service and value in the industry at scale. Our techs are trained through our proprietary apprenticeship program, and they’re trained holistically to be able to do all repairs on all types of instruments. They aren’t set up to specialize in any one type.” MIRC’s technicians aren’t just repair spe- cialists, they’re musicians with a trained eye. Through MIRC’s proprietary apprenticeship program, newcomers can learn everything from scratch, while seasoned experts pass on decades of experience. “They don’t have to come to us with all of that training already, some of them do, but with our apprenticeship program that we have here, they can come in wanting to learn how to do this,” Gano added. “They might be a guitarist, and they really want to learn how to repair and refurbish things, but they don’t know how to do it. We have employees that have been with us for over 20 years, and we have a lot of young people that are just starting out in the industry and they get to learn from people who have been doing this for a long time.” NEW HORIZONS The acquisition of Mighty Mite in 2024 opened new doors for MIRC’s evolution. When a guitar can’t be fully restored, MIRC dismantles the instrument and repurposes its parts to breathe new life into other guitars. “We wanted to start a parts division for the company,” Gano said. “Laura Westheimer, from Westheimer Corporation, owned the Mighty Mite brand, and we found out how we could partner together to take that brand over from the Westheimer Corporation, and so we have a license to produce Fender head- stocks on our replacement necks, and we wanted to add a reclaimed parts division to this. With all the parts we’re pulling off, instead of getting a part for your instrument that may be generic, we’ll have the exact part that came off of your instrument that you can put right back on.” Most recently, on Feb. 20, MIRC opened its dealership at 8th Avenue Guitar Works in the heart of Nashville. With about 20 retail technicians on-site, MIRC now refurbishes upwards of 30,000 guitars a year, showcasing both the scale and artistry of its operation. “What we get to do with a physical loca- tion is really showcase what we do at MIRC, what our refurbishment process is — that there’s really no one else who is doing what we’re doing,” Kyriakoudis said. “We really wanted to create a new retail concept for guitars that really highlights the refurbish- ment offering. Our techs work on raised
platforms in the store, so customers can see their talent in action. What we are able to offer is our skilled technicians and excellent customer service, and we wanted to be able to provide that as part of the experience of shopping with us in person.” Beyond just shopping, 8th Avenue Gui- tar Works is designed to immerse musi- cians in the journey of a guitar. Custom- ers can see the transformation firsthand where the in-store experience brings the second-life mission of MIRC straight into shoppers’ hands.
“I just don’t want it to be another gui- tar store,” Gano said. “We’re in the most amazing guitar town in the world, and we have some of the most amazing stores in this town already, so what could we bring to it that no one else could? Our brand of refurbished instruments is something that wasn’t available locally, as well as offering an entire wall full of replacement bodies and necks and parts. Guitarists come in and they’re tapping the body to hear the sound of it, and that’s not anything you can do online.” MI
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