MANCHESTER – Tinkering with amplifiers and electronics Monday, Russell Magnuson was happy to be working again.

The Hudson man lost his job two months ago, after the collapse and closing of Daddy’s Junky Music. Magnuson, 51, worked for 20 years at the Daddy’s warehouse in Candia. He applied for jobs after it closed, but with no success.

That was until the Music Techs came calling.

“This is all I know,” Magnuson said, of repair work. “I have no idea what I’d be doing. There’s not a lot out there.”

Magnuson is one of four employees hired by the Manchester-based Music Techs, who worked for Daddy’s Junky Music before the chain closed abruptly due to financial struggles.

They were hired by Joe Lacerda, who opened up the new instrument repair business Monday.

In addition to hiring former Daddy’s music repair technicians, a significant amount of Lacerda’s parts and supplies came from the Daddy’s warehouse. Lacerda worked with Daddy’s founder Fred Bramante to strike a deal for the equipment.

Daddy’s Junky Music closed its 12 stores on Oct. 26.

There were four New Hampshire stores, including the Nashua location on Daniel Webster Highway. Fifty-two full-time and 14 part-time employees lost their jobs in New Hampshire.

Lacerda, 36, of Manchester, worked hard after Daddy’s closed to keep some of the retailer’s employees and inventory local. He was sensitive to the store’s closing because he also owns another music store in Manchester, the Music Mill.

Lacerda invested at least $50,000 in parts and materials to get the store started, and additional resources to buy office space and hire the technicians, who work on production-based salaries.

“Every new business is a risk, but I felt there was an opportunity to fill a void in the market,” he said.

He hopes to emulate the growth of the Music Mill, which has increased profits by 30 to 40 percent each of the past few years, he said.

On Monday, Doug MacCormack and Mark Huzar fixed guitars in their cubicles. Like Magnuson, MacCormack and Huzar lost their jobs when Daddy’s shuttered.

“I knew we had challenges … but I never thought it would close that suddenly,” MacCormack said. “The owner (Bramante) was literally in tears.”

MacCormack, 52, of Manchester, worked at Daddy’s for 30 years. He developed his own Web site and worked from home for two months to get through the holiday season, but he was concerned about his long-term prospects.

“I’m a guitar repairman; I can’t go just anywhere and get a job,” he said. “I’m glad to be able to continue my career.”

Daddy’s Junky Music had seven full-time repair technicians on staff in its Candia warehouse, MacCormack said. He is one of four hired to work at the Music Techs.

Huzar, 44, of Manchester, was a Daddy’s technician for 13 years. He collected unemployment checks for two months and looked for work around Manchester at local music stores. The Music Techs gave him a chance to continue working with guitars, which he called his “perfect day job.”

The Music Techs will offer walk-in hours, same-day repairs when available and attempt to build relationships with customers through face-to-face interaction, Lacerda said. Many stores ship out their equipment for repairs, but his store will have a different approach.

“I feel really encouraged,” MacCormack said. “There was a big void when Daddy’s closed. A lot of people need their equipment fixed. Joe was brilliant to recognize that.”

A few people walked into the small store Monday and dropped off their guitars. Magnuson, MacCormack and Huzar also were busy with dozens of other repairs from the Music Mill.

The trio said they can repair any instrument and many electronic accessories, including amplifiers or keyboards.

Lacerda has high hopes for the business, especially with its talented core of technicians.

“It’s a small industry; there’s not many qualified people you can count on,” he said. “These guys are way too talented to do anything else, or nothing at all.”

Cameron Kittle can be reached at 594-6523 or ckittle@nashuatelegraph.com. Also check out Kittle (@Telegraph_CamK) on Twitter.