Moog Music has announced the closure of its iconic retail store in Asheville, North Carolina.
The company shared the news on its Facebook page last week: “Since opening in 2011, the Moog Store has served as a public portal to the Moog factory, inviting passionate synthesists to come inside and experience the sonic capabilities of Moog first-hand.”
“As we prepare for the next chapter of Moog Music, the Moog Store will be closing its doors. Our factory will remain open, and our talented engineers will still be in there, hand-crafting the instruments that define us.”
According to the synthesizer giant, this “shift away from brick-and-mortar sales” affords them “greater bandwidth” to focus on researching and developing new synthesizers and support more classic Moog releases.
“To those who have visited the store to explore our instruments, participate in our workshops and factory tours, and engage with our engineers and designers, we have the utmost gratitude,” Moog added. “We encourage everyone to visit the Moogseum in downtown Asheville at 56 Broadway Street where Bob Moog’s legacy is carried forward through education and archive preservation.”
Responses to the news are mixed to say the least, with many lamenting the loss of a unique and cherished aspect of the Moog experience: “My kids had a blast visiting that shop,” wrote a user in the comment section, while another remembered the store as a “magical place to visit”.
Many fans have also expressed concerns about the brand’s legacy and direction under its new ownership by inMusic, which acquired Moog Music in 2022. The company earlier this year announced that it would be leaving its manufacturing headquarters on Broadway Street in Asheville. The legendary Moog One polyphonic analogue synth has also reportedly been discontinued.
Of Moog’s latest decision, one user slammed: “Cost cutting presented as progress. The suits are firmly in control.”
“I am glad I got my Moog when I did. Y’all are doing this wrong,” said Tansy Harris. Another added, “This is sad watching an icon fall to a slow death.”
Since opening in 2011, the Moog Store has served as a public portal to the Moog factory, inviting passionate synthesists…
Posted by Moog Music on Friday, June 28, 2024
On a more positive note, Moog last month debuted the Spectravox, a semi-modular analogue synth that specialises in spectral processing.
More than just a synthesizer, the Spectravox is touted as “an exploration and expansion of the traditional vocoder and filter bank topology, engineered to inspire and transform the landscape of modern music production”.
