INDUSTRY INSIDER BLACK BOBBIN
Offset aficionado Shelby Pollard cut his teeth at Chicago Music Exchange but now he’s struck out on his own with a new guitar retail venture that combines his passion for boutique gear and small-batch coffee, while ensuring the customer comes first through exclusive brand partnerships.
How did you get into guitar?
“Music was always part of my family’s life even though neither of my parents played an instrument. My father notes that even as a toddler I’d make him turn the radio up in the car. One Christmas, I got a Harmony guitar and amplifier that I’d circled in the Sears catalogue from my grandmother.
I think it sat in my room untouched for a
