Orville Gibson founded the company in 1902 as The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd. That s right.mandolins, and mandolins only. After World War I, the interest for mandolins faded, and by World War II, Gibson was making guitars, along with munitions for the war effort. From 1942-1946, Gibson hired more women than any other guitar/munitions manufacturer. After making munitions, the ladies secretly kept cranking out the guitars.
Although Orville created the company in 1902, the Gibson guitar factory in Kalamazoo wasn t built until 1917...but 100 years later, big changes were taking place. The iconic Gibson smokestack was being dismantled (see photos below), the factory name was changed to Heritage Guitars, and now it s going to be turned into a Hard Rock Hotel.
Look back at Gibson Guitar’s rich Kalamazoo history as Hard Rock plans new hotel
Updated Mar 04, 2021;
KALAMAZOO, MI A homegrown guitar legacy dating back to the turn of the 20th century will be entering a new chapter in the coming years.
This week, Hard Rock Hotels announced plans for a new hotel at the 225 Parsons St., Kalamazoo, location the longtime home of Gibson and, later, Heritage Guitars.
Plans for the newest addition to Hard Rock’s REVERB brand, call for business casual concept hotel designed to be an “energetic cultural hub for connection, creation and inspiration among music fans, locals, and travelers alike,” according to a news release from the company.
Hard Rock-brand hotel coming to Kalamazoo’s historic Gibson guitar manufacturing site
Updated Mar 01, 2021;
Posted Mar 01, 2021
The front and east sides of the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company are seen in 1941. (Submitted by the Kalamazoo Public Library)
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KALAMAZOO, MI A brand famous for showcasing rock and roll memorabilia will soon move into an iconic space in Kalamazoo that helped shape music history through the production of Gibson guitars.
Hard Rock Hotels has announced plans for development of a new hotel at the historic Gibson guitar and mandolin manufacturing site at 225 Parsons St., which is the founding location of Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co. in 1917, according to a news release from Dora Hotel, a partner in the development.