Guitar store to open on North Avenue

A new business will offer guitar lessons and sell instruments and music equipment on North Avenue.

Wauwatosa resident Sean Radecki got the OK on Monday to operate East Tosa Guitars in the formerly vacant storefront at 6513 W. North Ave.

He had been teaching guitar lessons from his home. As he found success and accumulated clients, his wife told him it was time to move the business to a different location.

A storefront will give Radecki more exposure and the opportunity to attract more students.

Construction is nearly finished, with the commercial space split into two studios. Other guitar instructors will rent space at the location.

While Radecki's focus is on teaching people to play the instrument, the retail portion of the business can assist that goal, he said.

"It's about guiding the students through what they buy, making sure they make a good choice," he said.

Often when a people decide to take up playing guitar, they go out and buy a bunch of equipment that doesn't necessarily fit their skill levels or is overpriced simply because it looks cool, he said.

"What we carry here is what our musicians use," Radecki said.

He believes everyone has the capability to learn how to play a musical instrument and some of best guitar players have come out of southeastern Wisconsin.

"This is an area that spawns great guitar players," he said. "Milwaukee, to me, is one of the unheralded capitols of guitar talent."