Established in 2012, Fan Guitar And Ukulele is a great little music shop located on Main St just West of VCU. Operated by John Gonzalez De Solar and his wife Genie, this family music store with a homey vibe has come up with a great way to introduce itself to RVA Magazine readers--by giving away a ukulele! But before we get into all that, here's a little bit of backstory about the people behind the business.
John Gonzalez De Solar was a Richmond native who graduated from VCU in 2002, and became one of the few people to ever join the Navy for the opportunity to play guitar and see the world. John's naval career landed him a sweet stay in Hawaii, where he took up surfing, while developing a profound appreciation for the ukulele. Last summer, John and his wife Genie relocated to Richmond, mainly for the propose of being closer to John's family. Wanting to bring his love for the ukulele and guitar back to share with his fellow Richmonders, John and Genie opened Fan Guitar and Ukulele in the fall to a warm response.
"Our goal is simple…to provide a comfortable, fun, and informative environment in which our customers can enjoy the process and experience of finding the instrument that is perfectly matched to them and their own personal musical journey," John said about what drove him to open his store. After talking with him on several occasions I noticed he expressed a passionate empathy and relation to the common musician - a quality I rarely find in the average music store owner.
Because relationships are important to John and Genie, it's easy to see that they hold customer service in high regard. But anyone who spends more then a half hour with the duo will see that they're unique take on life is a lot like running your own ukulele business--it's often the small things that count most.
Courtesy of Fan Guitar and Ukulele, we're giving away the wonderful Luna Tattoo concert ukulele pictured at the top of this article, complete with gig bag, a Kala clip-on tuner, and two Dunlop picks, to a very lucky RVA Magazine reader. If you're unsure if you have the chops to learn to shred on a sweet acoustic uke, the winner will also have the option of receiving the total value of the giveaway on a gift card, or of putting it towards one of the many sweet guitars or various guitar and ukulele accessories that Fan Guitar and Ukulele has in stock. You have 30 days to enter this contest, so plug your info into the widget below, and keep an eye out for bonus opportunities to win!
Good luck! And make sure to stop in and say hi to John and Genie (and their dog, Scruffy) at their shop. It's located at 1308 W. Main Street (across from City Dogs. in the fan). They'd love to meet you. Also check them out online at fanguitarandukulele.com, or find them on twitter @fanguitarRVA, or on facebook at facebook.com/FanGuitarAndUkulele. Tell em RVA Mag sent you!