Why are so many record stores still closing?

Why?
A personal thorn in my side.
I sure do miss those little shops.
Internet killed the groovy machine.

 

A record store I'd been going to for some 20 years in Madison, often spending $100 a month, lost me as a customer on the second or third Record Store Day. I went in looking for a RSD-only release by Crowded House. I was told point blank by the owner "we don't carry Crowded House". He was rude about it. If one of my three favorite bands wasn't "cool" enough, neither was I. I left and have never gone back. I don't miss his holier than though attitude, and have taken my business to another local shop. I wonder how many other shops have lost steady customers the same way.

 

Just be glad there's a market for vinyl at all. It's just a matter of time before saturation hits and/or the trend fades.

 

A friend who works in the record store "biz" told me that record companies recently raised the price of new vinyl records at the wholesale level, decreasing the retailers' already low profit margins. That aggregates the problem with the online retailers, who are probably also not paying the higher wholesale prices.

Brick and mortar for me. People have to quit letting companies dictate to them how they are going to buy things. The agora is a necessary part of existence for the human species, and, if lost, it will pull us all out-of-balance.

 

I propose tax breaks for audiophile vinyl lovers!

 

Piccadilly Records in Manchester, England have the same attitude regarding bands like Queen or Deep Purple - but do get their releases in for RSD. Kinda bizarre that a record shop refuses to stock certain bands because they don't like them - you can't even ask them to order them in for you, they just don't do em. Interesting business decision, but obviously they must be doing OK if they can refuse to stock major artists because they don't think they're "hip".

 

I cant believe HMVs or Best Buy's are still kicking! Rarely do you see a lot of people in there. Maybe Saturdays are somewhat busy, but that's it!

 

I have to say I went to a music store on Wesdnesday for the first time in years. I enjoyed looking through all the CDs, but I also felt quite resistant to buying any as to me they are now unnecessary and just cause clutter.

 

No time for half measures: demand a TARP-style bailout of record stores! Make every home vinyl-ready! No turntable left behind!

 

From my own perspective, and I truly don't want to ignite a firestorm, but I'd say it's worse than that.

It's more like "Am I going to drive out of my way or purchase it from a (of course lossless) download store and have it in 5 - 20 minutes, much less than the drive?"

There were grand old days when I lived within walking distance of truly hip record, then later CD store, but those days are long gone.

 

New vinyl with "real profit" margins of 10% or 15% tops in Europe, is what is killing INDEPENDENT record stores. This does not apply to big stores (live or online) and chains because they get access to special rates with labels, their margins rage from 25% to 50%, sometimes with additional benefits like being able to sell before the independent stores or even being given exclusive right to sell some albums.

So, it can be said that what is killing the independent record stores today is exactly the same thing that killed them back in the late 90's: the major labels and copyright owners, Sony, Universal, and so on...

If the majors treated small businesses the same way they do for the huge sharks, record stores would pop up like mushrooms and strive, vinyl is selling a lot these days, it really is... so it's not the lack of demand that is the problem for independent stores, far from it, the problem is that even selling a lot, the profit is ridiculously small.

The only business that makes sense and provides real profits available for record stores is the used records market, that is a whole other story

 

I hope you don't mind, but I am totally going to steal this at the next record fair I'm at, when I do a table there. You'll recognize me, I'll be the guy sitting there with my sandals and coffee, and my crates of records on the table -- "Ah, here we are in the agora -- the heartbeat of humanity itself." It has a Godfrey Reggio quality to it, that I really like! I always look for stuff like this, because I get so tired of saying "jazz and blues is on the left, rock/pop/soul is these three crates on the right" to people over and over, all day long. Nice conversation starter!

 

I don't think there are any used records store still open anywhere near me, and if they were I suspect they'd be selling nothing but vinyl and I'm a CD/SACD buyer. The used CD store seems dead and buried. Rasputin and Amoeba are a bit too far away

 

The used CD place near me, still called the CD Cellar but recently relocated to a strip mall, has as many CDs in the $2 section -- mostly stuff I never heard of, never liked, or like but feel no need to own -- as in their regular aisles. Vinyl seems to be keeping them afloat, for now.

 

My Best Buy no longer sells CDs

 

To be honest, I haven't stepped into my Best Buy in over 2-3 years since it's opening here, so it could be the same policy everywhere for CDS now??????

 

If I were to open a record store today it would have to be a hybrid with a cafe of some sort. I love the idea of having the buzz of folks sitting and eating in an adjoins cafe along with record buyers. Something else to bring them in and of course the markup of coffee and other beverages far exceed that of records in most cases.

Easy Street in Seattle does well but I bet they might bring in more profit from the adjoining cafe/restaurant. Plus at night it makes for a great space for live in-stores (saw Billy Bragg and Joe Henry there last night).

I love a well run and laid record stores and I have no problem when owners bring in related items that have better profit margins like T shirts, posters, memorabilia and pot items..... this will get bigger and bigger...

The biggest turn off is the store owner or employee type that seems not to give a shot about their customers. If you have a chip on you shoulder then stay home and play with your records and don't work in a customer based business.

 

Amen. Mmmm...coffee, records, and bongs...

 

I am pretty fortunate to have a chain of three used CD stores within driving distance - Sound Exchange in Tampa. Prices are fair and selection is constantly rotating. They seem to have an active social media profile that promotes the new stuff they get in. While it's certainly not thrift store-cheap, there's a much, much higher chance you're finding good stuff in good quality. It seems they're doing it right by diversifying into other things: CDs, Vinyl, retro stereo, comics, music magazines, collectables.

Always a dangerous thing for me to go there. Usually ends up being a $40+ expense.

 

That description sound like New Jersey's Tunes. The selection of other stuff is small, but I'm sure it helps. I think the key to Tun's success is the inventory of all the stores is computerized and tied to their Amazon and eBay stores.

 

Sounds just like this place where I was last night with my wife after dinner. The CD's pictured on the wall have since been ousted, as have the LP's in the center of the room, which are now along the wall where the CD's used to be and in their place, more tables for folks like my wife to sit, while I look around.

I Rock Cleveland »

 

There you go. Cafes have long been a part of bookstores. Time for more record store cafes also serving beer and wine.

 

Yes, we have one such locally, Relevant Records Cafe.
The cafe is always busy, the record shop in the basement less so. It's a quite nice place, the only day I avoid it is RSD.
Here is a review someone did
Local gem: Relevant Record Cafe Cambridge - BONE WHITE CHINA »

 

You know what annoys me about used record stores in London?

Photocopied sleeves in the racks (sometimes) - but mostly the fact that they keep all the discs behind the counter. I understand why they do it, but if it were me, I would put a sticker on the front of everything I was charging more than £5 for, explaining which pressing it was, matrix numbers, and a grading for the disc.

As it is, the discerning buyer has to go up to the counter with the sleeve, go through the hassle of getting the owner / staff to find the record and present you with a pile of discs to check,only to them give half of them back since they're scratched or the wrong pressing.

It must be as annoying for them as it is for me. Maybe more!

 

Steal away.