Tower Records closing it's doors!

[oznob]

I heard that Tower Records is closing for good. I guess another casualty of direct and on-line marketing? For one who has been a long time customer and appreciated their vast selection of music, it is a sad day!:(

[scott fitlin]

Yeah, they have been auctioned off, and the chain will be liquidated. 3000 people LOSE their jobs.

Sales have declined due to downloading, and online purchasing, and Tower is 200mil in debt, and they couldnt get out from under.

And, it is sad as they had a major vast selection of everything, I shopped there big time, as well as the small specialty stores.

The machines are taking over.

[Ken Pachkowsky]

Thats a shame, I see the same happening here with an old established chain called A&B Sound.

[Bernard Wolf]

The machines are taking over.

Yeah, no kidding... I have a small used book/recprd store I have been running for 20 yrs now and the sales just keep dropping and dropping.. wondering where the bottom might be. What ever happened to serendipity? How will you find something you never heard about if you don't see it somewere? Everything - audio included - is being 'dumbed down'.. sad really.

Bernard

[Titanium Dome]

There was a chance to save some of the stores and some of the jobs, but the judge said no. So it all goes.

Hopefully there's one market supply source that won't dry up soon, and that's the flea market. Yes, it's dirty, smelly, and filled with hucksters, but there's gold in those heaps of rubble.

[jbl4ever]

In the early 80's this was one of the great record shops to get MF half speeds and their UHQR albums. Towards the end of the records the store
was selling off UHQR. The Rolling Stones Boxed set for $100.00 and the UHQR's for 20 to $25 each. About 4 months ago found the usual great finds.They are about 35 miles from me WILL MISS THEM:biting:

[takenodisk]

:( Yes guys virtual shopping at home kills physical jobs,and those tiny players that everybody fancies doesnt help keeping the music industry either,some call it evolution,i agree as well but go tell theese 3000 guys about their future and new technology,sorry to leave you i have to take my aibo for a walk!!

[scott fitlin]

The real irony of the entire situation the music industry is in, that they wanted to push the digital technology forward, and now with downloads, and XM, and Sirius radio, NO ONE IS BUYING MUSIC ANYMORE!

Much pop music is almost totally electronic these days, no more recordings using session players, studios, recording and mastering engineers, etc.

It was the industry itself that pushed us into " Virtual Products " and now they are the ones crying they arent selling like they used to, and wonder why no one is buying music anymore.

They wanted it, They got it! Now deal with it!

[scott fitlin]

I was at Tower today, shopping, they have signs saying they are closing, but, they dont know when the last day is. They are selling off their stock at up to 30% off, get there and buy your music now.

Sad to see em go, but, Ill take the savings and stock up

Gonna miss their amazing jazz section!

[Thom]

I agree but, an awful lot of people sounded a lot like that only more sincere when tower put them out of business. I don't have a hidden message there don't even know what it means and for sure I don't think it's a good thing but on their way from a drug store in sacramento to offices in new york at one time owning quite a bit of distribution they left bodies scattered all over.

[scott fitlin]

I agree but, an awful lot of people sounded a lot like that only more sincere when tower put them out of business. I don't have a hidden message there don't even know what it means and for sure I don't think it's a good thing but on their way from a drug store in sacramento to offices in new york at one time owning quite a bit of distribution they left bodies scattered all over.Unfortunately, thats part of buisiness. Toys `R` Us did the same thing. Put all the local town toy stores under. Home Depot? Same thing.

Before Tower, you had your local record shops, and yes, Tower did put many out of buisiness, but, the really good specialty shops remained. Tower was a big store that had more than most local shops, thats why people went there.

I see a day, when there are no more music stores to go to. Youll buy it all online. Thats where we are headed!

[audition]

Friday I called our local Tower Records store to check stock on a certian CD..... they didnt have it in stock..... but the clerk also told me that only the retail stores are closing --- tower.com will remain open!!! news that I didn't hear on "the NEWS"

[hjames]

Friday I called our local Tower Records store to check stock on a certain CD..... they didnt have it in stock..... but the clerk also told me that only the retail stores are closing --- Tower.com (http://www.towerrecords.com/Default.aspx) will remain open!!! news that I didn't hear on "the NEWS"
Sure - but why bother - browsing through a local stores stock is one thing, but for online, I've always had great luck with Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/). There I can choose to buy new, or I can buy a used copy for less (which usually look and play fine). Tower (and Best Buy selling CDs) drove out all the cool local music stores in the DC area (Kemp Mill Records and the like), so I've no real sympathy for Tower closing ...
Besides, when it comes to the big box retailers, Tower missed a lesson ... Sell it cheap! They were full list price (or close to it) every time I went in -

[jim campbell]

the reason the prices were higher may have been to facilitate keeping that great jazz section afloat.most jazz titles do not sell enough to be priced as low as the mass market stuff.and if all of those places are gone why would amazon feel it necessary to be competitive.our a+b outlet was a great source but it could not compete.hmv is not in the same league when it comes to jazz or other music not aimed at a 12 year old audience.i like the low prices as much as the next guy but i sure do miss finding those gems at a+b.how does that saying go............the bitter taste of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is gone

[scott fitlin]

the reason the prices were higher may have been to facilitate keeping that great jazz section afloat.most jazz titles do not sell enough to be priced as low as the mass market stuff.and if all of those places are gone why would amazon feel it necessary to be competitive.our a+b outlet was a great source but it could not compete.hmv is not in the same league when it comes to jazz or other music not aimed at a 12 year old audience.i like the low prices as much as the next guy but i sure do miss finding those gems at a+b.how does that saying go............the bitter taste of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is goneSo treu, so true! Jim, you know, for jazz I always shopped Tower on W4th in manhattan. best damn jazz section anywhere, even better than the dedicated jazz music stores.

For me, it was worth the price, simply because they always had whatever I wanted, as well as stuff I was unaware of that the salespeople turned me onto!

Instead of having to special order it, and wait a week to get it!

[hjames]

Guess you all had a much better Tower in New York than the one we had here in Fairfax. I'd try looking for Celtic music and would find no one knowledgable - world music was a pretty small section ...
When I asked questions on Classical (Hilliard Ensemble, for instance) I was mostly on my own.
When I was looking for Great American songbook stuff (anything much beyond Frank or Tony Benett, ...nada ...)
I gather they knew more youth market stuff than Jazz or much of anything else. If there was no personal service, then no reason to pay a premium, heh?
At least online I can google it myself and find quite a bit - and lots of good leads on music from the folks here (Jennifer Warnes, Boz - Dig, etc) tho I haven't aquired the taste for Patricia barber yet, I did try ...

[jim campbell]

thats a shame.the manager from our now closed a+b was always willing to go the extra mile for the special orders and the selection was way better than what you describe.thanks leanne.but i still feel that the towers and the a+b's were far better than the mass market outlets like hmv.at least they made the effort to stock things that were not going to sell tons.i must have bought 200 discs while they were here and they even stocked a good selection of new vinyl.i use amazon too but i had to be dragged in kicking and screaming.i always liked hanging out in music stores and have been turned on to so many great acts by just talking to the more knowlegeable sales people.getting out and doing stuff is much better than sitting at a keyboard.sign o the times i guess

[Zilch]

World and Traditional?

Down Home Music, Zilch's favorite music store:

http://www.downhomemusic.com/

Right next to Arhoolie! :p

[jim campbell]

thats good to know z,i wonder if we should consider devoting space for a reference area for those websites or would it deteriorate into a mish mash of ads for god knows what

[scott fitlin]

Guess you all had a much better Tower in New York than the one we had here in Fairfax. I'd try looking for Celtic music and would find no one knowledgable - world music was a pretty small section ...
When I asked questions on Classical (Hilliard Ensemble, for instance) I was mostly on my own.
When I was looking for Great American songbook stuff (anything much beyond Frank or Tony Benett, ...nada ...)
I gather they knew more youth market stuff than Jazz or much of anything else. If there was no personal service, then no reason to pay a premium, heh?
At least online I can google it myself and find quite a bit - and lots of good leads on music from the folks here (Jennifer Warnes, Boz - Dig, etc) tho I haven't aquired the taste for Patricia barber yet, I did try ...The Tower on W4th and Broadway in NYC was a great, great store. But, your in NYC, the melting pot, they had a huge and diverse catalog of product.

Their pop and rock music stock was great, the jazz, you found everytthing you wanted, my mother loved the Manhattan stores classical selection.

The ONLY thing they werent the best at, which I shopped the specialty import shops for, was dance music. Serious club music was still the domain of the small store, specialty retailer that catered to DJ clientele. But, even this has changed, now, its all about downloads from www.beatport.com (http://www.beatport.com) and www.traxsource.com (http://www.traxsource.com).

I have to say, that even I shop online now, because if you want the serious selection avalability, this is where its at, online!

[Ken Pachkowsky]

lots of good leads on music from the folks here (Jennifer Warnes, Boz - Dig, etc) tho I haven't aquired the taste for Patricia barber yet, I did try ...

I have aquired some great music through the help of feelow members as well.

Patricia Barber is not for everyone. I like much of her stuff till she gets into the high pitched wailing/howling style.

Ken

[Titanium Dome]

The Tower on W4th and Broadway in NYC was a great, great store. But, your in NYC, the melting pot, they had a huge and diverse catalog of product.

Their pop and rock music stock was great, the jazz, you found everytthing you wanted, my mother loved the Manhattan stores classical selection.

The ONLY thing they werent the best at, which I shopped the specialty import shops for, was dance music. Serious club music was still the domain of the small store, specialty retailer that catered to DJ clientele. But, even this has changed, now, its all about downloads from www.beatport.com (http://www.beatport.com) and www.traxsource.com (http://www.traxsource.com).

I have to say, that even I shop online now, because if you want the serious selection avalability, this is where its at, online!

Dance tracks, yes! :dj-party:

Have you cruised DJ Rhythms Dance Music Database? Like Lansing Heritage, it's a resource--no sales.

http://www.djrhythms.com/db/