http://clatl.com/cribnotes/archives/201 ... al-records

That store rules. Hate to see it go.

go buy this, my boy Juan's new band

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/monstro/id459186572

Even though I have never been there, it breaks my heart everytime a record store goes under.

I am making the ride to Vintage Vinyl later today to spend some $$. I know it won't be around forever, and it will be a sad sad day when it does go under.

There's basically 2 record stores left in Cincinnati. One is on either side of the city, so they pretty much have the remaining markets cornered. It will be a sad day when those are gone.

Shit, this really sucks.

I've been going there a little more frequently lately, but I definitely go a lot less than I used to. When I lived in the area, and they were at their old location, I went like once a week. I still like them, and despite what I've heard a lot of people say, I always thought that the people who work there were super nice, if not super knowledgeable.

They took a big chance when they moved to their current location, I think, and I don't think it created the growth in business that they needed it to. I remember being really disappointed in their selection after the move and thinking that they really weren't utilizing the larger space very well. Recently, though, their vinyl selection has really started to grow, and I've been finding a lot more of the things I've been looking for.

So yeah, this bums me out. I'm planning to spend some time there next week on my day off, and now I'm definitely going to be picking up a bunch of stuff. I hope that their going out of business isn't a sure thing, but the writing seems to be on the wall for just about every kind of brick-and-mortar these days. For them, especially, I think they took a big business risk, and it didn't pay off. I hate to say it, but it isn't surprising they would be the first of Atlanta's indie record stores (that I know of) to have to close. On the bright side, maybe this will help keep Wax 'N Facts in business since they won't have the competition.

I assume that Grimey's in Nashville is doing relatively ok as an indie record store, and the Nashville community really supports it. They also have friendly staff that makes those music fans going in to buy the latest Silent Majority Rock CD or LP feel comfortable doing so.
I wonder what is different about Nashville, with a metro area population 1.5 million and supports two indie stores (The Groove in East Nashville and Grimey's on the west side) and Atlanta, with a metro area population of 5 million, with ever increasing gentrification in the surrounding area of Little 5? Is it the thousands of yuppies and creative class who live within a 5 - 10 minute drive of Criminal who aren't supporting the local indie record shop?
And as far as the linked article's anecdote about the Yo La Tengo instore with 350 attendees and only 20 CDs/LPs were sold... Did they think that after being packed like sardines into a store that people's first reaction upon the show ending would be to continue to hang out shoulder to shoulder with other music nerds? No, they wanted to get out of that scenario as quickly as possible.

This on the heels of Schoolkids Records in Athens closing a couple weeks ago.

I'm sorry those guys find themselves in this situation. What can I say? Times are fucking tough out there and sometimes you find yourself having made bad decisions and in an industry that is in rapid decline.

I will say that I would be more distressed if it was Wax N Facts since I've done a hell of a lot more business there over the years. Always liked Criminal though--nice folks.

why did they move in the first place? was it so they could have bands play there?

thankfully, Radioactive Records in Fort Lauderdale is still running strong. place is rammed with people often. i'll cry, a lot if they ever go under.

The old store was really tiny. You got twenty people in there and it was packed. Plus they didn't have a lot of space to display inventory, and there was no room to browse. You basically went in, looked around for a couple of minutes, and then ended up asking if they had whatever you were looking for. If not, that was it. Nothing else to see and not really a comfortable place to kill time. But I guess they were probably doing pretty well when they were over there and thought they could afford to expand.

They always claimed to have more inventory than what they had on display at the old location, and that if you didn't see something you were looking for, you should always ask. But in my experience over several years of going there, if it wasn't out in the display cases, they didn't have it. And when they moved to the new location, it became pretty clear that they weren't hoarding tons of stuff in storage over the years.

I don't remember when exactly they moved, but I'm pretty sure the move was underway (or done) before the economy tanked.

I am doing a benefit for them...

Well if this isn't a nice turd in the cheerios today.

Totally blows. I've spent several thousand dollars in that place over the years.

I wish I had a record store in this town to spend money at.

I'll be really bummed if that ever happens. Used to go there once per every pay period; I miss living close by.

Vintage Vinyl actually makes me not miss Hollywood's Amoeba as much....and that is saying something...if it were only twice the size!