Record stores in the news. Record stores on my mind.

I spend a lot of time remembering fondly the days of my record store employment. For approximately six long years, I sold CDs (back when they lived in longboxes) and tapes, cassingles and concert tickets. It's funny how through the passage of time, it's hard for me to remember anything but fun times in that little brick and mortar store on Nolensville Road. Surely there was a reason that each and every December, I recall announcing that this would be my last Christmas in retail. In fact, my coworkers always said the same thing...year in and year out.

I've been thinking of part-time jobs lately and would love to work a few hours a day in a record store. But it's hard to imagine, given the state of record retail today, that any are doing well enough to be hiring anyway. Maybe I'll park cars for Christmas tips, instead.

Anyway, here are some links to recent news stories about record stores:

Record-Store Clerk Blues - "If you can’t alphabetize, then leave it to the professionals."

Police raid former record store - "A sign outside reads Rarebird Records, but police say for months a storefront has been a hotspot for illegal gambling."

Woman commits suicide at record store - Just a tragic story. Including it anyway.

I thought the links would be more interesting than these. All of the others are just press releases about different independents and chains closing their doors and declaring bankruptcy.

What were/are your fave record stores? I never went to Lucy's on Church Street back in the 90s, but I did frequent a tiny shop whose name I can't recall on Elliston while it lasted. (John, do you remember its name?) I worked at Turtle's, Waves, and Blockbuster Music (formerly Turtle's), and currently shop - albeit rarely - at Phonoluxe and Grimey's.