Rough Trade New York moving to ?

And St. Marks Sounds... the list is long.

 

Gosh, I still reminisce about J&R with friends when talking about the "good old days".

Now, it is questionable as to whether those "old" days were actually "good". But J&R was!

 

I passed many a lunch hour there.

 

If I had to guess the plan is going to be a store that is mostly use to promote the brand by bringing in bigger artists for signings and events from nearby sirius, radio city, and of course everything in 30 rock, and then have a small store space based around photo ops and social media to promote their beefed up webstore and mail-order. Couldn't tell you if it will work or not but guessing it will be a wholly different experience than the brooklyn store.

 

Oh.
The only time I went to New York, I got the chance to spend some time in the Brooklyn shop. What an amzing place !
It's kind of sad to read this news.

 

So it sounds like they’ll sort of become a promoter of concerts using the existing surrounding halls, which takes care of ASCAP/BMI, etc., licensing which was probably killing them. Now their over priced wares will pay for overpriced rent with some in their pocket.

 

Many of those (like Colony) were rent related. Some (like Second Hand Rose and House Of Oldies) had prices that were ridiculously high (along with owners that had especially nasty attitudes in the case of Second Hand). Hopefully Rough Trade got a good deal on rent and can maintain their competitive prices in their new Manhattan digs. Ya gotta admit the location will make it much easier for most folks to get to now.

 

Man, I don't live near NYC and never got to visit the old location (heard many a good thing though!), but it does bum me out when we are getting a story of a physical media store surviving in 2021 and it gets greeted on a forum of music lovers with moaning and complaining.

 

Yes. The ROUGH TRADE company is probably trying to set themselves up as an entertainment brand (as opposed to a great record store). With partnerships or working arrangements with the Rainbow Room and NBC, that is likely where they are headed.

 

Totally agree. I'm never in that neighborhood except to see the Christmas tree. The Village was the place to go.

 

Manhattan needs more record stores, I for one am happy of any news of a new record store opening in the city. I only wish it was located downtown. The two Academy stores in Manhattan are great but not enough, the other two or three that still exist are not even worth mentioning.

 

Yeah, but if there’s a reason to go there, surely you’ll go? I don’t go to Rockefeller Center unless I have a reason to go there, usually a show at Radio City Music Hall. But if I have a reason to go there, I’ll go, as it’s not outrageously arduous for me to get to. I never went to the old Rough Trade, even for shows I wanted to see, as it was just too hard to get there. I rarely go to Brooklyn - usually just for a show at Prospect Park if it is something very, very special.

 

Nope. No reason to go Rockefeller Center before and Rough Trade is not motivation enough to start going now. Just like you wanted to come to Brooklyn for a show at Rough Trade but you never did.

 

This looks intriguing, ever been there?
Westsider Records

 

Yeah this is surprising. Thinking of all the local bands I saw there when I lived in Williamsburg...can't imagine those bands or audiences going to Rockefeller Center.

 

For me to get to Williamsburg from my area of Brooklyn I have to go into Manhattan and double back on the L train. Only people who live in NYC will understand that.
To get to the new location will require a simple 15 minute train ride but I doubt I'll ever go, unless I'm up there around Christmas to see the tree.

 

Yes. Once. And that was enough.

 

I was quoting someone who lives in NJ. I do totally understand your disappointment with the move to Manhattan.

 

I took an Uber from mid-Manhattan last time I went there and was surprised how far away it seemed during the drive there.

 

No truer words have been spoken ! NYC is now a desert for recorded music, compared to 15 years age, when it was practically a paradise (you don't know what you got til it's gone ...)

Not really a fan of the Academy stores...

 

The Bruce in that photo is Bruce Eder, who is an excellent writer on music and film....he used to write a lot of CD reviews for Goldmine and the All Music Guide, and has worked on several blurays/DVDs for Criterion

 

As a former Brooklynite, I understand quite well !

 

Like the owners of J&R did

 

Great. Apparently he's a better music writer than a used record curator/buyer.

 

I wonder if this will be it...
I went to the Brooklyn location a few times...it was alright, but my memories of Tower and J&R and virgin and HMV, even the Wiz (!!) and Best Buy (!!!) are too burned into my brain . I probably bought more T Shirts in Rough Trade than actual music .

My question is will the new store be Vinyl only. I'm a CD guy....anything for me ?