NORMAL - For more than 30 years, Jim Bland has combined a hobby and a job at Guitar World. By early next month, however, plans for uptown Normal redevelopment will force him to move from his longtime location at 105 N. Broadway to 129 E. Beaufort.

"The move will be good for us," Bland said of the new location, immediately west of LaBamba Mexican Restaurant. It will give Bland more retail space, more room for lessons and more parking.

The rural Hudson resident hopes the additional space will allow his five music teachers to pick up more than the 100 students they already have. Besides providing lessons, Guitar World sells guitars, band gear and has sound and lighting rentals.

Hours at the new location will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

His current building will eventually be torn down to make way for a five-story retail/residential development planned by JSM Management Inc. of Champaign. The building also houses Ewe Knit, which is closing at the current location, but might relocate, owner Lyn Johnson said.

While Bland said the new location will offer a number of advantages, guitar student Pat Hiser of Normal will miss the Broadway shop. She penned a song "Uptown-Downtown" about the changing face of the area.

"Please give uptowners a smile as they embrace change," says the song.

The move to Beaufort will also mean up to 18 dedicated parking spaces behind the new location, which previously housed a tattoo parlor and years ago was home to Apple Tree Records.

While Bland is looking forward to the move, he's sad his home for nearly four decades will be torn down. In addition to 34 years in his current location, Bland also spent several years at 107 Broadway.

Though that's a long time to be in business, Bland has been playing guitar longer. The 62-year-old began when he was 9 years old and growing up in the Rockford area.

"I wanted to play because of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry," he recalled.

Bland's excitement for music includes playing live. The former longtime member of The Spectors has parted company with that group and is now a member of Velvet Groove.