There are several places in Toronto where guitar players can find what they need, but if they want custom work done, Lil Demon Guitar Shop is the place to go. Owner Gian Cifarelli opened the store in 2012, but he’s been playing guitar in bands since he was 15 and has over a decade of experience working on the instruments.
“I've always wanted instruments that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford, so I would find them in disrepair and cut my teeth working on them,” he says. “Eventually I had enough (experience) that other musicians asked me to work on their instruments, and one thing led to another and I just sort of fell into this profession.”
He started his career as a guitar tech at Encore Music Exchange in Scarborough. When the opportunity to lease his own store space came up, he jumped at the chance because he was able to get a good deal. At first, Lil Demon was on Dundas West across the street from Trinity Bellwoods Park, but in the summer of 2016, Gian moved to a new location in Parkdale.
