The end? Jazz Record Mart up for sale

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-jazz-record-mart-for-sale-20160129-column.html

 

Sad news. Never been there, but it seems to have a good reputation. Mr Koester is a VIP in the music business, not least through his Delmark label.

 

This is the answer to the "What would you do if you won the Lotto?" question...

 

Very sad. Went there a few times years ago. Hope someone buys it and keeps it going

 

That place was my weekly haunt before I switched jobs a few years ago. Always looked forward to raiding their New Arrivals bins. It was also the one place in Chicago where you could have your pick of choice titles on RSD, as the crowd seemed to always be somewhere else.

 

I am very sad to hear this. It's one of the great record stores in the world. I went to JRM regularly when I was living in Chicago and always visited when I was in town. I remember it being located in at least 3 different sites, all around the same area near the river. Bought lots of used records from there. Despite his age, Bob was always very active in the store; I've chatted with him several times.

Sure hope he finds another more affordable location even though I hardly visit Chicago any more.

 

I remember one of the last times I went there, one employee called to another about the phone: "Michael Cuscuna on line one!"

 

I love visiting the JRM each time I'm in Chicago, I've been going at least once a year for the last 20 years. Hope there's a way to continue, but the decline of physical media and rising downtown rents strikes me as quite a double whammy.

 

I visited the place a few times but did not have enough time to browse through all those back rooms with vinyl records. It is a pity as it looks like I will not get that chance.

I too hope it finds a new owner that will keep it going.

 

It's over. ..

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/201...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

This stinks, although what choice did he really have? His rent went up to $12k/month!
I am a frequent patron, introduced to JRM by my dad, who was a customer back when it was still Seymour's.

 

Bad news.... one of the best record stores in the world.

 

I've been to the store once, during my first, and only, trip to Chicago. Great store.

 

One of my childhood memories. It was a block away from my dad's restaurant when it was on Grand.

 

$12,000 per month is a lot of plastic waffles. He has been great for music, and jazz in particular. I hope Delmark keeps running and I hope the buyer is going to keep all those LPs in the market place.

Exorbitant rents are squeezing the life out of lots of cities. Manhattan is now largely a charmless corporate chain store shopping mall. The unique and quirky stores and neighborhoods have been choked out and what is left is a soulless tourist trap.

I was talking to a real estate Attorney recently and he said his clients will wait years to rent space to corporate clients. They pay outrageous rents, and if they decide the prestige of having a Manhattan store is no longer worth taking a bath, they will pay off 80% of the lease just to break the commitment. The landlord then tries to rent to another corporate sucker, thereby collecting double.

 

Although I feel very sad to see an institution go, I can't understand why the JRM has been always located in a downtown expensive area of Chicago.

 

12k/mo? omg

 

I remember when it was on the North side, on Lincoln Ave., but higher up and far from the high rents. Maybe they needed a prestige location, but parking and general hassle has been an obstacle in getting there for a long time now. Which probably doesn't matter...online retailers can maintain almost limitless catalogs (especially considering how Amazon and others farm out the task of actually stocking the cds/lps available on the website) and the type of specialized catalog they offer isn't as valuable as it once was. Robert Koester made a mark with Delmark Records which will last for decades, maybe centuries considering the worth of some of that music. Hopefully his son continues to fly that ship (he was apparently not interested in the record store).

 

Last time I was there was about 15 years ago when my wife was taking a class. It was the previous location because they were preparing to move. We took the train downtown from the burbs. I wouldn't even know how to park if I drove there. Always hoped to go back but parking is like 40 bucks for an hour. The city sucks. If I never go back again, I won't miss it. I think 14 people got shot there yesterday alone.

 

This really bums me out. The one shop in Chicago I visited EVERY single time I was there and was basically guaranteed to find something great in. Sad.

 

Sad to hear, but man that's some rent, and double wow for increase recently!

I had several work colleagues who bought blues and jazz vinyl in late 80's they even had some decent 78's

 

Now, now. Only nine people have been shot in February so far.

 

Sad about this, too. I get to Chicago once every 5 years or so on business, and the main reason I look forward to the trip is the chance to spend an afternoon trawling through the Jazz Mart (well, that and the prospect of live music). I've always ended up dropping a big chunk of cash and have to make sure I leave space in my suitcase!

L.

 

Trust me, they don't like you either.

 

And now back to our program......

Incredibly sad news - this was a gem of a record store and Bob is a walking encyclopedia - have a sit down with him while you can.
Record stores are actually doing OK thanks to the vinyl resurgence - but stores run by people like Bob are becoming all too rare.
Thanks for the great music Bob!