David Sagherian's WCM
Donation protected
I have known Dave Sagherian since the 7th grade. We have been close friends for more than 50 years. Dave treated his friends like family. He was always there when you needed him. Dave needs his friends now, and we set up this Go Fund Me campaign to help him.
An avid musician and lead guitarist in countless bands, Dave went to work at West Chester Music, a small town Music store. According to Dave, the store was a place where you knew all of your customers as if they were friends. For Dave, WCM was like being home. It was a place where he could apply his knowledge and satisfy his passion.
In 2012, something special occurred: Dave was offered the opportunity to purchase the store. For Dave, store ownership was a dream come true and he forged ahead.
Initially, Dave and the business thrived. He was independent, knowledgeable, carried premium new and used inventory, and worked like a banshee. He was a good neighbor and agreed to sell equipment owned by others on a consignment basis.
As Dave described it, he loved being a small town music store owner. He truly enjoyed helping clients find just the right guitar or amplifier. The store had always been a popular destination with members of the Chester County music community. Saturdays in the store were as much a social occasion as the busiest day of the week. It wasn't uncommon for impromptu jams to break out between two or more shoppers who didn't know each other before they came in that day. Dave not only helped people over the counter he made friends there as well. He introduced customers with similar musical tastes or styles that led to playing together. He met several of his own band mates right there in the store.
West Chester Music was a special place. Business was good. The store was filled with cool acoustic and electric guitars and boutique amps and FX pedals.
Unfortunately there was a "perfect storm" brewing on the horizon. Competition soon came from new sources, such as the "Big Box" chain music stores which moved in nearby, as well as onslaught of the Internet and online shopping. Older musicians were buying less and younger buyers were making their purchases at their computers. Popular music had become non-guitar oriented. All of these factors, and more, combined to choke the life out of the business.
Dave never gave up. Even after a couple of personally devastating years that included a divorce, a brutal six week case of shingles, and a stress-related heart attack requiring quadruple bypass surgery, Dave looked for ways to keep things going always believing that the 40 year old business would come back if he worked hard and did the right things. According to Dave, he put renewed efforts into new and better websites and website hosts, SEO services, as well as increased selling on 3rdparty sites. Expenses were cut. Dave found part-time work that allowed him to be at the store but not take a pay check and still worked in the store 7 days a week. He sold his personal guitars and amps to help with cash flow.
It wasn’t enough. The final straw: theft of a high end Martin guitar by a purchaser who defrauded Dave’s business with a bogus credit card purchase. Dave reported the theft to police. Both Dave and the police are aware of the guitar’s current location; however, neither the guitar nor the money the business lost has been recovered at this time.
Ultimately, after sinking all of his personal and business resources into WCM, Dave could no longer buy inventory, pay his one employee or pay the rent and bills of the business. He ceased his operation of the business, and the business is now run by its prior owners. Dave filed for personal bankruptcy in 2018. The bankruptcy case was recently dismissed and, Dave advises, the IRS remains as one of his creditors.
The demise of the store cost Dave everything he had, including the money he purchased the store with and the savings he invested subsequently trying to keep the business going. Dave, the guitar player, had no gear left. But more than that, Dave lost a part of his life. The place he called home, the place where he built friendships and relationships with customers and vendors.
Dave would like to repay consignors who provided equipment to Dave’s WCM for sale on consignment, the people who were Dave’s customers and friends, the people, said Dave, “he got to know over the counter.” Dave has paid what he was able to pay out of personal funds but is unable to repay anymore. We are appealing on Dave’s behalf to raise funds to repay consignors who got caught up in this through no fault of their own.
Whether or not you are Dave’s friend, if you understand his position and want to help, please visit this Go Fund Me site we set up for Dave, https://www.gofundme.com/david-sagherian039s-wcm. Although the fundraising goal is substantial, no amount is too small and we know Dave will appreciate any help that you may be able to offer.
Thank you,
Steve Bozzo
An avid musician and lead guitarist in countless bands, Dave went to work at West Chester Music, a small town Music store. According to Dave, the store was a place where you knew all of your customers as if they were friends. For Dave, WCM was like being home. It was a place where he could apply his knowledge and satisfy his passion.
In 2012, something special occurred: Dave was offered the opportunity to purchase the store. For Dave, store ownership was a dream come true and he forged ahead.
Initially, Dave and the business thrived. He was independent, knowledgeable, carried premium new and used inventory, and worked like a banshee. He was a good neighbor and agreed to sell equipment owned by others on a consignment basis.
As Dave described it, he loved being a small town music store owner. He truly enjoyed helping clients find just the right guitar or amplifier. The store had always been a popular destination with members of the Chester County music community. Saturdays in the store were as much a social occasion as the busiest day of the week. It wasn't uncommon for impromptu jams to break out between two or more shoppers who didn't know each other before they came in that day. Dave not only helped people over the counter he made friends there as well. He introduced customers with similar musical tastes or styles that led to playing together. He met several of his own band mates right there in the store.
West Chester Music was a special place. Business was good. The store was filled with cool acoustic and electric guitars and boutique amps and FX pedals.
Unfortunately there was a "perfect storm" brewing on the horizon. Competition soon came from new sources, such as the "Big Box" chain music stores which moved in nearby, as well as onslaught of the Internet and online shopping. Older musicians were buying less and younger buyers were making their purchases at their computers. Popular music had become non-guitar oriented. All of these factors, and more, combined to choke the life out of the business.
Dave never gave up. Even after a couple of personally devastating years that included a divorce, a brutal six week case of shingles, and a stress-related heart attack requiring quadruple bypass surgery, Dave looked for ways to keep things going always believing that the 40 year old business would come back if he worked hard and did the right things. According to Dave, he put renewed efforts into new and better websites and website hosts, SEO services, as well as increased selling on 3rdparty sites. Expenses were cut. Dave found part-time work that allowed him to be at the store but not take a pay check and still worked in the store 7 days a week. He sold his personal guitars and amps to help with cash flow.
It wasn’t enough. The final straw: theft of a high end Martin guitar by a purchaser who defrauded Dave’s business with a bogus credit card purchase. Dave reported the theft to police. Both Dave and the police are aware of the guitar’s current location; however, neither the guitar nor the money the business lost has been recovered at this time.
Ultimately, after sinking all of his personal and business resources into WCM, Dave could no longer buy inventory, pay his one employee or pay the rent and bills of the business. He ceased his operation of the business, and the business is now run by its prior owners. Dave filed for personal bankruptcy in 2018. The bankruptcy case was recently dismissed and, Dave advises, the IRS remains as one of his creditors.
The demise of the store cost Dave everything he had, including the money he purchased the store with and the savings he invested subsequently trying to keep the business going. Dave, the guitar player, had no gear left. But more than that, Dave lost a part of his life. The place he called home, the place where he built friendships and relationships with customers and vendors.
Dave would like to repay consignors who provided equipment to Dave’s WCM for sale on consignment, the people who were Dave’s customers and friends, the people, said Dave, “he got to know over the counter.” Dave has paid what he was able to pay out of personal funds but is unable to repay anymore. We are appealing on Dave’s behalf to raise funds to repay consignors who got caught up in this through no fault of their own.
Whether or not you are Dave’s friend, if you understand his position and want to help, please visit this Go Fund Me site we set up for Dave, https://www.gofundme.com/david-sagherian039s-wcm. Although the fundraising goal is substantial, no amount is too small and we know Dave will appreciate any help that you may be able to offer.
Thank you,
Steve Bozzo
Organizer and beneficiary
Stephen Bozzo
Organizer
Leesburg, VA
David Sagherian
Beneficiary