Driving down Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles is San Fernando Valley, there’s a strip mall, you might miss. But for millions of guitar fanatics, it’s home to one of the most recognizable guitar shops in the world: Norman’s Rare Guitars.
NORMAN HARRIS: Hey everybody, Norm here at Norman’s rare guitars. I got my buddy Slash over here.
Norman Harris has spent decades in the music business, first as a musician, and now with his rare guitar shop. His selection of vintage guitars attracts a lot of legendary customers.
NORMAN: Lenny Kravitz, Vince Gill, John Oates from Hall & Oates, Slash, Post Malone, Machine Gun Kelly.
But for someone so passionate about relics of the past, Norm is not afraid of change. That’s why at 72, he’s an influencer, with social media channels, boasting over 1 million subscribers.
NORM: I’ve had to learn to kind of roll with the punches and just kind of do whatever is necessary. You know, in the beginning, we’ve been open since ’75, and I’ve been doing this even prior. So there was no Internet, there was no social media or any of that stuff. And my kids and the people that worked here, were saying, “Listen, you got to get with it and get your social media happening and do a lot of internet stuff.” And I’m more like old school. I like talking to people face to face, but they kind of pressed me to do it. And I’m glad that they did, because our social media now is kind of insane.
Despite its fame, the unassuming storefront still feels like a hidden treasure.
NORM: But we kind of call it like the barber shop, because it’s sort of like the hangout, where you know, the people that we know, and our customers are more like family to us. It’s like very old school in that way. It’s not a corporate, you know, gigantic conglomerate, it’s basically you know, you’re talking to the owner and managers and you know, the people in the shop. So I think people kind of feel at home.
Norm’s is a place where artists and collectors can come in, pick up a guitar and strike up a chord or conversation. That’s actually how I came to know Norm. I grew up in the valley. And one day a few years ago, I worked up the courage to go inside, I started playing a 1960s Danelectro hollow body. It was then that I met the small team Norm runs a shop with many of which are young musicians, like Sarah Rogo.
SARAH ROGO: When I first came to Norm’s, I was brand new to LA, legit. I was living in my car, sleeping on friends couches, some musician, working musician. I walk into Norman’s, and it was like a candy shop. And I looked at some guitars and you know, Norman noticed me kind of picking up some national Resophonic, these steel guitars that are like very unique, and not a lot of people play them. And he has played something for me, like, Norm always wants you to play something for him, you know. So I play some he’s like, “Man, you’re really good” and gets, you know, Jen to record a video of me. And then I kind of humbly ask if he needs any help around the shop. And, you know, you could tell that he didn’t necessarily need any help. But he had me in for a day to like, just do some light work and turns out that you know, now he’s like my family.
Then there’s Michael Lemmo, who also came into the shop to look around once. But now he’s featured on Norm’s channel nearly every day showcasing the guitar of the day.
MICHAEL LEMMO: He’s kind of like my West Coast pops in a way I mean, or some kind of family members. I mean, we obviously have our work relationship. But you know, he’s definitely one of my best friends.
So the business made it through the pandemic, thanks to the growing popularity of rare vintage guitars, and the store’s strong online presence.
LEMMO: So he’s an influencer for sure. There’s no doubt, not only just the obvious stuff of him being on social media, and you know, to him, but the guitars he chooses his collection is an influence on a lot of people because there’s a lot of guitars that even I’m into, he doesn’t go for but the number one thing about his collection is it’s classic. And it’s it’s timeless. So you know, I would say he’s an influencer on guitar culture and other thing he likes to keep it all original. You know, he always says the best explanation is none. Meaning nothing’s been done to it, you know, so he’s all about preserving the history.
So 40 years, millions of subscribers and a legion of legendary customers. I just had to ask Norm, “What’s your secret?”
NORM: You know what luck and just goodwill I mean, I think people know that we’re sincere about what we do. And I think you know when it’s when it’s the truth and when you believe in it you love it people see that they get it.
Norm’s Rare Guitars is open to the public by reservation. But check out their YouTube channel and you can drop into their store anytime from anywhere in the world.