What does the Hard Rock Hotel mean to us?

[DetroitBlues]

We all saw the announcement all over Facebook and on here about Hard Rock Hotels building at 225 Parsons Street.

• What is the impact to the community?
• How does it affect Heritage Guitar Company?
• How does it affect Heritage Owners Club?
• How does it affect Parsons Street Pilgrimage?

So many thoughts, I had to know what does this mean to us?

First of all, as Paul said in a previous thread, the local community around the Factory is cleaning up.  The blight that we saw around there for decades is slowly being cleaned up and the neighborhood is getting better.  When I lived near Kalamazoo 20 years ago, the area was not a place I would wander around at night.  I feel much more comfortable in the neighborhood now.

The hotel was always part of the plan for Heritage.  We didn't know it would be a partner with Hard Rock hotels, but its pretty cool.  Remember when Plaza Corp bought Heritage, they wanted to develop the property while keeping the some of the iconic feel of build and the smokestack.  Hotel, beer garden, restaurants, live music hall, recording studios, museum, and most importantly Heritage Guitars are part of the property development.  This is why the factory relocated the equipment to a newer part of the building, also the reason why factory tours have been discontinued other than PSP.

While it could change, the people at Heritage still value and appreciate us.  We are still a special group to Heritage because of all the years of supporting them and being advocates for the brand.  More importantly, Parsons Street Pilgrimage will remain an exclusive event that is free to us and limited to just HOC members and their guests.

What will be nice we can make arrangements to stay at the hotel, use the music venue to get loud, have the food catered for us, and have a good time without having to get into a car.

I'm rather excited and when this project finishes, I think the best PSP's are yet to come.  

[Doug]

Yes, I have to agree. It can't help but be good for Kalamazoo and especially that area of town. I have stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago before and you could sign out a guitar at the front desk when you checked in. How cool would that be if they had the bellhop just bring you up a Heritage or Harmony guitar to pick around with in your room.

[skydog52]

I think this is a very positive development for Kalamazoo and Heritage Guitar.  It has to help Heritage Guitar's name recognition.

I fell in love with Kalamazoo the first time I visited. Both my daughters received degrees from Western Michigan. Many Great memories.

In 2002 I ordered my first Heritage from Elderly Instruments and later took it to Heritage to have it upgraded to the DVIP set up. I was hooked.

That's when I first met the guys and girl : ).  So many trips since then. Every person I met are just Great People! 

That by far is the most important thing to me!

Then there is the HOC where although I haven't met most of you in person I cherish all the relationships, online included.

HOC will still be here and I can't wait to book a room for the first PSP there.

Here is to another 100 years of Guitar Heritage!

 

[Steiner]

4 hours ago, skydog52 said:

I think this is a very positive development for Kalamazoo and Heritage Guitar.  It has to help Heritage Guitar's name recognition.

I fell in love with Kalamazoo the first time I visited. Both my daughters received degrees from Western Michigan. Many Great memories.

In 2002 I ordered my first Heritage from Elderly Instruments and later took it to Heritage to have it upgraded to the DVIP set up. I was hooked.

That's when I first met the guys and girl : ).  So many trips since then. Every person I met are just Great People! 

That by far is the most important thing to me!

Then there is the HOC where although I haven't met most of you in person I cherish all the relationships, online included.

HOC will still be here and I can't wait to book a room for the first PSP there.

Here is to another 100 years of Guitar Heritage!

 

Hurrumph!

[TalismanRich]

I wondered how such a hotel would affect the factory.   At one point they were talking about being able to look down at the Heritage folks making guitars.  

I like Hard Rock.   They have great burgers.   We had one downtown (closed now after a) Covid shutdown,  and b) protester vandalism downtown,  but I used to go down there for lunch when I was downtown for stuff like jury duty.   I've been to the ones in Myrtle Beach,  Nashville,  LaJolla, Orlando and LA.

With any kind of luck, we can get back to having a PSP this year, and see a bit of it this year.

[Gitfiddler]

Since Hard Rock Hotels typically include tons of celebrity guitars and stuff, the KZoo location should be heavy on Gib-son and Heritage gitfiddles.  Maybe include a few photos of past PSP events. 

Whatever, I just hope it helps out the local economy and revitalize that area.

[SuburbanBlooze]

As an investor, the location of this particular proposal would make a lot more sense if Gibbons was actually involved. 

Makes me wonder of the rumors about Gibbons wanting to buy up the Heritage/Harmony brand are somewhat true.

Have you folks heard anything about Gibbons buying Heritage?

 

 

 

[TalismanRich]

I haven't heard a peep.  Considering that Bandlab (owner of Heritage and Harmony) is currently building a pretty big musical portfolio, and apparently are not cash strapped,  it doesn't sound something that would be in the cards.   Heck,  Bandlab took over Cakewalk/Sonar after Gibby abandoned them.

Gibby needs to concentrate on keeping the businesses they have going.

 

[bolero]

agree with Rich above!

This could be very good for Kalamazoo & the people who live there. Good draw for tourists; walking distance to downtown & there are lots of other things to check out like the museum, breweries, etc

[ElNumero]

On 3/4/2021 at 9:36 AM, SuburbanBlooze said:

As an investor, the location of this particular proposal would make a lot more sense if Gibbons was actually involved. 

Makes me wonder of the rumors about Gibbons wanting to buy up the Heritage/Harmony brand are somewhat true.

Have you folks heard anything about Gibbons buying Heritage?

 

 

 

The rumors are most likely floating from the various Gibbons forums out there. Truth be told, Heritage is much more well heeled than that company in Nashville, as it is owned partially by a Singaporian billionaire. That said, I would like to see Heritage be the parent company of that Nashville company (just kidding) instead!

[ElNumero]

I like the idea of this development. It certainly cannot be a bad thing. And consider what this will do to promote the Heritage brand! Does anybody know if Hopkats is still operating in K'zoo? I had heard some shut down permanently due to Covid. 

[Doug]

31 minutes ago, ElNumero said:

Does anybody know if Hopkats is still operating in K'zoo? I had heard some shut down permanently due to Covid. 

It's been gone for almost a year.

[ElNumero]

33 minutes ago, Doug said:

It's been gone for almost a year.

That stinks. I really liked the "crack fries"

[TalismanRich]

The HopCat in Louisville closed down over a year ago.   The Hotcat website still lists K'zoo.  It say they were still doing carryout and delivery only. 

[Doug]

1 hour ago, TalismanRich said:

The HopCat in Louisville closed down over a year ago.   The Hotcat website still lists K'zoo.  It say they were still doing carryout and delivery only. 

Maybe I'm wrong... I never go downtown anymore.

[skydog52]

Hopcat's is still open in K'zoo. March Madness promotion.

[DetroitBlues]

HopCat was temporarily shut down last year because an employee tested positive and the deep cleaned and sanitized the whole place.

Glad they are still open, lots of cool Heritages on the wall there.

[TalismanRich]

That's happened a few times around here.   One Saturday,  I pulled into the White Castle parking lot and the place was completely shut down.    I thought  "is it Christmas Day?" since that's only time they close the doors.  

Turns out one of the staff tested positive, so they were shut for 5 days.  This was back in November, when the C-19 numbers were shooting up.