Snowbird Banjo Company is entering a new phase—one defined less by intention and more by execution.

After the closure of Snowbird Banjo Company LLC in August of 2023, the business entered a necessary pause. That pause created space to evaluate what worked, what did not, and what would need to change for the company to move forward in a sustainable way. Rather than rushing toward a restart, the focus shifted to learning, planning, and documenting the process openly.

That work included completing the LaunchU program through Ozarks Small Business Incubator, reassessing scale and capital requirements, and ultimately securing property, that includes blacktop road access, that will serve as the long-term home for the next version of Snowbird Banjo Company.

With those pieces in place, the project now moves from planning to building.

Site Development Begins

Snowbird Banjo Company has accepted a bid from Whippoorwill Hollar Farms LLC to begin excavation and site preparation on the newly acquired property. This step marks the transition from concept to construction and represents one of the first physical investments in what Snowbird Banjo Company 2.0 will become.

In parallel with excavation planning, modifications to existing power line routes have been engineered by White River Electric Cooperative, with financing for the relocation now complete. Moving the power lines will open usable space on the front side of the building site and allow the planned facility to be positioned correctly from the outset.

Expanding the Vision: Myers Music Center

As the relaunch plan evolved, it became clear that Snowbird Banjo Company would benefit from a complementary operation developed alongside manufacturing. That operation is Myers Music Center, a music retail and education business that will be integrated into the front section of the Snowbird Banjo Company facility.

The idea of a music store has existed for a long time. Until now, however, it was not a practical option. The combination of experience gained, business education, and the opportunity to design a building that can also facilitate a music store has made it viable for the first time.

Rather than constructing a separate building, the revised plan places Myers Music Center within the manufacturing facility itself. The front section of the building will house a small music store and a fully operational luthier repair shop, both intentionally separated from Snowbird Banjo Company’s manufacturing floor. This layout maintains clear boundaries between retail, repair, and production while allowing all operations to function cohesively under one roof.

Development of Myers Music Center will proceed in pace with available investment capital. While the build-out will be phased deliberately, the business begins with a strong foundation: a healthy starting inventory of instruments and equipment is already owned. This allows the store to open with meaningful offerings from day one.

In addition to retail sales, Myers Music Center will develop both online and in-person music lessons. Instruction will be an integrated part of the business model, supporting community engagement, education, and long-term customer relationships. Lessons will expand over time alongside staffing, space, and demand.

The integration of Myers Music Center into the facility allows income generation to begin while Snowbird Banjo Company continues investing in specialized tooling, equipment, and infrastructure for manufacturing. This sequencing reduces financial pressure and supports long-term stability.

In support of this next phase, the Snowbird Banjo Company website has been updated to reflect the company’s current direction and long-term plans. Development of the Myers Music Center website is ongoing, with additional updates to be published as the retail and education offerings take shape.

A Phased Construction Plan

Development of the property will move forward in clearly defined phases, each building upon the last.

Phase 1: Excavation and Site Preparation
Tree clearing, road construction, and building pad preparation will be performed by Whippoorwill Hollar Farms LLC. In parallel with this work, modifications to the existing power line routes have been engineered by White River Electric Cooperative and will be relocated as well.

The power line relocation will open usable space on the front side of the building site, creating room for both planned structures. Completion of this phase will confirm final building placement and establish the foundation for all future construction.

Phase 2: Combined Facility Construction – Myers Music Center and Snowbird Banjo Company
The primary structure constructed on the site will be a combined facility, housing both Myers Music Center and Snowbird Banjo Company. The building is planned as a 60′ x 120′ post and beam structure, space allowing. Final dimensions and placement will be confirmed during the excavation phase.

The front section of the building will include:

• A small music retail space (Myers Music Center)
• A dedicated luthier repair shop
• A Restroom
• An Office

Both areas will be physically and operationally separated from the manufacturing floor to maintain focus, workflow efficiency, and quality control.

The building will include a dedicated luthier repair shop, intentionally separate from Snowbird Banjo Company’s manufacturing operations. This separation ensures that repair work and manufacturing maintain distinct tooling, workflows, and focus, supporting quality and efficiency across both missions.

Constructing the music store first allows Myers Music Center to begin serving customers and generating revenue while Snowbird Banjo Company continues preparing for manufacturing.

Phase 3: Manufacturing Build-Out and Expansion
Once the building shell is complete, focus will shift to interior build-out, tooling installation, and infrastructure development for banjo manufacturing. This phase will proceed in alignment with available capital and production readiness. At this point a Small Business Administrative (SBA) loan may be sought to complete Phase 3 if personal capital is unavailable.

The post and beam design provides the open interior space, structural strength, and flexibility required for long-term growth, evolving workflows, and future expansion. Much of the wood structure will be built from self milled lumber using our own sawmill.

Building for Longevity

Snowbird Banjo Company 2.0 is not a restart driven by urgency. It is a rebuild shaped by experience.

By combining retail, repair, and manufacturing within a single, purpose-designed facility—and sequencing development deliberately—the company is prioritizing sustainability over speed. Accepting the excavation bid marks the point where planning gives way to action.

Looking Back to Move Forward

This post continues a narrative that began with the acknowledgement that Snowbird Banjo Company, as it once existed, had reached its end. That moment was documented in “Snowbird Banjo Is Closed, But…”, which marked the decision to pause rather than quit.

The next step, detailed in “Snowbird Banjo Company Re-Launch”, focused on rebuilding the business foundation through education and structured planning. That work ultimately led to the acquisition of property, described in “First Steps to Re-Launch”, turning the idea of a future company into something tangible.

Snowbird Banjo Co 2.0 represents the continuation of that progression—from reflection, to planning, to physical construction. What began as an idea is now becoming a place.

More updates will follow as the groundwork begins.