DJ Shadow released a limited edition panoramic poster from the Endtroducing Lp. This is when record stores were a bit more abundant, circa 1996

Such a sad sight, but record stores are closing down left and right. I remember when my local store growing up, the Red Rocker shut it’s doors. It was owned by this local bus driver for the Dial-A-Ride (you call us, we pick you up was their motto) called Bruce. He was a giant of a man who knew everything about music. He started out with vinyl, cassettes, then finally the CD. The vinyl selection got smaller and smaller, and eventually, after he sold and the place’s new owner let it go belly up, my friends and I got to dig the vinyl that was left over before the doors shut for good. I got Ramsey Lewis The Groover and a really great Soul comp that I still dig today. It was that good, and it was on vinyl. I also remember when the Ocean Township Vintage Vinyl in NJ shut it’s doors. What a shame. I used to buy all kinds of Jazz and what not there. It was a staple. Before I lived close to it, I traveled an hour or so to get there. One by one, all the record stores closed. The last of the dying breed was Black Cat Records in Red Bank, NJ. Owned by former Lifetime vocalist Ari Katz, a seasoned veteran of music, it too eventually fell to the times, closing it’s doors for good in the early 2000’s. Let’s face it, with the portability of the CD and now MP3’s, us vinyl nerds are a dying breed. That’s why on this Saturday, April 16th, we need to support our local vinyl slinger for National Record Day. So go on and do that, until then, click the link to check out 40 sad portraits of record stores that closed. You may have even shopped in one of them. Keep Diggin’!

40 Sad Portraits of Closed Record Stores