but it was inevitable; they brought it upon themselves the day they stopped caring about music and only wanted profit.

www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/40-sad-portraits...closed-record-stores

Not sure if we can blame the shops. Moving times i'm afraid.
As much as we lament the record shop it has made life a lot easier and less risky for labels
and artists. Ask anyone who has tried for months to be paid by their distributor

I think it’s a bit hard saying they brought it upon themselves. Most of the stores featured are based in America, and I can’t speak for them, but I know a lot of the independents who have closed in the UK never had profit expectations ever above that which is necessary for the business to survive and provide a reasonable standard of living. Yes there were many who were lazy, relied on being chart return (to get everything free) who had no idea of the word “service” or even “business” for that matter. But they went 10 to 15 years ago. In the last 5 years we’ve been losing really good stores. Initially they were very much under-supported by their suppliers, who were too busy building up EUK-supplied accounts. (Why send a rep to visit one store when you could visit Woolworths head office and do a deal in 800 odd stores?). By the time the record companies spotted the error of their ways and started giving the indies “real support” (as opposed to just bunging no-hope priority releases to the shops), it was too little too late. On top of having the supermarkets creaming off the top, they are having to compete with VAT-free retailers like Amazon and Play, and both paid-for and pirated digital retailing.

On saying that, I believe there are around 100 really good indie record stores left in the UK, and, with Record Store Day coming up, it looks like there is some real support being given by the majors. The limited edition exclusive releases look genuinely real. (I.e. not just more “priorities”.) The record companies have realised that it is in their interest to support these genuinely passionate retailers. I don’t think anybody can accuse the remaining retailers that they are only in it for the money. Most could probably earn more on benefits!

Please, those reading this board, give them your support this weekend. Once the horse has bolted, it won’t be coming back!

You see, Dixie, I don't think anyone should "support" retailers; I think retailers should provide something that makes us want to visit them. Now that has changed totally due to the advent of Amazon (your fault; you first turned me onto Amazon and now I'm a total addict!). But it is still possible for retail to be the place to visit, meet like minded music lovers, get a coffee whilst hearing great sounds at massive volume, buy things they want (like exclusive product and posters) - many of which should be manufactured by the individual shops (with permission from copyright owners clearly)...

My SHOP! TV concept (outlined on here) would really ignite interest.

But we need intelligent (impossible) executive support.

The shop you describe is very much like Rough Trade in Brick Lane, and I agree, providing services like coffee etc., should be what today’s record stores should be offering. I also think Rob Salter’s (Tesco) idea of paying just 50p for each CD at point of order, and only paying the balance at the point of sale, (or at the point of not being able to return it), would allow record stores to increase their range with minimal outlay. But I mentioned it in my last post, allowing the same goods to be bought VAT-free from one retailer but not another is completely unfair. (Not to mention that this is tax avoidance at an incredibly serious level - Take note George Osborne! Reducing the threshold from £18 to £15 is virtually meaningless, because virtually all CDs - and DVDs - are sold at below this amount, which equates to £18 when VAT is included!).

I hope the indies - and HMV for that matter - Can work with the Record Companies to ensure Record Stores remain a fixture on our High Streets. It will be sad, especially for the younger generations, if they were to be lost forever.

When Richard opened the Megastores in Times Square in 96' and in Boston in 02' I was at both outstanding opening parties (Foo Fighters playing in the lobby in Times Square), and yet I'll tell you if a record store couldn't stay open in Boston with 300,000 College kids within a 2 mile radius of the store......could any record store anywhere stay open?

Grand old times!

I don't think anything can replace the record store experience ...be it Times Square, 1 Piccadilly, or the local mom and pop.