Save Those Old Record Stores

Our old mom-and-pop-type record stores are going the same way as the mom-and-pop motels. Each year, there are fewer and fewer of them. And, evidently, that is not just happening here.

I was cruising the net and came across an article about the closing of the Route 66 Record Store in Ulster, Northern Ireland. It was better known as Robert's as in the name of owner Robert Clarke, who knew his music, but MP3 downloading killed his business of 16 years.

"The trend in downloadable music has made the music disposable. In the past young people could remember their first album (mine was Herman's Hermits Greatest Hits) they bought, but, these days, when an MP3 gets too full, they discard some tracks to make room. It reduces music to Kentucky fried status, completely disposable," said Robert Clarke.

I miss the old record stores. Nothing much finer than listening to an album, or CD, as well as having questions answered by someone who really knew what they were talking about. Try to do that in a Big Box. Then there were the great conversations with the owners and other like-minded record fanatics. Great place to spend several hours, indeed!!

In the past year, I have lost Full Cyrkle Records in Crystal Lake, Il. and The Record Rack in Goldsboro, NC. There is still a great one in Dekalb, Il., called Record Revolution, right on the historic Lincoln Highway, but how much longer it will be there is in doubt. I'd best be motivating there before it is too late.

But, mind you, I AM part of the problem. I'm cheap and like to pay rock bottom prices for my CDs, so patronize the Big Boxes like Circuit City, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. I especially like their debut prices, usually $9.99. My "excuse" is that there are no record stores near me. However, I'm just cheap.

However, I must admit, I have NEVER, EVER downladed anything, so maybe I'm not all bad.

Sure Missing Those Old Record Stores. --RoadDog