Riff 
City Guitar and Music Co., which carries everything from electric and bass guitars to ukuleles, strings and picks, opened last November at 708 Elm St. E. in St. Joseph MN, according to a report from The Newsleaders. Located in the Northland Plaza, it’s the first location in Minnesota and the first music store in St. Joseph. The store is run by a staff of four, including Owner Joe Leach, his daughter Ellen Leach, Al Stumpf and Bill Lydeen. Leach, a bass guitarist with 25 years’ experience, has always been a lover of music. One of the ways in which he intends to help introduce music to others is by offering ukulele and guitar lessons. The store carries about eight guitar brands, including Fender, Gretsch and Music Man. In addition to the retail store, the music company has an e-commerce site, as well; it’s located at www.riffcityguitarout let.com.
According to Stumpf and Lydeen, traffic was steady throughout the grand opening. In the few days the store had been open as of this writing, the response was positive and the staff predicts the support will continue, something that Leach believes, as well. The original story quoted him as having said, “Feedback has been phenomenal, particularly from the musicians who have been in the area for a long time. Anyone in St. Joseph is astounded we have a music store in St. Joseph. We love hearing that feedback.”
