Saw the following message on The Button Box web site this morning:
THE BUTTON BOX RETAIL STORE IS CLOSING ITS DOORS PERMANENTLY AT
THE END OF THE DAY ON MARCH 31, 2022.
Apparently they will continue with a repair service, which is slightly better news.
Sad to lose such a great resource. I just got a beautiful used Castagnari Dinn III from them.
Agreed, sad news.
I had an idea this was coming; very sad news. I have a Morse Geordie, bought 10 years ago from Doug Creighton. It does this:
https://youtu.be/XPy8xl1ONHM
I bought my first concertina from them ($300). Now on my third (a bit more costly), but still have that first one, for grandkids. Sorry to see them go.
Dang! They did a really good job of tuning my Serenillini 233 and converting it to McComiskey bass pattern.
I got all my accordion books from them back in… 2009-2010, I think?
I have to admit that I haven’t bought anything since, but I’m glad they were around back then. Alas.
So sorry to hear this as they have been my “go to” for information, products, and they have sold a couple of instruments for me. Sorry for staff who will need to find new positions.
What about their own product line?
Doug, the owner-manager, let some of us know on concertina.net about this last summer. My understanding is that he is ready to have some time for himself and all the music he has to pass up because he is running a business. [I guess that is known as “retirement.”] Bob Snope will continue to do repair work, which was the original focus of the business started by Rich Morse decades ago. While production of their own instruments will cease, who knows, it may not be forever - perhaps someone else will take them on some day. The designs, many by the late Rich Morse, were and are very good (I’ve been playing mine for 20 years).
