining fully intact.”
“California is one of the most important guitar markets in the world, and we believe there is enormous opportunity to bring a truly dialed-in, trusted consignment model to the West Coast. At TNAG Global, customer obsession is the driving force behind everything we build. We create environments where guitar lovers, collectors, and musicians can walk into an iconic store – in Nashville or Los Angeles – and feel taken care of at the highest level, both in person and online.”
So! What does that last bit mean, exactly? TNAG says it will incorporate the inventory of Norman's Rare Guitars into something called “The Exchange,” a “fully integrated environment to buy, sell, and consign legacy instrument brands, in-store and online.”
Now, many might be wondering – especially in light of an offhand remark Harris made in an interview with Guitar World last year – why the store didn't end up in the hands of Harris' close friend Joe Bonamassa, blues guitar star and owner of a peerless vintage six-string collection himself.
Bonamassa, for his part, immediately and enthusiastically came out in support of TNAG's acquisition.
“I am extremely excited to see my Uncle Norm enter into this new chapter in his life and career,” he said in a statement. “We all know that he will still be around, being the master of ceremonies and dealing the coolest guitars in the world. Congratulations to my friend Ben and the entire team at TNAG Global on securing the legacy of the greatest guitar store in the world.”
Even among the ranks of revered vintage guitar stores, Norman's has long stood head and shoulders above the crowd.
The shop perfectly adapted to the 21st century by establishing an enviable YouTube presence, with a channel that currently boasts nearly 650,000 subscribers. Further evidence of the store's lofty standing came when Norman's general manager Mark Agnesi, a frequent presence on the store's YouTube channel, was poached by Gibson, where he now serves as the company's Director of Brand Experience.
Harris, TNAG says, “will remain actively involved in the business as founding ambassador, continuing to source instruments and welcome visitors to the shop for as long as he wishes.”
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