FRESNO, CA (8.01.25) – The in-store experience is more important than ever to drive brick and mortar sales. The ever-growing AI universe and online activity is adding to the problems today for all categories of brick and mortar retailers across the board.

The in-store experience actually begins outside with the appearance of a 12volt retailer’s store from the street. 559 Car Stereo & Alarm in Fresno CA in a prime example. Sako Topalian and his team do a great job. Attention grabbing vehicles are placed in front of the store for photo ops used for social media posts. Each vehicle is positioned so the 559 signage is visible for the post.

The in-store experience continues as customers are spotlighted at the sales counter with the products they just purchased. In the background the impressive showroom display is visible. All customers have happy smiles on their faces for the image that will be in a 559 Car Stereo post.

A conversation on the phone with Sako was another engaging experience for 12volt staff. Sako answered the phone wanted to have a conversation. Business is super at their location all their staff members go over and above to greet customers and spend time to learn how 559 Stereo can deliver the best for their customer’s in-vehicle experience.

Proactive independent brick and mortar retailers have another huge ace in a hole. The in-store experience of demonstrating top quality sound with orchestrated indoor live demonstrations with customers in their showroom. Live music enthusiast have been spending billions of dollars to see Taylor Swift and Beyoncé concerts. Proactive 12volt retailers can take those concerts to the consumers’ vehicles without all the crowd aggravation within store demos. They’re happy customers can continue enjoying their favorite artist concerts for free and in a much better concert hall… Their Vehicles.

Offering expert installation is another big ace in the hole tool proactive 12volt brick and mortar retailers must play to be successful in this ever changing marketplace.

Stay tuned as more proactive 12volt retailers, like 559 Car Stereo & Alarm, will be spotlighted.

For more @559 Car Stereo & Alarm

PATCHOGUE, NY (07.31.25) – The Battle of the Boom 2.0 was back and better than ever at the Avenue Sound location in Patchogue on Sunday, July 27th. It was a day filled with fun, excitement and big deals with the employee pricing for all and enthusiasts competing.

Vic Moolchandani stated “The last Battle of the Boom that we did was in 2019. With COVID lasting for years and the overall activity across the 12volt industry we brought the Battle of the Boom back again this year. We have a large parking lot in front of our store that will hold 25 or 30 cars. In planning for our event, we contacted the city and they agreed to block off the short street behind our location. That presented an opportunity for us to have more vehicles behind the store.”

Overall, there were 60 to 70 vehicles on site and it was a great opportunity for vehicle owners to show off their systems, compete in the sound off and show systems and lighting installed on their vehicles and bikes. Unfortunately, there was a little rain about noon that slowed things down a bit.

Concluding Moolchandani stated “We had raffles and trophies for winners plus we had great support from our vendor partners… including JBL, Kenwood, Pioneer, ZZ2, and Kicker with bags, stickers and some T-shirts for giveaways. Overall, this was a great event and we look forward to the next event in 2016. A big thank you to our staff for their hard work.”

Avenue Sound is a family owned business with a strong community history with stores in Freeport and Patchogue NY.

Great to see proactive retailers hosting events to drive awareness for 12 product categories in their marketplace… and business!

For more see avenuesound.com

SANFORD, ME (07.30.25) – “This year’s Show N’ Shine was the fifth at our new location and was terrific even though the weather was not cooperative with clouds in the morning and rain in the afternoon. This year we were packed at our 29th Annual Show N’ Shine as we had over 160 cars registered. It seemed almost every square foot of our property was filled with Show N’ Shine cars and activities. Vehicles and tents even lined the ground along Highway 4 in both directions” owner Jack Bogard related.

Continuing “Saturday the Sanford Sound Team spent the day getting everything ready for the Show N’ Shine. Local business owners said they had never seen Route 4 so busy on Sunday” Bogard offered.

“Eighteen area businesses were on site showing their products that 12volt enthusiasts could utilize. Vehicle restoration, lift modifications, stickers and more were offered. Food trucks were on site and the lemonade stand reported selling over 300 refreshments..snow cones too. The Becker BBQ trailer was packed and the BBQ was so good. We also had several clubs attend the Show N’ Shine in big numbers. Also, we had a number of cars with out of state license plates… including Connecticut, Vermont, New York and Rhode Island. I was in the golf cart with MS Sanford Sound handing out freebees from vendors and it got a lot of attention. The bounce house and demos in the RZR and van got plenty of attendees smiling” Bogard added.

Jacob Gromovsky rolled with a Sony vehicle over 1100 miles from Georgia to be on site at the Sanford Sound Show N’ Shine.

Area Memphis Audio rep Chad Boone was in the house. Boone related “The Sanford Sound Show N’ Shine was the most amazing dealer show I have attended. The turnout of attendees and cool cars created excitement in the air. The bounce house was right behind our booth and drew a lot of traffic for demos in our loaded RZR.”

Bogard concluded “A really big thing for us at a Sanford Sound Show N’ Shine event is seeing all the happy, smiling faces. Members of the crowd were showing their rides and checking out other’s rides.The level of customization of the vehicles in the show this year was amazing. Long term this will lead to residual business for us at Sanford Sound. A huge shout out to all, especially family and staff who participated in, and contributed to, the very successful 29th Annual Sanford Sound Show N’ Shine. To cap the day for our team members and family enjoyed a well deserved catered dinner that all enjoyed in our installation area.”

Sanford, ME is a town of just over 20,000. Sanford Sound is a responsible business member of the community and hires local police to be on site to help with the increased traffic for the event which packed Route 4 on Sunday afternoon.

For more see sanfordsound.com and @sanfordsound.

MIDDLETOWN, CT (07.29.25) – The first night brought dealers together at our Middletown headquarters for a high-impact training session with Sony’s Global Product Training Manager, Kris Bulla. Known for his deep knowledge and engaging delivery, Kris kept the room locked in with insightful strategies on selling Sony’s Core and Mobile ES product lines, along with real-world technical tips that dealers could take back to their shops the next day.

As if that wasn’t enough, attendees were treated to a home-style BBQ dinner, grilled and served by none other than GoFast President and Founder, David Prinz. It was a night that felt like a family cookout—paired with world-class training.

Night Two: Dave & Buster’s – Natick, MA

The energy didn’t stop there. On night two, we brought the action to Dave & Buster’s in Natick, MA, where our Boston-area dealers showed up in force. Kris delivered once again, this time bringing his “football coach” style to the stage — pushing the crowd to think differently, dig deeper, and elevate their approach to selling Sony.

Between the great food, the high-energy environment, and the opportunity to connect with peers, the Natick event had all the makings of a winning playbook for success.

Industry Respect, Dealer Engagement
GoFast VP of Sales Bob Hernandez captured the impact of the events perfectly:

“Kris Bulla is one of the rare voices in our industry whose reputation isn’t just well known — it’s earned. Dealers traveled from all over to hear him speak, and nearly three hours later, not a single person had left. That kind of engagement speaks volumes. They didn’t just attend — they wanted more.”

Thank You, Sony Team
We want to give a huge thank you to Kris Bulla, Jake Gromovsky, and the entire Sony team for their time, effort, and dedication. These two nights weren’t just about product knowledge — they were about empowering our dealers, strengthening partnerships, and building momentum for what’s next.

Visit gofst.com and sony.com for more.

WHEELING, WV (07.28.25) – The Steel Valley Regional 2025 filled the WesBanco Arena from July 18th thru the 20th. Once again the event, orchestrated by Larry Chijner, brought the Sound Quality community together from across the U.S. and beyond. The WesBanco Arena floor was filled with nearly 50 of the most amazing, totally decked out customized vehicles that showcased Sound Quality to the MAX.

Larry Chijner literally lived the Steel Valley Regional for the 14th time. Therefore there is no one better qualified to deliver the event wrap up than Larry himself. His words are below along with a few SVR XIV images.

SVR XIV Wrap Up… Its been a few days and I wanted to thank all the competitors that came from California to Florida to Maine to Iowa and everywhere in USA to support SVR XIV . This years show featured Top 48SQ Showdown with over 7500 Dollars Payout to the Competitors along with Prizes and Trophies with Prizes up to 30th Place. We also had IASCA 3X, MECA 4X, EMMA 3X and MASQ 3X. Organizations that provided trophies and awards.

First and Foremost I must thank Richard Papasin and Keith Turner for doing the scoring and along with registration for the event ! The music was provided by myself along with ICA to be inclusive to include all the Organizations! Also want to thank his assistant Lori Wallace who helped with scoresheets and tabulations. Lori and Mic Wallace along with Keith Turner were there and have attended every SVR we have ever had!

“This year’s SVR was awesome as everyone was so excited to show their rides. Our 6 judges were very busy all day Saturday and some on Sunday judging cars and in all we had 280 score sheets to review. I agree with Larry SVR XIV was the very best and we look forward to 2026” Richard Papasin related.

Also helping coordinate the show was Keith Turner and Tarsha Turner with IASCA as well as Autosound Showcase. Doing this show takes a group effort and about a year’s preparation. Top 48 Judges were Mic Wallace, Mike Myers, Scott Welch, Fred Lynch, Harry Kimura and Chris Myers.

The following people coordinated the Organizations. IASCA ..Keith Turner EMMA ..Richard Papasin MASQ.. Howard Cantor MECA..The Ballingers and Tony Pasquale. I will leave the Orgs to announce their own Judges. This year I decided to try and unify by having all the Orgs at the show and they were responsible for their own part. ECA, MCA and WCA were represented with using their music and scoresheets for the SQ Showdown!

This show could not go off without manufacturers support! Here is a list of the SVRXIV Sponsors: USAcoustics-Mike Nichols, Jeffrey Topp- Judges Support,CAPTURE THIS ENTERTAINMENT-Cassie & Scott Hall – Judges Support & FLORIDA SOUND QUALITY -GOLD SPONSOR- Angie !

ARC AUDIO-TITLE SPONSOR…Brian Mitchell
ZAPCO/ESB-DIAMOND SPONSOR…Ernie/Chris/George/Enzo
KARMA MOBILE AUDIO-GOLD SPONSOR-Adam
JLAUDIO-GOLD SPONSOR..Manville/Ian at Garmin
AUDIO INTENSITY..GOLD SPONSOR-Scott Welch
ONLY TINTS- -PRIZE SPONSORED-Matthew Kremer
CREATIVE PRODUCTS DESIGN-BRONZE SPONSOR. Mike B
ITALIA HI-FI- GOLD SPONSOR…Dan Merritt/Greg Thompson
RESONIX -PRIZE SPONSOR-Nick Apicella
STEREO INSTALLS-TROPHY SPONSOR..Bryan Huston/David
MSC AMERICA-GOLD SPONSOR.@Jeff Smith, Larry Penn
DAVIS DISTRIBUTION -GOLD SPONSOR.Chuck/Nate/Kevin
GENESIS AUDIO Ltd- SILVER SPONSOR-John Senters
LIQUID HI-FI -GOLD SPONSOR…Ronald K Buffington

Overall i think this was the best Steel Valley Regional yet and just want to THANK everyone. If I missed anyone, please forgive me and i will update the post!! As for Next Year, We shall see. Plans are in the works for SVR XV July 2026 at Wesbanco Arena with a few changes to make it even better! More will be revealed at a later date …In the meantime, I’m getting ready for Finals in Birmingham.

The Results are on the corresponding sites as well as the Top 48 SQ Showdown..

“This show could not happen if it wasn’t for the support of the Industry as a whole. !f you see them, THANK them!” -Larry Chijner

LIBERTYVILLE, IL (07.25.25) – After a storied career spanning nearly five decades, Alden Stiefel, a true pioneer of the 12-volt audio and security industry, is stepping down as CEO of Maxxsonics USA and moving into the role of Chairman of the Board. Brian Sherman, longtime Vice President of Product and Marketing, will assume the role of President effective July 8th.

Alden’s journey began in the 1970s with a small retail store and evolved into a career that shaped and elevated some of the most respected brands in the industry. He rose through the ranks to become Executive Vice President of Clifford Electronics during its heyday, playing a central role in building one of the most iconic automotive security brands of the 1980s and 1990s. Later in his career, he co-founded Avital, helping to redefine vehicle security and remote start technology for a new generation.

In the aftermath of 9/11— a time when most were pulling back — Stiefel doubled down on his belief in the power of innovation and launched Maxxsonics USA. What started as a bold idea during one of the most uncertain weeks in American history quickly grew into a global audio powerhouse, home to iconic brands like MB Quart, Hifonics, Crunch, and Autotek.

“It’s been a wild, rewarding ride — from selling car audio at retail to shaping product strategy at the executive level,” said Stiefel. “Starting Maxxsonics during such a turbulent time was a risk, but I believed in our vision, our team, and this industry. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built.”

Stiefel has guided Maxxsonics through more than two decades of growth, weathering economic cycles, evolving technology, and changing consumer behavior — always with a focus on passion, quality, and loyalty. Under his leadership, Maxxsonics became a trusted OEM partner for top names like Polaris®, Kawasaki, and CFMOTO, while never losing touch with its aftermarket roots.

“Alden’s legacy in the 12-volt world is unmatched,” said Brian Sherman. “He’s not just built companies — he’s built careers, friendships, and an industry culture defined by creativity and integrity. I’m honored to carry that legacy forward.”

Though stepping back from daily operations, Stiefel will continue to play an active role in guiding the strategic direction of Maxxsonics as Chairman of the Board.

“This isn’t goodbye — I’m just shifting gears,” Stiefel added. “I’ll still be involved, supporting Brian and the team however I can. The next chapter for Maxxsonics is bright, and I’m excited to see it unfold.”

Follow the link for complete details on Maxxsonics and their entire family of audio brands. https://maxxsonics.com/

SELDEN, NY (07.24.25) – Congrats to Jazz Audio & Go Fast Solutions!

What are you doing to improve your business and the 12 volt customer experience? Jazz Audio owner, Gene Cella, was ready to kick things up a notch, and got an opportunity of a lifetime to work with celebrity and business icon, Marcus Lemonis, on his, while being featured on the new show, The Fixer.

As a valued VOXX dealer, we wanted to take a moment to commend Gene and his team for taking this step!

This exciting national feature showcases the talent and dedication of our partners in bringing high-quality vehicle upgrades to life, from remote start and security, to advanced driver safety and more!

As an added bonus, our valued distribution partner Go Fast Solutions, was featured on the show as well.

We’re proud to see the exceptional work of Jazz Audio and the support of Go Fast Solutions recognized on a major platform. It’s a win for all of us!

Here is Gene in his new store, set up, holding up our VOXX ADAS Rearview Mirror DVR system and a preview sample of our unreleased AI Dash Cam. Stay tuned for more information on the AI dash cam VERY SOON!!!

📺 Catch the episode on Hulu
🔧 Learn more about Go Fast Solutions
📸 Follow Jazz Audio on Instagram
🛠 VOXX ADAS DVR Rearview Mirror Sell Sheet
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VANCOUVER, WA (07.23.25) – The Third Annual Cruise In Car Show, supporting the Mountain View High School Choir Boosters, took place on Saturday morning, July 19th. The event took place in the large parking lot shopping center by the Baxter Auto Parts store. Baxter Auto Parts has served the community for 36 years.

Advanced Sound Designs and Falcon Sales and Marketing worked together to have a presence in the parking lot. There were vendor tents across the parking lot for the well attended event that raised donations for the Mountain View High School Choir Boosters. Kevin Ridenour, Dave Gates and Kam Frisbee were on site where they performed live demos in an Audi R8 loaded with Morel, Alpine Subaru tricked out for SQ and a Hummer that was set up for SPL demos.

Ridenour is very active throughout the area providing custom installations and promoting consumer connections with car audio products and other aftermarket add-ons. Ridenour works closely with Falcon on installations for their dealer network along with being on site at their dealer shows and other events.

Ridenour related “Spotlighting 12volt products at a consumer event is terrific. When attendees take a seat in a well designed vehicle and experience the bass their chest, along with the separation of highs and mid, their eyes open wide. It brings a smile to their face. These community events really connect attendees with music and make music fun again.That drives sales for 12volt retailers.”

In a conversation with the Baxter’s location they related this was their third event to sponsor and it brings many community members together. Many of those members are their regular customers and the company is happy to support the activities of the Mountain View High School Choir Boosters.

“As a proactive distributor in the territory, when we participate events like this Car Cruise it brings awareness for car audio products which will increase traffic in retailers brick and mortar stores, That ultimately drives business for Falcón Sales along with the 12volt industry. Stay tuned for more from us to drive business across the Pacific Northwest” Frisbee related.

For more see Advanced Sound Designs.

INDEPENDENCE, MO (07.22.25) – On Saturday morning, July 19th, Chris Pace rolled the Arrowhead Sales JBL trailer onto the grounds in Independence MO for The Auto Beauty Center Car Show. The KC Showdown organization setup the show that was open to all makes and models of cars, trucks and motorcycles. The top 30 and Best competitors received awards. The event was sponsored by NSK Kustoms.

“Denny Eddy and KC Showdown present super events like this around the Kansas City area that allow people to show off their vehicles plus it creates a lot of interest across the automotive community for aftermarket add-ons for attendees and enthusiasts to check out. I probably talked to over 80 people” Chris Pace, Arrowhead Sales Principal, offered.

Continuing “The JBL Trailer showcases a number of products for live demos from JBL and Infinity. I’ve made a lot of upgrades on the trailer that makes the trailer the PA system on-site and center stage. Denny was very happy with the setup and invited me to an event in North KC next month.”

At the event there were over 80 cars registered and several arrived late but were not included in the competition on the area right out front of The Auto Beauty Center shop.

Stay tuned for more as Chris covers MO, IA, NE and MO with the JBL Trailer.

For more information, contact arrowheadsales@icloud.com