This perfect moment will soon be leaving me

I sighed as I pushed open the sticker-covered door for a final time and stepped out into the bright sunlight. Blinking, I turned toward the crosswalk and walked toward my car.

After tonight, Vinyl Solution will exist only in the memories of Tuscaloosa music enthusiasts. I’ve only lived in the city for a year, but the store quickly became my favorite. I stumbled upon it during the early stages of the Great CD Collection Improvement of 2003. Vinyl contributed a number of important discs to my collection.

It was there that I found 1000 Kisses (one of my favorite CDs by one of my favorite musicians) for a measly $8.99. On a hot August afternoon, I hobbled out of the store with Hootie and the Blowfish and the Indigo Girls in hand. Dave Matthews’ solo effort wormed its way into my world after Vinyl offered it for $11. This afternoon, I made Garbage’s Version 2.0 (once a victim of the Great CD Clean Out of 2000) mine again. Thanks to close-out prices, the brand-new CD was $4.50.

What does that say to you, other than that I’ve got an uncanny ability to recall which CD I purchased where and when? Well, it might be evidence of the good times I associate with that hole-in-the-wall shop on The Strip. CD buying is a loner’s sport, and most of mine has been conducted accordingly. I’ve spent hours browsing the racks at Vinyl and other local stores. During a stretch of employment last summer, I allowed myself a CD a week as a reward for hard work. My favorite Sunday afternoons included a cup of coffee, a book and eventually a walk to the CD store. I’ve even got a picture of the shop hanging on my bedroom wall.

The store’s demise is allegedly due to on-line music downloads. Need a reason to obtain your music legally? Owner George Hadjidakis is a great place to start.

The aforementioned picture hanging in my bedroom

4 thoughts on “This perfect moment will soon be leaving me

  1. I know that it makes a hell of an angle from a story, but did downloads kill this store, or was it CD pricing and the advent of bigger retailers being able to out-price the local shops [which need higher margins to stay afloat]?

    Either way, it’s sad.

  2. I don’t know – that’s why I was careful to say “allegedly.” That’s what the owner said to The Tuscaloosa News.

    I will point out, though, that we don’t HAVE bigger (music) retailers in Tuscaloosa. Every CD store in town is local – the only way you can get music at a big store is to go to Wal-Mart, Target or Circuit City. (And we all know they don’t have the best selection.)

  3. I think “best selection” is subjective though. They may not have the best selection for your taste, but as long as they have enough for the more casual music fan, then they are set. I still for the most part buy CDs in stores.

  4. Okay, okay – “widest selection,” then. It is a very limited selection.

    And I’ll admit that I rarely buy new CDs in stores like Vinyl, but used CDs keep them (er, kept them) in business, too. If I can’t get the CD cheap at Best Buy when it’s released, though, I DO buy it at another local store. Vinyl was my place for used, and Oz is my place for new.

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