[78-L] Down Home Music on its last legs

[Jeff Lichtman]

Last Monday the management of Down Home Music announced that they are 
cutting back their hours - they will be closed Monday through 
Wednesday for the indefinite future. They invited their customers to 
an in-store discussion of the plight of independent record stores. I 
went and talked with store owners John Hiatt and Chris Strachwitz 
(who also founded and owns Arhoolie Records). Chris said the store 
hasn't covered its costs for the past two years, and he is looking 
for a way to get out of the business. John was more optimistic, 
saying that there must be some way of keeping the place alive, but he 
didn't have any specific ideas. The problems are ones we already know 
about: people don't buy as many CDs as they used to, and those who do 
usually buy them on-line.

What does this have to do with 78s? Down Home Music has been a prime 
retail source of reissues. The store sells some 78s, and there is a 
monthly 78 swap meet in the parking lot. Chris Strachwitz is a 
leading authority on ethnic music, and the store sells ethnic 
reissues (some from the 78 era) on the Arhoolie label.

I think Chris plans to keep Arhoolie going, but he's grasping for 
ideas about what to do with the store. He owns the building, and he 
doesn't want to have an empty storefront.

This is very sad for me - I live about a mile from Down Home Music 
and most of the 78-era reissues I own came from there. I know the 
staff, several of whom are now out of work. I have attended in-store 
concerts there. I have bought types of music from them that I 
wouldn't have known about except for the fact that they always have 
something playing there. Down Home Music was a special place even 
when record stores were common.

Sigh. . .

                        -        Jeff Lichtman
                                 jeff at swazoo.com
                                 Check out Swazoo Koolak's Web Jukebox at
                                 http://swazoo.com/