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With a vision of being the most relevant, most played and most loved guitar brand again, Gibson, the iconic American guitar brand, emerged from bankruptcy in 2018 with new ownership, a new management team and a bold plan to disrupt long standing industry practices and lean into a more aggressive, modern marketing presence as opposed to its rivals. For decades, selling their products through a network of distributors and music instrument dealers, Gibson lacked a footprint under their own control where they could connect directly with customers, and where fans could authentically experience the brand and its products.

Bucking convention, in 2021, they opened their flagship Gibson Garage in Nashville, Tennessee, welcoming music fans and loyal players of all genres and generations to experience Gibson in its most authentic manner. A place to see, hear, play and experience the brand and its vast product range of instruments which are regarded by guitarists the world over as the pinnacle of quality and desirability.

Now, in London, arguably the birthplace of the rock guitar hero, they welcome established artists and a growing youth movement showing a resurging interest in the hands-on pleasure of playing the guitar to their second such experience center and their first outside of the US, the Gibson Garage London. Taking distinct design cues and best practices from its US-based predecessor, reimagined for the British market, the Gibson Garage London is a haven for guitarists and music fans just steps from Soho’s bustling Oxford Street.

With a goal of replicating their Nashville experience the design for London presented a few challenges. First, the total available space in London was split over two floors (street level and below grade) and the overall footprint was close to half the size of their Nashville location. Despite the smaller space, the fact that they are an entire continent away from the factories that produce Gibson guitars meant a sizable stock room would be required to replenish product displays. Finally, each of the company's guitar brands - Gibson, Epiphone & Kramer - would need to be featured within the 420 sqm showroom alongside Mesa Boogie amplifiers and a broad selection of apparel offerings and guitar gear (cables, guitars strings, tuners, etc).

Making strategic use of the space, we divided the brands across the footprint. The iconic Gibson resides on the main floor where passersby can peer in and see the richly appointed space which features a special room for acoustic guitars, jam rooms where visitors can plug in and play and a Custom Shop where one can specify a one of a kind, made-to-order guitar. The centrally located entrance is marked by a large, illuminated Gibson marquee sign hovering over a relaxed lounge area complete with a Union Jack chesterfield sofa and Gibson prototypes on display in shadow boxes in the walls.

On the lower floor, bespoke showrooms feature Epiphone and Kramer instruments. The Epiphone space houses a stage that is used for performances and other staged events. The Kramer space remains true to its hair-band, heavy metal roots featuring a video game and black lighted accents reminiscent of a 1980’s video arcade. The lower floor is reached by a stairway which we turned into a gallery space where rotating exhibitions from famous rock photographers are displayed.

Providing a little surprise and delight, and adding a subtle wink to Gibson’s manufacturing lines back in Nashville, we integrated two ceiling-mounted conveyor tracks displaying over 120 guitars along the front windows of the experience. Indeed this has immediately proven to be a draw to passersby often causing people to stop and peer in or grab a photo with their mobile device. Importantly, the conveyor doubles as an on-the-main-floor display of guitar stock. The conveyors can be stopped at any time for guitars to be taken down and played or purchased. Combined with the sounds of guitars being played and the beautifully crafted instruments and display rooms, the motion of the conveyors adds to the liveliness and sensorial immersion we sought to create.