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Rakyat Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Rakyat Post
The End Of An Era: How Penang Lost Its Most Beloved School Uniform Shop
Subscribe to our FREE Walk through the narrow streets of George Town, Penang, and you'll hear the stories before you even reach Jalan Magazine. Stories of yellow buses from Jelutong packed with families heading to one destination. Stories of mothers dragging six kids across town because there was only one place that mattered. Stories of uniforms so legendary that wearing them was like sporting designer labels. Come 31 July, those stories will become memories. Kimnovak, the iconic school uniform shop that's been the backbone of Malaysian education fashion since 1969, is closing its doors forever. From Barbershop to School Uniform Empire The business has humble beginnings – it started as a barbershop by the mother of the owner, Lim Kwee Heng. Recognising an opportunity in the early days, when few businesses sold school uniforms, she transformed the barbershop into a specialised school uniform store. Lim and his 70-year-old wife, Wong Bee Lian, later took over the family business. Through dedication and continuous improvements, they built Kimnovak into a well-known brand. Every year, before school term begins, their shop would be packed with parents and children buying uniforms. Kimnovak owner Lim (right) and his wife Wong have been carefully sewing school uniforms, with all fabrics imported from overseas. (Pix: Kwong Wah) More Than Just Fabric For 56 years, the Guitar brand logo stitched into every collar wasn't just a label—it was a badge of honour. 'Those days, wearing Guitar brand uniform is equal to wearing LV,' writes David Chew Chee Kian in a Facebook comment that's racked up 59 likes and counting. He's not exaggerating. The social media tributes pouring in read like love letters to a lost era. Zafran Zufar shopped there from Standard 1 in 1987 through Form 5 in 1997, calling it a 'legend shop.' Vijay Kumar's been buying uniforms there since 1979. Lina Yeoh's family story spans three generations—she started shopping there when her kids were small, and just three years ago, she brought her granddaughter to buy her Standard 1 uniform. 'My two generations ❤️ shop. Me & my children,' writes Mageswari Krishnan. 'Going to miss you Kim Novak. Happy retirement.' The Guitar That Defined Generations Kimnovak's closure represents more than the end of a business—it's the end of an era when quality mattered more than convenience, when families made shopping an event, when a guitar logo on a school uniform could make a kid feel special. The comments section of the closure announcement reads like a digital wake, filled with equal parts gratitude and sadness. 'Best quality colour no fading,' Joyce Loh testifies. Dorothy Lim puts it bluntly: 'A bit more expensive but quality no other shops selling uniforms can compare.' But here's the thing that made Kimnovak special: they never branched out. While other businesses chased expansion, this single shop on Jalan Magazine became a pilgrimage site. Families would travel from Butterworth by bus and ferry just to shop there. What We're Really Losing Muhammad Yusuf remembers the ritual: 'We will take the yellow bus from Jelutong and go here for shopping.. after that we will go to Komtar 4th floor to eat that famous Nazir nasi ayam.' The Guitar logo itself became a conversation starter. 'I loved when we could afford getting new uniforms with the guitar logo tags on them,' recalls Viv Adram. Used to just love looking at that logo but had so many questions… 'why guitar' hahaha 😂 Then there's the comment that breaks your heart: 'My child belum born… Haiya… No chance to tell them mummy use to go here liao…' writes one parent, realizing their future children will never experience what they took for granted. Looking at the old signboard that has been in business for many years, Lim and his wife Wong couldn't help but feel extremely reluctant to part with it. (Pix: Kwong Wah) The Perfect Storm The closure isn't sudden—it's the result of a perfect storm that's been brewing for years. The owners are ageing out, no successor is waiting in the wings, and the constant changes in school uniform regulations have made the business increasingly challenging to navigate. It's a story playing out across Malaysia, where family businesses that once anchored communities are disappearing. But Kimnovak's closure feels different. This isn't just about losing a shop—it's about losing a cultural institution. 'Penangites parents choice before online shopping era existed,' writes Nur Hidayah, capturing something essential about what's being lost. In an age of online shopping deliveries and fast fashion, Kimnovak represented something increasingly rare: craftsmanship, consistency, and community connection. Kimnovak is located at 207, Jalan Magazine, 10300 George Town, Penang. They're open from 10:30 am to 6 pm , closed on Sundays, until 31 July 2025. Parts of this story have been sourced from Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
Business Wire
18-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Guitar Center Announces Comprehensive Agreement to Extend Debt Maturity
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Guitar Center, Inc. (together with its affiliates, 'Guitar Center,' or the 'Company') today announced that it has entered into an agreement with an ad hoc group of investors representing more than 70% of its outstanding 8.50% Senior Secured Notes due January 2026 (the 'Senior Secured Notes') to implement a transaction to exchange such notes for new first-lien senior secured notes due January 2029 (such exchange, the 'Senior Secured Notes Exchange'). The three-year maturity extension of the Senior Secured Notes is designed to extend the Company's liquidity runway and provide the time necessary to deliver on its business plan. The Company has separately announced today that it has commenced an exchange offer and consent solicitation to all holders of its Senior Secured Notes to effectuate the Senior Secured Notes Exchange. The Company expects the Senior Secured Notes Exchange to close in August 2025, subject to the terms and conditions thereof. Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Guggenheim Securities, LLC served as legal and financial advisors to Guitar Center. Paul Hastings LLP and Houlihan Lokey, Inc. served as legal and financial advisors to certain investors. About Guitar Center Guitar Center is the leading retailer of musical instruments, lessons, repairs and rentals in the U.S. With more than 300 stores across the U.S. and one of the top direct sales websites in the industry, Guitar Center has helped people make music for more than 60 years. Guitar Center also provides customers with various musician-based services, including Guitar Center Lessons, where musicians of all ages and skill levels can learn to play a variety of instruments in many music genres, GC Repairs, an on-site maintenance and repairs service, and GC Rentals, a program offering easy rentals of instruments and other sound reinforcement gear. Additionally, Guitar Center's sister brands include Music & Arts, which operates more than 250 stores specializing in band & orchestral instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors, parents and students, and Musician's Friend, a leading direct marketer of musical instruments in the United States. For more information about Guitar Center, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain 'forward-looking statements,' including, without limitation, statements regarding the consummation of the Senior Secured Notes Exchange and related transactions and the implementation of our business plan. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'continue,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'forecast,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'plan,' 'project,' 'potential,' 'seek,' 'should,' 'think,' 'will,' 'would' and similar expressions, or they may use future dates. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may change at any time, including, without limitation, our ability to obtain the required participation from noteholders in the Senior Secured Notes Exchange and satisfaction of terms and conditions thereof, our ability to consummate the Senior Secured Notes Exchange and related transactions, general market and economic conditions and impact of any new tariffs on goods that we import. Readers are therefore cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, plans and assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This press release is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy, or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for, any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction in connection with the Senior Secured Notes Exchange or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.
Irish Times
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Bluesman Joe Bonamassa buys Fender guitar in same Cork shop his hero Rory Gallagher bought his
Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa has fulfilled a long-held ambition by buying a sunburst Fender Stratocaster guitar in the Cork music store where his hero Rory Gallagher bought his signature instrument more than 60 years ago. Bonamassa, from New York, is in Cork to play three sold-out concerts next week as part of the Live in the Marquee series. He will perform Gallagher's Irish Tour '74 set in full to mark the 30th anniversary of the Ballyshannon-born guitarist's death in 1995 at age 47. After arriving to prepare for the concerts, Bonamassa visited Crowley's Music Store on Friar Street and bought the Stratocaster from Sheena Crowley, whose father, Michael, sold Gallagher a similar guitar in 1963. 'I've always wanted to buy a sunburst Fender Stratocaster from Crowley's Music Centre in Cork,' Bonamassa said on Instagram. 'Today I did. Big thanks to Sheena and all the great folks I met today.' READ MORE Bonamassa, who has sold more than 10 million records, has been a Gallagher fan ever since his father, Len, introduced him in the 1980s to the Cork musician via the 1972 Live in Europe album. Rory Gallagher playing his signature sunburst Fender Stratocaster guitar. Photograph: Michael'We have some Rory Gallagher in the US, we didn't get a whole lot, there's a much more extensive catalogue available in Europe ... but the one that really stuck out to me and that I wore out and listened to death was Irish Tour '74, which I think is really him in essence,' Bonamassa said previously. Ms Crowley, who says she remembers Gallagher calling to talk to her late father when their shop was on Merchant's Quay and later MacCurtain Street, recalled the story behind Gallagher's signature guitar, which became one of the most famous in rock music. 'It had been ordered by Jim Conlon, who was playing with The Royal Showband,' she said. 'He had wanted a cherry red Stratocaster, but Fender sent a sunburst one, so he decided against taking it and so my father sold it as a second-hand guitar. Rory bought it and the rest is history.' She said she was delighted to have Bonamassa follow in Gallagher's footsteps. 'Joe just took it off the wall, literally, and he served himself. He came in with probably the best attitude of anyone I ever met. He was just so cool, no acting like a celebrity, just very natural. He just sat down in the corner and plugged the guitar into the amp and started jamming.' Joe Bonamassa performing in Texas. Photograph:Ms Crowley said Bonamassa soon afterwards told her 'I'll take that'. Gallagher 's signature Fender Stratocaster guitar was auctioned by Bonham's in London last year. Denis Desmond's Live Nation Gaiety Productions bought the guitar for a little over €1 million, saying it would donate it to the National Museum of Ireland.
Sky News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Michael J Fox appeals for help in finding lost guitar played by Marty McFly in Back To The Future
The scene in Back To The Future where Marty McFly grabs a guitar before bursting into a rendition of Chuck Berry's Johnny B Goode is perhaps one of the most iconic in movie history. However, in 2025 the guitar's creators might be wishing they had time-travelling capabilities of their own as the location of the Cherry Red Gibson ES-345 is a mystery 40 years after the film's release. Gibson, based in Nashville, Texas, is asking for helping tracking down the instrument as the company produces a new documentary about the search called Lost To The Future. Filmmakers had gone looking for the instrument while making the movie's 1989 sequel but it was nowhere to be found. In a trailer shared on X, stars from the movie including Michael J Fox, who played Marty McFly, and Christopher Lloyd who played Doc Brown, have appealed to viewers to help try to find the guitar. Lloyd, in the cadence of eccentric inventor Doc Brown, says in the video that the guitar has been "lost to the future". "It's somewhere lost in the space-time continuum," says Fox. "Or it's in some Teamster's garage." Harry Waters Jr, who played Marvin Berry in the film, says the instrument was last seen in 1985. In the film, McFly steps in for an injured band member at a 1955 school dance before leading the band into a rendition of Johnny B Goode. The time-traveller refers to it is an "oldie where I come from" as the 1958 song doesn't yet exist for his audience. The students at the dance fall into an awkward silence as McFly's riffs turn increasingly wild.
Washington Post
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Where's Marty McFly's guitar? Search is on for 'Back to the Future' prop 4 decades later
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Marty McFly grabbed a guitar in 'Back to the Future' and rocked out with the band at a 1950s high school dance, helping him narrowly avoid blinking out of existence before time-traveling back to the 1980s. The guitar, in real life, wasn't as lucky. Filmmakers went looking for the instrument while making the movie's 1989 sequel, but even now it's nowhere to be found. Four decades after the blockbuster film debuted, the guitar's creator has launched a search for the iconic Cherry Red Gibson ES-345.
