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LP collectors in VA and NC take note...

Posted by KT88 (D) on July 11, 2006 at 15:56:03

Sadly, The Record Exchange stores will be closing their doors by the end of this month. All five remaining stores will close. They are trying to work a deal with a new owner to keep some of these open but it is not finalized.
They closed three stores in VA and two in NC earlier this year. The remaining stores are located in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem NC; also in Roanoke and Lynchburg VA.
They are selling all new and used Lp's at 50% off (this is in-store only and not available on-line). Also all $1 and $2 items are 50% off.
I am, of course, in no way affiliated with The Record Exchange, however I do have a lot of very fond memories of browsing their isles and migling with some of their employees at local music gigs and parties over the years. I chose their original building here in roanoke to start my business in and have found it pleasnatly haunted with good Lp kharma. I remember back when I first started collecting Lp's and this place was a long hallway with four continuous rows of thousands of Lp records. I also remember the advent of the CD and how they had a tiny stand dedicated to those at the entrance to the store and the front of one of those long isles. Over the years, the positions literally switched and the Lp bin was at the front of the store and CD's were found throughout the rest of the store. The Record Exchange here in Roanoke, moved to a larger store and finally to two different smaller locations before the announcement that they would be closing.
The reason given for the closing is internet downloading and person to person copying of "perfect digital copies of perfect digital copies". Also the trend of other retailers to lower their pricing to compensate for this "theft" or "sharing" (take your pick) of digital music has made it impossible for many companies including The Record Exchange to pay their employees, pay rent, advertize, buy inventory, and other normal operations of running a business. I don't know how the company stands exactly in terms of it's financial well being but from what I gather, the owner is a nice fellow and has not failed to pay any employees or anyone else. Instead, he has made the inevitable and regrettable decision to close the stores and with luck, sell the remaining chain. That makes ten stores in the Mid-Atlantic that shoppers will no longer be able to browse for or to sell Lp's in. I am sure there have been other chains which closed before in other parts of the region and country. It is perhaps the end of a great era of retail vinyl sales.
Sure you can rummage through stacks of dusty, moldy x-mas albums from prominent tire makers, fields of "Sing Along With Mitch" Lp's, and rows of back road, gospel choir classics just to find a single, fair to slightly grin inspiring condition copy of "The Long Run" but you will not be able to walk into an air conditioned store knowing that you will leave with a stack of sweet Lp's that suit your refined taste. (pardon me while I wipe a tear - Honk, snort, egh - OK ;-) RIP TREX
-Bill

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