Meet Brian Coates | Musical Instrument Store Owner (and occasional musician)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Coates and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
My family is one of academics and scientists and while I have that curiosity, this college dropout applied it outside the classroom. I like playing music, woodworking, and going to concerts after all. I grew up Wheat Ridge and spent much of the 1990’s in college and then working in Ft. Collins, before returning to the Denver area to (apparently) start a career in musical instrument retail.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business is a Music Go Round franchise and we specialize in used musical instruments. Our unique place in the ecosystem of music stores is as a buyer of secondhand gear from people in our community. It’s what we focus on the most in all of our advertising, staff training, and time in general. As being a brick-and-mortar business becomes more challenging, we continue to grow because our customers will always need a physical location to bring their instruments to to sell.

As for how I got here, while living in Fort Collins, CO in the late 1990’s I found myself tempted out of classes at CSU into a a lutherie apprenticeship (i.e. building guitars) while working at another guitar/pawn shop full time. My friend Scott Nason purchased the Littleton Music Go Round store in 1999 and brought me along as his second in command. I managed that store until 2017 when the Aurora location went up for sale as its then owner was ready to retire. Scott’s job 1999 offer was clearly a stroke of good fortune but it didn’t come just because I was a friend. By that time I was immersed in learning everything I could about guitar history and repair, from my volunteer apprenticeship to buying and reading every book I could find on the subject. He knew he could put my growing expertise to good use.

My first few years here were intense as I rebuilt and reworked the store’s physical layout and processes. Taking over an underperforming store and growing it proved to be a unique challenge. We worked hard to improve our best practices, staff, inventory and reputation in the community.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Denver has plenty to offer. Cycling on Cherry Creek Trail, Coffee at Bardo on Broadway, Middle Eastern food at Sahara, and a visit to the block on 13th and Washington to stop in at Wax Trax Records and Kilgore books would make a fine day.

The Denver Art Museum and Denver Museum of Nature and Science are great places to let one’s heart and brain be stimulated. Each rare occasion find myself there I tell myself to come more often.

My other favorite way to spend time is with live music, both playing and watching. The band is usually more the focus than the venue, but Red Rocks, Levitt Pavilion, The Gothic Theatre, and DCPA are all fabulous. As, I might add, are Larimer Lounge, Lost Lake, and Dazzle Jazz, all in their own way

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many — I had mentors earlier in life as a guitar repairperson and builder. These include Charlie Gannon and Mary Whalen at Osprey Guitars in Ft Collins, CO, Michael Medeiros at Medeiros Wood-N-Music in Loveland, CO, and Denver builder K. Scott Lofquist.

As I transitioned from being a Music Go Round employee to owner, my former employer and boss Scott Nason was a great source of wisdom and inspiration.

Website: https://www.musicgoroundaurora.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicgoround.aurora/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicGoRoundAURORA