MUSICAL JOURNEY. Prior to opening his own business, Dallas Bennett worked for a number of Eau Claire music shops, including Morgan Music.

After four years of serving the Chippewa Valley music scene, a local music shop is taking its next big step.

Bennett Guitar Company is a musical repair, retail, music lesson, and service shop located in Artisan Forge Studios in Eau Claire. Dallas Bennett opened the business in 2018, and since then it has worked on hundreds of instruments and sold countless accessories. However, the business found space to expand limited because it didn’t have its own building. That will change in mid-to-late July as Bennett and his staff will move into their own building at 2811 Lorche Ave. near Action City in Eau Claire. 

“It’s really bittersweet,” Bennett said. “Artisan Forge is where we started, everyone here has been nothing but welcoming and accommodating. But the new space will allow us to grow and will be more intuitive for our customers. It’s the next long-term step for us because this is truly a need for us, rather than just a want.”

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this is truly a need for us, rather than just a want.

Dallas Bennett

bennett guitar company

The new Bennett Guitar Company will feature more space to relaunch the retail side of its business. There will also be a new lesson studio/acoustic room and more service space. In addition, the space will be accessible to the public, and the facility will be about 1,000 square feet larger than its current home. 

The decision to move into a new building has become more of a need than a want for Bennett Guitar Company, in part because other local shops such as Speed of Sound and Pedals Music have shut down in the past year, which has led to increased business for Dallas and his staff.

“We love working with musicians in this area,” Bennett said. “We’re quite attached to the local scene. Everyone around here is so talented, and we love the area. Eau Claire is still growing, and the fact that the Midwest is so manufacturing-focused, we feel growing the store – and eventually, our guitar line – in this area is a great plan.”

The final selling point for Bennett pulling the trigger on the new location is the available space to expand their prototyping efforts for their guitar line, which they hope to launch in the next few years. It is an exciting time for Bennett Guitar Company, and the Chippewa Valley music scene can look forward to having them as a resource for years to come.

Bennett Guitar Company’s new location, 2811 Lorche Ave., will be open to the public in mid-to-late July. For more information, visit bennettguitarcompany.com.