Gibson closing operation

Arkansas Business, August 25, 2008

Gibson Guitar Corp. of Nashville, Tenn., is shuttering its factory in Conway, and a local developer has bought the company's 196,000-SF facility with hopes it can become a multi-business complex.

George Covington, owner of Covington Properties in Conway, said he purchased the building and 21-acre property at 1091 Benton Sevier Drive for about $1.4 million.

Gibson's headquarters and the Conway plant did not return several calls for comment.

The factory employed about 13 people and built Baldwin pianos as well as Slingerland drums and Tobias basses at the location, according to Gibson's Web site. Production is moving to Nashville.

The factory originally was owned by Baldwin, which Gibson purchased in 2001. The Baldwin piano plant employed more than 200 during the 1990s, before relocating its grand piano operations to Trumann.

In 2004, Gibson began producing Tobias basses at the location, according to Music Trades. The plant even produced a bass for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.