[JMT]

I held out hope that the buyer of locally based Tower Records would be one that would keep Tower as an ongoing concern. Unfortunately the buyer, Great American Group, is an inventory liquidator and is preparing to sell off Tower's inventory and put the final nail in Tower's coffin.

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/35244.html

I have many fond memories of the three Tower record stores here in Sacramento, and met founder Russ Solomon on a couple of different occasions. Tower was his pride and joy, even when things were going poorly. Yes, the company made some bad decisions. I think primarily with their expansion into the international market, not identifying and reacting to music downloads, and continuing to open brick and mortar stores when that was clearly not the way to stay competitive. Additionally, their inventory ordering was handled at the individual store level for the longest time which was not only bad from a market standpoint, but also from cost standpoint. Tower Records was the place that you found music that wasn't heard on the radio, where you found as much jazz and classical music as you did rock music.

Many of you may be too young to understand the influence that Russ and Tower Records had on the retail music industry, but it was significant. Here are some pictures of where Tower started (located about two miles from where I grew up):

 

[immtbiker]

We have 2 blocks worth of Tower Records in the village in NYC. Are they going to be affected by this?

 

[JohnFerrier]

Tower left Bellevue, WA about 5 months ago. It was sad to see an icon of many years disappear. Not sure that the Seattle stores will continue to compete with online outlets.

 

[wax4213]

I need to go to the Seattle one on the Ave by UW, saw it when I was walking there. I hope it stays for a while... I really like looking through real physical music mediums rather than ordering them online.

 

[Voltron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker We have 2 blocks worth of Tower Records in the village in NYC. Are they going to be affected by this?

JMT--I just read the article this morning and it made me sick. I spent so much time and money in the Tower Records in Concord growing up, that I feel like part of me is dying. The San Francisco Tower is another hang-out for long lunches after picking up a double-double. This sucks totally.

Aaron--The purchaser is liquidating Tower immediately. They won the bid at $134.3 million, and the bankruptcy court approved it yesterday. Today, they announced that all remaining stores will be closed soon and the "going out of business" sales start TODAY. Their bid was just $500,000 more than another potential purchaser who wanted to keep some of the profitable stores open, which is a little salt in our wounds.

I am thinking of running over to Tower SF today or tomorrow to wallow a little, and to see what bargains can be had...

 

[cerbie]

In Atlanta, Tower went more and more downhill over the last several years.

If they all go down, I wonder whether another chain will pick up the vacuum, or if the hole-in-the-wall stores will start doing better (and popping up where they previously had been driven out).

edit: hhhmm, looks like it's not an "if"

 

[VR6ofpain]

Damn, I will have to go down there today and see what I can find...I wonder how good the sales will be? I am always down to pick up some jazz cheap!

 

[The Actual]

Wow, that is really too bad. I knew something crazy must have been up when I was searching for a Tower Records in Cleveland and no results came up.

Are any locations at all going to stay open? The one is San Francisco is pretty nice, and I can't imagine ever going to Tokyo again with out listening to some stuff in the Shibuya location.

 

[Voltron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Actual Wow, that is really too bad. I knew something crazy must have been up when I was searching for a Tower Records in Cleveland and no results came up. Are any locations at all going to stay open? The one is San Francisco is pretty nice, and I can't imagine ever going to Tokyo again with out listening to some stuff in the Shibuya location.

I just went to the Osaka Tower in August and walked by the Shibuya location with every intention of making it back there. Didn't happen, so now I probably never will.

My guess is that it will be liquidated completely, but I don't know for sure if the Japanese stores are owned by the US corp.

 

[blessingx]

I spent a lot of time in Towers stores on both coasts, and their history is very interesting, but somewhere it should be mentioned that as they grew the ran a TON of independent (end eventually other chains) record stores out of business. I worked for two of their competitors many years back. Man, we hated their employees and their lack on music history knowledge (outside specialists in specific genres). Believe me though for the same reason I shop at Amazon for books, their selection was always outstanding.

 

[Jubei]

I use to frequent the Tower Records in Ann Arbor, Michigan on a daily basis. One year after I came back to Hong Kong, Tower Records opened a shop here. They even expanded, opening a second store and a dedicated book shop. Spent much money and time at Tower - it was the only place with a decent blues section. The Tower bookstore was also really nice, stocking hard-to-find (at least in Hong Kong) sci-fi novels and music magazine. Sadly, all of them closed down around 5 years ago.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMT

Jon, did you take the night shot? Just beautiful!

Really sorry to hear this news and to know that it's hitting you (and some others in this thread) on such a personal level. Growing up in North-Central Illinois, we didn't really have close access to any Tower stores. I suppose Chicago (100 miles away) would have been closest, so I never did get the experience that you guys are describing.

 

[shplorgh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voltron but I don't know for sure if the Japanese stores are owned by the US corp.

According to Wikipedia they aren't, they just operate under the same name.

I always thought Tower was way too expensive and prefer smaller independent stores, but not everyone has those availible to them so this is a big loss for the music industry I guess. There's always the internet for selection and price though.

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker We have 2 blocks worth of Tower Records in the village in NYC. Are they going to be affected by this?

OMG I have spent a ton of time there...and I was in the Tower at Yokohama Station in Japan about 3 mos ago - great selection. THIS SUX!!!

 

[Yikes]

During the middle 80’s I worked for Tower (employee #21134). It was a genuinely fun place to work. I worked long hours and partied like crazy. I had little money and fewer possessions. It was the happiest time in my life. I will mourn Towers passing.