MARCH 10 I GUITAR CENTER I OPENING
Guitar Center Opens New Store in Central Illinois

Guitar Center opened its 264th location in Champaign, Illinois, on Feb. 26. The latest store, covering 8,000 square feet, is the first in a series of grand openings in 2015. Michael Amkreutz, Guitar Center's EVP of marketing, merchandising and e-commerce, announced that the opening is an example of the company's ongoing plans for growth and long-term expansion.

"Our Champaign, Illinois, store is the first in a series of 2015 new store grand openings," Amkreutz stated. "In addition to opening new stores, we are revamping many of our current locations to bring them in line with our new store designs that foster a hands-on environment in which customers are encouraged to interact with the products. We are always looking to create a more immersive in-store experience for our customers."

Guitar Center's Champaign location features showrooms for guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards and live sound, as well as DJ, lighting and recording equipment.

To commemorate the occasion, Guitar Center hosted a grand opening weekend celebration featuring discounts and gear giveaways catered to local musicians. The celebration kicked off on Feb. 26 with a free, live in-store performance by The Fights.

guitarcenter.com