read up kiddies....


http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Mus ... index.html

CNN has an interesting article on the fate of the indie store in light of the competition the stores face from both big box retailers like Best Buy and aggressive online services like iTunes.

According to the story, there are about 800 fewer independent music stores now than in 2003, according to Clark Benson, founder of Almighty Institute of Music Retail, a market research group that maintains a database of retail music outlets.

Competition from "loss leaders" is part of the problem:

Big box chains often sell new releases and hit titles at a loss, and at a price that is lower than indie stores' wholesale costs from their distributors, Consumers want and expect new releases to have low prices, so indie stores get by on a very small margin on some titles while still coming in way above big box prices."

But indie stores still distinguish themselves, due to their support and contributions to musicians and independent bands. The story adds:

Everybody in my store is in a band, writing a comic, is working on a novel, they're in a touring band and [sometimes ask] 'Hey, can I leave for three weeks and go rock and then come back?'" Levin said. "They ask, 'Can I use the fax machine to book my gig? Can I put up artwork in the [coffeeshop]?' -- Can you imagine even asking a question like that at Best Buy?

Yeah, independant stores have to target a different market and provide something the big stores don't. They're simply not goinng to be able to compete on a price level selling large numbers of top 40 hits to people who buy like 3-4 CDs a year, so they've gotta offer something else. Maybe its a selection of music not carried at the bigger stores, or maybe as a distribuition point for music info around town, etc...

We've got two pretty solid and stable indepentand record stores aroud here. A couple others, but two main ones, really. One flourishes by carrying a huge jazz selection that you're not gonna find elsewhere, including an absolutely top notch jazz vinyl selection. The other carries a lot of local music and less popular rock stuff that would be hard to get elsewhere and hosts quite a few in-stores and such events.

It's really, really hard to compete against the big boys in any retail sector, but at least selling music gives ample opportunity to seperate from the pack. Poor folks who got used to running shops selling standard consumer goods are pretty much totally fucked as there's really not too much you can do to distinguish yourself from the bigger, cheaper stores if you're peddling toilet paper.

Used cd's is what keeps the indie's alive.

Amazon used, Half.com, second spin, and the likes are probably really cutting into that.

I try to shop at those two as much as possible.

unfortunately, the combination of a big music budget cutback and moving out of denver (and away from twist'n'shout) has kept me from shopping at their store in many, many months. i miss looking through their used cds and other items.

this is why i think vinyl is really more than just a niche for these stores. gemm is fine, but i never hear anyone talking about it. i know the vinyl bins are always crowded when i go to any independent record stores.

Once again, Nebraska is an anomaly to this. Our independent record chain has a store in downtown Lincoln and the Old Market in Omaha that probably sustain its existence, but they also have a store on Saddle Creek Road in Omaha that outlasted a Target store.
Most of the Best Buys around here are nowhere near the indie record stores, it is almost two distinct areas of commerce. Best Buy is buy a bunch of fast food restaurants and TJ Maxx, while there are three indie record stores downtown amongst all the bars.
It seems to work for Lincoln and Omaha to have trendy shop areas in historical districts that don't really have any global retailers moving in.

damn. i walked a bunch from qwest to some hotel (embassy) thru the old market for a week and never saw an indie store. this was back in...2002 or 2001 i think. hit a couple of bars, a good steakhouse and little italian restaurant, but didn't see nary a cd shop. :\

Yep, but they (Homer's) have been around a long time and I think have been smart about marketing. There's also Drastic Plastic in the Old Market, but (if it's still open even) it really is a shell of what it used to be (when it was on 13th Street).

Here, in Grand Rapids, there is one main indie store where I buy about 90% of what I buy. To me, buying music, is much more than just acquiring the product. I've come to know the manager and most of the clerks at the store and they go out of their way for me (it doesn't hurt that I spend a fair amount of dough in there, too). It's just such a different experience than going to a big box chain store, and VERY different from clicking a few buttons to buy stuff online.

Actually I think Drastic Plastic looks better after the recent remodel a few years back. It no longer reaks of marijauna, they cut back on cult movie t-shirts and a bit on vinyl. They have a much larger new vinyl and used cd section now. There is also recycled sound here in Lincoln and Dirt Cheap in the Old Market, which are truly your vinyl stores.

You are right with Homers, and thus why it is an anomaly. When you walk through the Old Market, you kind of have to stick your head in the door to find some of the cool stores. Homers is as clear as day though in the Old Market. The Antiquarium though is a huge old bookstore with a punk record store in the basement. They used to have a porn shop down there too.

This is nostalgia for me. I had no idea Dirt Cheap was still open. And Homer's used to (do they still?) advertise on the TV, which is a rarity for an independent record store in my experience. Regarding Drastic Plastic, I haven't been in there in probably 5 years, but then it was cramped and didn't seem to have much in it but shirts. It was disappointing because I started going to DP when they were first starting and was vinyl only. They grew a lot in the years when I was a frequent customer. Much of what I own and still listen to today was bought in that shop 15-20 years ago. I'm glad to hear they've done some things to change the place. The Old Market (and surrounding area) really has seemed to be immune to the big corporate giant stores (largely I think due to where it is geographically, but also because it seems to be "protected"). It's a great thing, if you ask me. I still try to get down to the Old Market when I'm back visiting my parents.

Yeah, they still do the H-O-M-E-R-S song for their commercials, but they usually run most of them near the holidays or when they have their huge sidewalk sale.

there's an independent store in the town where i grew up (population: around 5000) that advertises on tv. their ads come on really late at night, but they still get them on. then again, apparently a lot of their business is now in video games since the only other place to buy them there went out of business. that was the store where i learned to love music - knew all the employees, am still apparently the only lifetime member of their buyer's club, have been a part of more ridiculous stories than most employees over the years, discovered my favorite bands, etc.

i agree with stone. popular modern avenues for music-purchasing don't measure up with actually going to the store and discussing the music.

yr old

I think purchasing used discs through these channels typically supports an indie music store somewhere. I regularly buy from the same sellers with huge inventories. I also don't have a good indie store locally so it's my only choice.

I don't think Amoeba and Rasputin's are going away anytime soon. This does not impact me in the least.

I enjoy dropping cash at my local record store, even though I smell like incense when I leave.

We lost the only real indie, that is indie-music store in town this past year. I'm looking for a change in career direction and seriously considering filling the void. My store would have a much larger vinyl section.

hey baldy, you got anything productive to say?

Nope...how's fatherhood treatin' you?

I miss Michigan..we just hit the mid 90 a couple days this week, and I'm tired of summer.

OK...one thing about the thread. Rock and jazz are well served here by indie stores, but if you want anything electronic you're pretty much relegated to online sales, especially on vinyl.

The sadly departed Blackout! Records in Chicago (next door to the Music Box on Southport) introduced me to: Guided By Voices and Neutral Milk Hotel within a week of each other in 1995.

The also sadly departed Quaker Goes Deaf on North Ave. introduced me to Blue Ruin and had in-stores from Cornershop and Yo La Tengo within their cramped confines, among others.

We still got Reckless, but the attitude in there can be suffocating sometimes. That's why I go to Laurie's Planet Of Sound. I just hope that they survive.

Oh...and there is this newish place in town that has a very, very small but fun selection of mostly punk stuff. At least its really close to some good taco stands, so even if its no great shake record store wise, it makes for a nice afternoon. They hold fun in stores with local bands from time to time and its run by some good people.

http://www.tensionhead.net/

Fatherhood is tiring and stressful, but other than that, it's fantastic! It keeps me busy, and I'm not even spending the majority of the time taking care of the kids.

Damn, there was frost on the windows this morning here. High of 61 today.

How's your job? Is the wife practicing law yet or did she bag that idea for the time being?

Na...she's still social working...we're destined to die broke. She's expecting her bar results any time now. But, now she doesn't think she wants to be a lawyer. She really wanted to be a lawyer when she was strung out and thought a powerful job would give her a sense of control, but now that she's on the straight and narrow doesn't really care about it. Personally, I think she should be one just until the damn loans are paid off, but that's just me. Her life; her call.

New job's goin' pretty well actually. I'm back working in the ghetto, which suits me. Whenever I have to work with other college educated white folks, it turns out bad. I only seem to be able to stick with it if I'm working with rednecks or in the ghetto. Swore off office work for about a year there and was pretty happy doing construction, but the damn heat was a pain and this job sorta jumped up on me, so I'm OK with it. Money's a bit better too.

Doubt we'll ever have kids...at our ages, it's likely not even possible anymore without medical intervention. But, sounds like a worthwhile endevour. Glad to see some of the people having 'em are gonna put some decent ideas in their heads.

That's pretty much the update. If ya ever come down this way, let me know.

I actually occasionally shop at Second Spin's physical location in Santa Monica