Digital Killed the Record Store StarTonight, I approached my local Hell's Kitchen independent record store Future Legend with a sinking feeling in my stomach as a big orange sign declaring 50% Off All Stock became closer and closer.
Future Legend put all local record shops in the city to shame for two huge reasons. First, Greta and Paul, the shop's owners, are the most knowledgeable and friendly people you will ever find selling music anywhere. Second, the selection was always amazing, always rotating. It was the Needful Things of buying records.
I was in a Borders last year in Long Island when I heard some teen-age girls pass by the music department and ask out loud, "who buys CDs anymore?" That was one of the horsemen for me, another being the closing of all Tower Records locations soon after.
Although Future Legend outlasted all Tower Records, and even the recently departed FYE on 6th Avenue, it will be greatly missed in a city that has fewer and fewer options for buying music in a physical package.
Click on the random photo of Lost star Michael Emerson shopping at Future Legend to read a great cnet news story. They call the shop the real 'High Fidelity,' which is so unfair as they would never turn me down for buying Belle & Sebastian.
