Today we’d like to introduce you to Khrys Maxwell.
Hi Khrys, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi and thanks for the invite. So long story short; I was one of the first customers when American Music Xchange (aka AMX Music) opened in September of 1988, and I started working for the owner, Bud Whitcomb, three years later. Bands, marriage, economic struggles, the tequila industry, widowhood, a global pandemic, and after 30 years of working at AMX, I took over as owner – with a slight name change – on January 1st, 2022. Knowing the landscape of retail and musical instruments has changed drastically – for the worse – it was important that our teachers (including myself) had a place to continue making a living and for our community to have a place where they can have one-on-one music lessons in a real-life situation, get their instruments repaired, and to touch, play, hear, and purchase these instruments in real life. To help our community pursue and obtain their musical dreams.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, this has not been a smooth situation. But then again, nothing worth doing is ever easy. Our industry has changed, with fewer people being inspired to play music, and when they do want to buy a musical instrument, they will look on Amazon or elsewhere online for the lowest price they can possibly get. The only way for us to compete is by providing the best service possible.
One other issue we had was that the look of AMX Music had not changed since Bud opened in 1988. I knew it was important to give the place a fresh new feel and vibe, which I finally did so this past November. If I could change anything, it would be that I had done this on day one.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
You have to find ways to pay the bills when you are a musician, and after the economy crashed in 2008, I ended up getting work in the tequila industry. One of the things my grandfather had told me as I was growing up was, “Find a way to make a living doing what you love.” I may not make much money, but I get to do rad things and on my terms. Anyhoo, I worked for Tequila Fortaleza for ten years – all while I was at working and teaching at AMX. During this time, I got to be around some of the most amazing people in the food and drink industry, and what I learned about “service” is something that I am bringing to the retail world of musical instruments. I hope to roll out a few fun things this year to help create a really great experience for our customers.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
A couple of positive moments of my childhood would have been when I was about 3 years old and got to see a band play. This ignited the passion and drive for me to do/play music. The other would be when I saw KISS at the age of 9. That was an absolute game changer and set the bar for what I was going to do in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: amxmusic.com
- Instagram: @americanmusic.store
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/american-music-store-encinitas?uid=nPIzpWSXLR1Fh0PC9nji2g&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
- Other: old skool: 760-632-1024
