NOVEMBER 18 I GIBSON I OPENING
Gibson to Open Store at Former Tower Records Site

On Nov. 10, Gibson announced plans to renovate and reopen the former site of Tower Records in West Hollywood, California, as a special outpost for Gibson Brands.

Chief Executive Henry Juszkiewicz said Gibson would spend at least $1 million to renovate the building for a reopening by the end of the year.

The company has signed a 15-year lease, with plans to showcase all of its musical instruments and consumer electronic lines in a venue that will also feature live performances.

"We want to reinvent this site to be the international phenomenon that its legacy deserves," Juszkiewicz told the LA Times.

Constructed in 1971, the one-story, 8,700-square-foot building at 8801 Sunset Blvd. became a center of activity for the Sunset Strip's vibrant music scene.

"We are going to honor history and take it to a whole new level," Juszkiewicz said. "We want to retain that crazy vibe of Tower Records."

Since Tower Records filed for bankruptcy in 2006, the site was under threat of demolition by developers proposing a new, three-story building that would house an upscale gym and offices for rent. Preservationists protested the plan, however, and the city withheld approval of the project.

Jay Luchs, a real estate broker of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, who represents the landlords, told the LA Times there was a lot of interest in the site from potential renters.

"At the end of the day, Gibson was the right fit," Luchs said.