Alex Kline
“I bought stereo equipment from these guys more than 35 years ago, when we moved to San Francisco in 1990. You don’t stay in business as a small retail outlet for nearly 50 years without doing something right. I’m currently in the process of upgrading to a fantasy-level McIntosh amplifier and working with Barry is just such a pleasure. I’m writing this review in advance of taking delivery of the equipment, because I don’t have any concern that there will be any problems. My parents ran a successful retail music and record store in St. Louis, Missouri for over 40 years, starting in 1942. So understanding what personalized service is is built into my DNA, having watched them do it, and having worked there as a teenager. It may sound hokey, but I get a warm feeling every time I drive by that shop and think of how rare it is to deal with a business where you know people personally for decade after decade, who will always make you feel welcome when you stop in, whether you’re there just to listen to amazing equipment and buy nothing, or drop tens of thousands of dollars. Thanks Barry O’brien for carrying on a tradition that is sadly fading in our society: first-class personalized retail service, and in-depth knowledge of rarefied equipment.”
