Last bastia

[David Ayers]

Well, I was in Harold Moores records and Foyles (where Ray's Jazz now resides as well as a classical section). It was Saturday morning and there were no customers in Harold Moores and maybe one or two in Foyles. By contrast we were in the new London branch of Victoria's Secret, where I guess the item-price is about the same as a CD shop, and the stuff was walking out the door. In central London you need to be selling stuff hand-over-fist to survive and I found myself wondering if these two outfits were near the end (not Foyles itself - well, I did wonder that actually - but the record store part). Couple of weeks ago I was in Lou's Records (Encinitas, CA). Though they reduced their premises they now seem to be surviving in some kind of niche, with lots of specialist indie and links to local bands, something a bit different from the 'CD collectors' model, but still surviving if not thriving.

So how about near you? How many stores do you see that look at or near the end?

[J.A.W.]

My good friend Sem van Gelder, who owns and runs "Swingmaster", the only specialist blues and jazz records and CDs store here in Groningen, is thinking of retiring next year, after 25+ years.

Edited September 18, 2012 by J.A.W.

[cih]

To be honest Ray's lost me when they first moved into Foyles - the blues and roots section was so reduced from the old premises I didn't make the trip more than once or twice.

I 'found' a nice shop in York the other day - 'Rebound' - where jazz was clearly the main focus of the proprietor, and there was a good roots section too. It's been there about six years apparently. Then there's Jumbo in Leeds which seems a permanent fixture

Edited September 18, 2012 by cih