Why are so many record stores still closing?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by radickeyfan, Jul 15, 2016.

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  1. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    They were going to close all Ireland stores in 2013. This looks like a local decision. In fact in UK they are in profit and have overtaken Amazon for music sales.

    HMV re-claims position as UK's second biggest entertainment retailer »

    It appears Hilco Ireland is a separate operation and they are planning to replace stores with a digital service. I hope you have some decent independents over there! Can always order Lps from the Uk on-line operation or Amazon. Actually while they appear to be making a decent effort with vinyl in the UK the actual stock in my local store is quite limited. The manager told me that it was still very much a niche product which suggests vinyl sales aren't propping up the business. In fact HMV claimed a while back that 1 in 4 UK buyers are CD only and never do downloads. So this may still be their main music business.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
  2. ranasakawa

    ranasakawa Forum Resident

    I don't know how music stores survive in Australia with the stuff they actually stock. I walk in, look at the racks and it's all the same old same old.
    They need to be more innovative (out the box) not just the usual top 40 stuff that I'll never buy.
     
  3. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Amoeba is terrific for used CDs and new LPs.
     
    quicksrt likes this.
  4. CraigC

    CraigC Live It Up

    Location:
    LI, NY
    Infinity Records, Massapequa Park
     
    chef0069 likes this.

  5. PLAy It Again in Bethlehem will be closing is my understanding, but they own the building and are repurposing.


    RSD Has turned from something once useful to independent stores to a cynical overpriced ploy by the Majors, which has seen less and less store participation. Why sell overpriced no margin reissued vinyl when you can sell a used copy with a nice margin affordably??
     
    krlpuretone likes this.
  6. Satrus

    Satrus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cork, Ireland
    I have to agree with you. People buying online have to pay high shipping costs. Surely that offsets any monetary saving one might make by not buying locally? From 1995 up to 2009, I (and friends of mine) paid really high shipping costs on records bought via U.S. online retailers. We had no other choice other than to forego having these records. In more recent times, I can find the records that I need at my local retailer or he will order them for me. Also, he doesn't price gouge and I even get a small discount more often than not. It is only used records or deleted albums that I seek online nowadays. Also and this is important, I have far better luck buying locally as regards defective records than I ever had buying online. I can hardly recall when last I returned a record for this reason.
     
  7. PHILLYQ

    PHILLYQ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    The magazine business is having very hard times now, also.
     
    Mr Bass likes this.
  8. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Indeed they are.
     
  9. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I spent two days record shopping in Amsterdam last year and it was an embarrassment of riches, at least for used vinyl. I went to six stores, mostly within the canals. Concerto and especially Record Friend were the best, but I could have spent another few days going to the stores I missed. Just a great record shopping city (and great city in general).
     
    Mazzy likes this.
  10. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Thanks - I'll go there next time I'm in Nassau County!
     
  11. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    Most likely the interwebs.
    Selling just records is tough. Something like a Newbury Comics is more likely so stay afloat. Selling t-shirts,stickers,mugs, magnets, novelties, etc helps bring in other people.
     
  12. jimac51

    jimac51 A mythical beast.

    Location:
    Allentown,pa.
    Yeah,had to go through six pages of posts to see if anyone(including original post #1) had mentioned PIA yet. What is the big secret? Facebook page says last day around Aug.12,after 35 years(two different locations,if I have that right), including a fire many years ago(heh,heh). Was never a fan but occasionally went in with my first born to scope out the place. Rarely saw a bargain and I don't think I have one purchase still in this room. You could write "dust me" on the CD racks;located in a college town and a place turning touristy with gambling and a lame annual event called Musikfest,so maybe gentrification is getting the better of the space.
    Meanwhile,Double Decker Records celebrates 20 years this very weekend (along with music label Square of Opposition's 15th) with a three-day live music marathon( including today and Sun. at nearby Merchants Square(the store is also open today-10AM-6PM).
    Why DD and not PIA? Well,scope out that PIA Facebook page and see the disgruntled guy who walked away just this past Wed. I concur with that review. Also,check out the GOB blurb and see that the last post was just after RSD,three months ago. Meanwhile,Jamie at DD posts multiple times daily,sometimes hours before he opens and on off days. And DD has bins and bins of stuff on a 50% sale while his 50 cent room is cleaned out of LPs & 12" at a rate of about four weeks-that's 12 turns per year. Sure,I can walk there(heart condition and all that),but I'm always bringing home stuff and keeping within my budget(I kid Jamie that I'm on Direct Deposit-a lame joke but true).
    A guy in Hellertown opened three years ago and closed over a year ago. His rent was super low,then the new lease came due and he was outta there(still doing business,I believe, at home and on the road).
    Add to this, a half hour away in Kutztown,Young Ones(a store title that screams the MTV '80s),moved two years ago to a huge spot that they still don't know how to configure,outside of live band shows,which are OK,but it's tough to buy when the music is drowning things out. Lots of folk love 'em,but I don't understand it. You can dust some of that mdse.,too,but I digress.
    So things are just changing,and not necessarily for the worst.
     
    zphage likes this.
  13. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    Not just now. The dead-tree industry has been sinking for nearly 20 years. Newspapers and magazines are hemorrhaging money, only the ones with strong online profile (or billionaire patrons like Bezos) will still be around in another decade.
     
  14. Clonesteak

    Clonesteak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Are you Talking about Corner Record Store now Satellite Records in Kalamazoo?
    Either way that sounds exactly like the one in your post.
     
  15. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    Does Amazon sell quality used vinyl?
     
  16. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    This leaves us with... Tower Records (2 branches), Freebird Records, Spindizzy Records, The Record Spot and Golden Discs (vinyl to a lesser extent).

    JG
     
  17. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Unfortunately Tower disappeared in UK even before USA. There was a big one in Birmingham which still did vinyl up till late 90s - closed soon after. HMV is now the only UK music chain left.
     
  18. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    Not to my experience, no. Seems like most sellers are people who got kicked off eBay and would never cut it at discogs. Bottom feeders.
     
    EasterEverywhere likes this.
  19. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    So true. I don't know what it is about music that brings the snark out of everyone, including the sales help. It is so insulting, especially when they show your purchase to another employee and they both snicker. Okay. Amazon it is. They can smirk but I don't have to see it. :)
     
  20. I agree about the environment issue. An inviting place to hang out will always get my business.

    If you have the space, add a side cafe and run it right. You may even make more there to off set the record portion. The markup on coffee alone is very high.

    I love that Easy Street in Seattle has a full breakfast lunch spot connected which is usually packed. Love it.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
    chacha and LeeGriffin like this.
  21. Yeah Amazon is no longer the cheap place to buy. But it is the most convenient and easy for exchanges
     
  22. Zongadude

    Zongadude Music is the best

    Location:
    France
    In a word: people don't buy records anymore.
    We are being regrouped in a niche that is getting smaller everyday, people.
     
    andrewskyDE and Dynamic Ranger like this.
  23. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    That's not true, new vinyl sales have increases dramatically every year for several years. Pressing plants are booked months in advance.
     
    Purple, stax o' wax and melstapler like this.
  24. lennonfan1

    lennonfan1 Senior Member

    Location:
    baltimore maryland
    ...and it's not like used collectable lps suddenly became worthless.
    Quality 78rpm records can still fetch good coin...
     
  25. because buying online is cheaper- I picked up Gerry and the pacemakers 4 cd set for $19.99 total brand new. a few months ago it was at amoeba in Hollywood for $60.00. same deal for the challengers 4 cd box $19.00 brand new at amoeba $40.00.
     
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