Lake Elsinore's Suhr Guitars Honored as Small Business of the Year

Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, honored Suhr Guitars as the Small Business of the Year for the 67th Assembly District.

“Suhr Guitars embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of risk-taking and excellence that has enabled them to produce some of the world’s finest guitars,” said Melendez. “I am pleased they have chosen to build their guitars in Lake Elsinore and invest in our community, and am honored to recognize Suhr Guitars as my 2014 Small Business of the Year.”

Each year, every member of the Legislature selects a deserving small business from their district to honor as their “Small Business of the Year.” Melendez honored Joshua and Jared Smith, sons of co-owner Steve Smith, and their company at the California Small Business Day 2014 Awards Luncheon in Sacramento.

John Suhr and Steve Smith founded Suhr Guitars in 1997. Starting with a facility of 8,000 square feet, the company’s building grew to 27,000 square feet and has doubled its number of employees since 2011. Suhr Guitars is an active member of the community, offering a paid summer internship for students, partnering with the Murrieta Valley Unified School District to host a technology summit, and working with UC Riverside engineering students to help study and map the impact of sound on wood.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by Assemblywoman Melendez as her Small Business of the Year,” said Joshua Smith, son of Suhr Guitars co-owner Steve Smith. “After 18 years in business, we remain committed to crafting the highest quality guitars and are dedicated to serving our community.”

Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez represents the 67th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar and a portion of Hemet. It also includes the Riverside County unincorporated areas of Lake Mathews, Good Hope, Nuevo, and Winchester.