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From the time I was a small child my dad would try his hardest to get me to play the guitar with him but I had little interest. I was more interested in sports like most young boys. Dad had my brother and I singing by the time we could talk. Dad would tune the guitar to open tuning and pay me a dollar to play. When I finally got interested, my mom says dad would come home from work and I would be in my room playing guitar with old Hank Snow and Flatt & Scruggs records and dad would just grin. My dad always traded around with musical instruments so you never knew what he would pack home.
My first job was working in a hardware store. I wound up making a career of that and spent over 20 years in the hardware business. The last ten of those years, I spent as a District Manager for Ace Hardware. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to see beyond the surface of how people operate their businesses. After 10 years, I was growing tired of spending so much time behind the windshield of a car. I decided it was time merge what I had learned in my career and what I had learned trading musical instruments. Now I can share my knowledge and love of fine instruments with you. I present to you "The Mandolin Store".
Brian, Kathy and I want to thank you for visiting "The Mandolin Store" and we want you to know that nothing is as important to us as your total satisfaction. Having played musical instruments for over 30 years, I know that having the right instrument, properly set up, means everything. Buying on line can be scary but you can rest easier knowing that we personally inspect and set up each instrument before it ships to you. We are 100% family owned and operated and will do our best to make you feel like our extended family while shopping with us
Thanks for visiting
Dennis & Kathy Vance
Below: Here I am am (Dennis) working on a mandolin. Brian does most of this work these days but I still I get to play them - it's like Christmas almost every day!
OK - This is where Kathy's picture should be but she won't let us put her picture on the website. She mumbled something about the "witness protection program" but I think she's lying! Kathy spent her career as a nurse before taking over the accounting for The Mandolin Store.
Below: This is Brian Farmer. Brian does most of the set-up work and minor repairs. He has studied under myself for years and most recently under Bruce Weber. Of course, like everyone here, Brian handles sales calls also around working on mandolins.
Below: This is Doug Piper - our banjo set-up guy. Doug's been playing banjo for over 50 years. Doug does not work in the store. When we need banjos set up, he does them from his house for us. He also consults with us on any banjo questions we have
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