Music shop which closed suddenly tells customer it is "unable to trade"

A landmark Brighton business which suddenly closed has told a customer it is "unable to trade" for now. Gak Music Emporium in North Road has been closed since Tuesday, March 25 , with shutters drawn over the distinctive yellow shopfront. A sign in the window said it was "closed for maintenance".

"We apologise for the inconvenience", it said. It comes amid growing speculation online about the closure of the musical instrument retailer. One customer who ordered a guitar from Gak was in the dark about what was happening with their purchase.



(Image: Argus staff) In an email to the customer on Wednesday, seen by The Argus, a Gak staff member said: "Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances the shop is closed and we’re unable to do any trading for the time being." Neighbouring shops expressed confusion about why the shop was closed, with one member of staff saying they were “sad” about what was happening. The shop's name stands for guitar, amp and keyboard and has been in North Laine for more than 30 years.

In 2021, the independent retailer was acquired by co-managing directors Max McKellar and Ian Stephens. The new business strategy at the time was to grow the store's online presence. Mr McKellar and Gak have not responded to repeated attempts by The Argus for comment.

At the time of the acquisition, Mr McKellar and Mr Stephens said: "While Gak and the music industry have encountered and overcome challenges in recent years, we are now perfectly placed to take advantage of both short and long-term opportunities. “We also have an exceptional workforce and very experienced and talented management team." It sells leading musical instrument brands such as Fender, Gibson, Roland and Yamaha.

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