10:30 AM: “Enter the House of Thunder!” That was the amplified invitation minutes before 10 am, after the ceremonial ribboncutting (shown above), for the customers lined up down the block to enter the new Admiral home of Thunder Road Guitars (2611 California SW; WSB sponsor).

Until 6 tonight, and again 10 am-6 pm tomorrow, the store is offering discounts and giveaways to celebrate, as detailed here. More photos later!

(PHOTOS FROM HERE ARE BY OLIVER HAMLIN FOR WEST SEATTLE BLOG UNLESS OTHERWISE CREDITED)

4:43 PM: As promised, more photos. First, the jubilation of the ribbon-cutting, which was hosted by (at right) Rachel Porter of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce; participants included, as he had told us during our sneak-peek visit, the family of TRG proprietor Frank Gross, plus Chad Beeler of co-housed The Bass Shop (WSB sponsor), and District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, among others:

Frank noted that TRG started as a home-based business in an apartment not far from the new location – with “five guitars and a website” – and “a dream” for His shoutouts included Will York, who runs TRG’s Portland outpost:

Chad talked about meeting Frank long ago, when he was in a different usic-focused business, and how years later they teamed up.

Now they’re both in a big new space that drew a big line of people excited to be the first to get in this morning:

(WSB photo by Tracy Record)

Among the early shoppers was Olivia, testing out a Novo guitar by playing “Crazy on You” by Heart.

Frank and Chad had told us the other day that they hope the new space’s proximity to schools will inspire more young musicians.

Again, the grand opening celebration continues on Sunday.