George Whalin

George Whalin died on January 10, 2012, from complications of chemotherapy. George's experience in retail was extensive and first hand. He started his career on the sales floor and worked his way up. In the 1960s, he opened and managed the original Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. He sold instruments to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jackson Five, Grateful Dead, and many more well-known and not-so-well-known musicians. 

After leaving the musical instrument business he became the senior training manager for a 125-store consumer electronics chain. In 1987, George founded Retail Management Consultants, which provided business-building services to retail companies and industry suppliers all across North America. He worked with a wide range of companies in every area of retailing from single-store merchants to leading national chains. 

His clients also included retail trade associations; buying groups; franchise organizations; and some of the world's best-known consumer products manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers. George's book, Retail Superstars: Inside the 25 Best Independent Stores in America, is available for Kindle and other electronic readers. His first book, Retail Success! Increase Sales, Maximize Profits, and Wow Your Customers in the Most Competitive Marketplace in History, has been used as supplemental reading in several university retailing courses.

As one of the nation's most highly respected retail experts, George was regularly quoted in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, US News & World Report, CNNMoney, and numerous trade magazines as well as newspapers across the country. He was a regular guest on radio and TV newscasts commenting about current retail and consumer issues.

As a "student" of retail George visited thousands of stores every year talking with front-line employees, store managers, owners, and customers. This in-store research gave him a unique perspective on retailing, stores, and consumers that he passed along to his audiences and readers. George had a passion for retail and everything he did from consulting to speaking to writing reflected that passion.