Sweetwater announced a series of milestones achieved throughout 2020. Amid a year rife with challenges
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, music prevailed as a form of therapy and a means of bringing people together. Despite last year’s difficulties and due to its deep-seated roots in customer experience, Sweetwater was perfectly poised to be a beacon of hope when many were forced to redefine themselves. From musical artists and engineers to manufacturers and shipping partners, 2020’s hardship proved to be a lesson in flexibility, enthusiasm and resiliency for Sweetwater.
Achieved by their ongoing mission to invoke the “Sweetwater Difference” in all areas of the business, the company served over 1.5 million unique customers with musical equipment purchases in 2020, up from just under 1 million in 2019. The influx of customers and the process in which Sweetwater serves them, which has been more than 42 years in the making, is the catalyst that helped propel the company to cross $1 billion in revenue in 2020.
“While we are proud of these company milestones, what we are really celebrating is the resilience, determination, and success of independent musicians, churches, and podcast producers everywhere, many of whom went out on a limb to invest in a new reality, rather than fold their tents,” said Chuck Surack, founder and CEO of Sweetwater. “During such a difficult year, knowing that our customers, manufacturers and employees trust us and can continue to rely on us as a stable and growing influence in the music and audio retail space is something for which we are incredibly grateful.”
Along with its customer growth, Sweetwater added over 400 new jobs, increasing employee headcount by nearly 30 percent. The company also opened a brand new 480,000-square-foot distribution center a few weeks before the COVID-19 lockdown caused a massive spike in demand for audio equipment and instruments. That facility, which is nearly four times the size of the previous one, was expanded further over the summer with the addition of 50,000 square feet to house even more inventory.
Throughout the year, Sweetwater saw an increase in sales across small-ticket accessories that previously would
have been purchased in-person (guitar picks, strings, etc.), in addition to video streaming equipment to benefit
houses of worship and institutions that moved online. Guitar purchases also grew 50 percent year-over-year,
while sales for other stringed instruments <$299 increased 70 percent, indicating that new players joined the
fold.
Its annual GearFest event, which in 2019 drew more than 18,000 people to the campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was held virtually in 2020. Over 125,000 gear fans from around the world tuned in for more than 16 hours of content in the two-day live stream that featured well-known artists & producers, live music, educational content, exclusive deals and giveaways.
“Our hope is that these unprecedented times have propelled people into their dreams even more and that our products and services can help provide a sense of comfort and joy when they need it most. If we were able to help people in their time of need, then we are fulfilling our mission as a company,” said Surack.
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