THE GUITAR SHOPPE
What disappears when a place disappears?
A cinematic documentary about music, craftsmanship, memory, and a 50+ year-old Laguna Beach institution fighting to carry its legacy forward.
ONE SMALL SHOP. A MUCH BIGGER STORY.
The Guitar Shoppe tells the story of a legendary Southern California music institution whose influence reached generations of musicians, preserving an increasingly rare tradition of craftsmanship, mentorship, and community before it disappears forever.
After the loss of the men who built its legacy, Jim Matthews and master luthier Kirk Sand, Jim’s widow Sheila Matthews and the Shoppe’s longtime team face a deeply human question: how do you preserve the soul of a place after the people who created it are gone?
Through intimate interviews, archival material, observational photography, and the tactile beauty of guitars being repaired and restored, the film becomes a story about grief, resilience, inheritance—and the fragile ways knowledge passes from one generation to the next.
A CALIFORNIA MUSIC LEGACY WITH GLOBAL REACH
The Shoppe’s history intersects with artists including Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel, José Feliciano, Richie Sambora, Lauryn Hill, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Lenny Breau, Steve Wariner, John Knowles, and Richard Smith.
But the film is not a celebrity roll call. Its real stars are the people behind the counter and at the workbench—the ones who repair the instrument, remember the story, teach the young player, and keep the doors open.
“Sometimes the smallest places hold the biggest stories.”
WHY NOW
Independent music stores and the craftspeople inside them are disappearing. With them can disappear decades of knowledge that was never written down because it was passed hand to hand.
The people who knew Jim and Kirk, learned their methods, and witnessed the Shoppe’s history are still here to tell it. That makes this moment both an opportunity and a deadline.
CURRENT STATUS
Late production → post-production
Key interviews and principal photography are complete. We recently returned with an experienced professional cinematography and sound team to elevate the film’s visual language, deepen the interviews, and capture richer observational material. The new footage is now moving into post-production.
THE SHOPPE TODAY
The story is not only about what was built—it is about the people carrying it forward. Sheila Matthews and the current Guitar Shoppe team keep the doors open, the instruments moving through the workbench, and decades of knowledge and community alive.
HELP CARRY THE STORY FORWARD
The Guitar Shoppe is fiscally sponsored by Film Independent. We are seeking $10,000–$50,000 in finishing support for additional photography, editing, archival and music clearances, professional sound, color, mastering, and distribution preparation.
Support through Film Independent helps us finish the film while protecting the creative and editorial independence at the heart of the project.
Tax-deductible contributions are accepted through Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program.
THE FILMMAKERS
Christina Macaulay — Director / Producer
Christina Macaulay is an independent filmmaker, Emmy-nominated writer/producer, journalist, and award-winning screenwriter whose work is rooted in curiosity, cultural connection, and singular human stories. Her documentary approach combines journalistic rigor with intimate, character-driven visual storytelling.
Tyler Whitbread — Director of Photography
Los Angeles-based DP Tyler Whitbread brings more than 15 years of television and film experience, combining lighting, specialty camera work, and aerial cinematography with a collaborative eye for intimate character moments, handcrafted detail, and the distinctive Laguna Beach setting.
THE GUITAR SHOPPE
Follow the film on Instagram: @guitarshoppefilm
Support The Guitar Shoppe through Film Independent • ChristinaMacaulay.com