You can call Boutique Audio Gallery's Jason Melman anytime you like—just don't call him "dealer."
"The two words I hate are 'dealer' and 'store'," he told me during an interview at an event he hosted at the—um, gallery he opened in March 2024. "It's just a relaxing place where people can come and listen to music." Melman's presence sets the tone: low-key, thoughtful, meticulous. Located in a rural setting about 45 minutes from Toronto, both the showroom and the landscape inspire relaxation.
A showroom that's pleasant to spend time in is hardly a new idea. Melman combines the space with other tasty elements: large paintings by Toronto-born, L.A.-based Michael Brunswick and high-end spirits from importer Heads & Tails Spirits Co., which is owned by his business partner's company. He adds a personal (and personalized) approach, and opportunities to meet the makers of the products you're buying.
Melman and his partner's hi-fi gallery has several high-end systems on working display, in three dedicated listening rooms totaling about 2500ft2 (footnote 1). The products he sells tend to be made to order: Loudspeakers with custom finishes, for example. In this respect, Boutique Audio Gallery resembles a high-end furniture gallery more than it resembles a typical hi-fi store. That's what really sets Boutique apart: the gallery aesthetic plus Melman's own, particular tastes.
Much of his approach is aimed at generating interest beyond the usual audiophile market. "A lot more needs to be done to reach customers who are not in the audiophile community," he told me. He identifies with that group. He considers himself "an outsider to the audio industry."
Melman's other motivation for creating Boutique Audio Gallery was a desire to increase awareness of "boutique" brands, such as Aries Cerat, SoundSpace Systems, and Zellaton, under-the-radar brands that he himself was interested in. When he found out they weren't available in Canada, or in some cases in North America, he set out to change that. "As I started doing more research, I felt that the brands deserve to be seen, deserve to be known about. So, I wanted to create Boutique Audio Gallery as a place where I could showcase these brands for like-minded audiophiles," he told me.
In our conversation, Melman spoke of gaps in the industry. One is between the quality of the product and the quality of the service: The buying experience and subsequent customer service are often not commensurate with the ultra-high-end quality of equipment being sold. As research, he looked to his own experiences buying art and other luxury goods as well as hi-fi. "That's why I decided to get in," he said of his entering the business. "I approach things from the perspective of the end user audiophile as a client." Much as an art dealer would.
Melman focuses on the quality of the experience, from seeing and hearing the products through to purchasing and in-home setup—provided by Melman and in some cases the product's actual designer/maker. "For brands already at the top, the experience should be commensurate with the brands at the top, at this price range and quality."
Another gap is between serious music lovers and audiophiles: Too many music lovers have no idea that better music systems are available. People who want to buy, eg, a luxury automobile know where to go, but there's a lack of awareness of high-end audio. "We feel that there is a huge delta between the people who would consider themselves music lovers and who know that high-end companies like this exist," Melman said. "The industry needs to do a much better job of closing that gap."
Other compatible products are part of the formula. Melman has a strategic partnership with Heads & Tails Spirits. The two companies do some cross-promotion: At a recent event celebrating the launch of German manufacturer SoundSpace Systems' new flagship Aidoni speaker in late June, Heads & Tails provided tastings of rare whiskeys and cognacs to a small group of customers and friends of the companies—plus a couple of hi-fi journalists. Melman said he loves hosting special events like these, centered on visits from audio company owners, who are often also the designers: "These are companies where the designers' hands are inside the creation of the product; their ears are listening to the product."
Melman also wants to help the smaller, less well-known artisan high-end audio makers, "to work with them to help them get more recognition globally," he said. "Most of our marketing efforts are not going to be Toronto-centric or even Canada-centric but more global in nature."
Although Melman and his partner's vision for their businesses is long-term—five, 10, 15 years hence—he acknowledges it's too soon to know how his business could evolve. But he knows that he wants to take care of his customers' needs, over the short term and the long. He's aiming for "what we feel is right for the industry, especially for the very high end."
As I have often discussed in Re-Tales, the long-term survival of the hi-fi industry may depend on efforts like this, which are working to broaden the hi-fi market. "No one was born an audiophile. They were converted," Melman said. "We need to convert more people."
Footnote 1: Melman is planning to add a couple more listening spaces, expanding to a total of approximately 4000ft2.
Another gap is between serious music lovers and audiophiles: Too many music lovers have no idea that better music systems are available. People who want to buy, eg, a luxury automobile know where to go, but there's a lack of awareness of high-end audio. "We feel that there is a huge delta between the people who would consider themselves music lovers and who know that high-end companies like this exist," Melman said. "The industry needs to do a much better job of closing that gap."
Footnote 1: Melman is planning to add a couple more listening spaces, expanding to a total of approximately 4000ft2.
