February 25, 2008
Schoolkids Records in Chapel Hill Closing
Posted by Larry Karnowski at February 25, 2008 5:30 PMThe landmark independent record store in Chapel Hill, Schoolkids Records, is shutting down, moving its stock to their Raleigh location. Mike Phillips, the owner, is quoted as saying the foot traffic into the store basically just died sixteen months ago. He continues, "The record companies these days are basically run by CPAs. ... [They] don't realize when a list price on a compact disc is $19, people are not going to pay that."
I'm not sure what to feel anymore. Part of me is sad, seeing these landmarks fall away, but part of me is expectant and excited -- something new and better will come of this. I honestly haven't bought many CDs from a small record store in years. I pretty much buy my music online, often from the artists themselves. Isn't that a good thing?
I just wish this was a "Best Buy" or a "Wal-Mart" going out of business instead. Bittersweet.
>>Isn't that a good thing?>>
Yeah buying Cd's from artists is a good thing but so is supporting quality record stores. They have long been a great breeding ground for local music scenes. It's hard to get the record clerk online to suggest a cool local band to people buying CDs with a similar sound.
I'm still pretty damn young but I love going to my local indie store (Boo Boo's in SLO, CA) to pick stuff up. Sometimes i know I can get an album a buck or two cheaper at Best Buy but it feels like i'm giving more back to a place that has given me a helluvas lot more then cheap CD's.
Posted by: at February 25, 2008 10:25 PMYeah, I second the above. Buying music online means you miss out on great, potentially life-changing experiences like hearing something playing in the store and having a great chat with the clerk about what it is, or having the clerk size up what you're buying and suggest 37 other things you might like.
Sure, you can browse endlessly online and read suggestions generated by a machine (or reviews by real people), but there's nothing that competes with the face-to-face music chat with a stranger you end up wanting to hug (even if he did just put a major ding in your bank account).
Dang, I hate hearing news like this.
Posted by: stacy at February 26, 2008 1:14 AMI live in Charleston. We have a few indie music stores - but they're much much more punk-oriented than I prefer. So rather than shop locally or even on iTunes, I order my music from the absolute greatest music store in the southeastern United States. And I pay the small shipping charge and the slightly higher music prices because I actually want to support indie music stores. And because they are so much more knowledgeable about music than the people who work at the big boxes.
Damn. I'm getting gushy.
The knowledge of the staff at most local/indie music stores is well worth the extra couple of bucks on a new album (or seven).
Posted by: Carlton Swift at February 27, 2008 4:27 PMCarlton, are you gonna let us know the name of this blessed temple of music consumerism? ;-)
Posted by: larry at February 28, 2008 10:24 AMI know! I know! He's talking about Horizon Records in Greenville, South Carolina, and it absolutely IS the best music store in the southeastern United States. Or anywhere I've been, for that matter.
Posted by: stacy at February 29, 2008 1:57 AM
