Meteor Guitar Gallery A Live Music Venue

When Les Key first signed a long-term lease on the old Meteor Theater in downtown Bentonville, the auditorium was jammed with decades of junk. So much, in fact, that when his Meteor Guitar Gallery opened in June 2014 at 128 W. Central Ave., only the first four rooms of the building could be used.

Conceived as a guitar haven where the instrument could be showcased, sold, repaired, and taught, the gallery attracted attention but wasn’t necessarily paying the bills. Key expanded the venue by adding art, but the Meteor was still having trouble with the bottom line.

Over time, however, the building asserted itself, and Key said he had to let it be what it wanted to be — a venue for live entertainment. Equipped with a stage, capacity for nearly 300 people, authentic acoustic tiles, and a booming sound system that came with the “Fly by Night” guitar collection he’d purchased, the Meteor had the goods.

And while the gallery still has plenty of guitars and amplifiers on display and for sale, the Meteor is gaining momentum as a place for bands, open mic, teen nights, comedy shows, and, since the Meteor has a wall-sized screen, movies.

Hinting at its potential as a venue for national acts, the meteor hosted blues guitarist Coco Taylor in September, and rockabilly trio The Rev. Horton Heat in October. Key said the meteor is well-positioned to attract major acts looking to pick up a concert, and some extra cash, between gigs in Dallas and Kansas City, or between Tulsa and Memphis.

As Meteor builds its reputation for live music and events, it is also at the center of FM 103.3 KOBV radio’s efforts to begin broadcasting as early as next fall.

During his life, Key has been a maintenance man, an AutoCad instructor, a classic car mechanic, and now, a guitar repairman and theater manager. His latest endeavor has turned into his life’s work, and he said he couldn’t do it without his wife, Alanna, and sons Caleb and Mason.

The Meteor is still a work in progress, and Key said it could take as much as another $50,000 to get the building where he wants it to be. All in due time, he said. At 50, he’s not going anywhere.

“I don’t think I’ll change careers again,” he said.