Music Jan 16, 2013 at 4:00 am

Memories That Will Stay with Me Like a Thousand Locked Grooves

Easy Street Records Gets Chased Out of Lower Queen Anne

Dave Segal
mike force
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Comments

1
who cares...
on January 16, 2013 at 10:57 AM Report this
2
A beautiful place this was. I will miss it so.
Trent Moorman on January 16, 2013 at 11:57 AM Report this
3
My first apartment (and still the place I've lived longest) was a couple blocks from Easy Street, and I specifically moved there because of the store (and the Sonics). It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say most of my record collection came from there. So many former employees are still friends to this day.

Literally no reason to live here anymore.
bunnypuncher on January 16, 2013 at 12:25 PM Report this
4
i wish they had mentioned the fact that easy street west seattle (original store) is still open and will stay that way for the next decade! the queen anne store has always felt too big, too impersonal for me.
diminished on January 16, 2013 at 1:01 PM Report this
5
@4 Click on the related articles link above for an interview with ES owner Matt Vaughan.
Dave Segal on January 16, 2013 at 2:30 PM Stranger Staff
6
@4 Also see comments by Troy Nelson and Bob Major.
Dave Segal on January 16, 2013 at 3:22 PM Stranger Staff
7
Owner Matt Vaughan cited an untenable long-term lease offer and rent hike as reasons, despite a great 2012, which included increased sales...

I love this store and was sad to hear about the closing. When I first heard about it, I presumed it was because of poor sales because, almost everytime I've been in the store the past few years, there were very few people in it (compared to years before that.) So it's too bad to hear that the sales were fine but it's the lease and rent that are forcing them to close their doors.

And to be replaced by, of all things, another bank. Oh well, welcome to the new Seattle.
Roma on January 16, 2013 at 6:14 PM Report this
8
Last time I was in Seattle I visited this place and bought a couple of records, because I had a premonition that it might not be there much longer. (Glad I did now.) I talked to a staff member about the kind of music I was into, and he came up with some suggestions for other music I might like, because real record store staff are awesome that way.

My best wishes to the store's owner and staff.
Sea Otter on January 17, 2013 at 9:21 PM Report this
9
They'll find a new storefront for it.

No way are they letting all that business go down the street to Silver Platters.
Lack Thereof on January 18, 2013 at 2:40 PM Report this
10
Fun show tonight
biffp on January 18, 2013 at 10:08 PM Report this
11
One solution is for cities to develop city owned commercial spaces rented out to small business at cost.

I presently live in NYC and NYC has some rent controlled apartments, but not for commercial spaces, and the problem is even worse in NYC, big corporate places constantly taking over nice quirky businesses and making most of Manhattan (and now parts of Brooklyn) like a suburban mall.

I also have properties I rent out as a side business, and I am not in favor of locking landlords into money-losing rent controlled situations. That sucks too. Much better for a % of the housing AND commercial space to be bought out at market prices as a public good using tax money, then maintained and re-let at cost to local middle class residents and small locally-owned businesses. That way landlords don't get screwed, and cities still get the quirky mix of people and businesses that makes them great places to live and invest.
delta35 on January 19, 2013 at 4:01 PM Report this
12
Chase Bank can eat a moldy dick.
madcap on January 20, 2013 at 12:17 AM Report this
14
beautifully done. Also, love the 13th Floor nod. Sad to see this store closing
julie russell on January 20, 2013 at 9:43 AM Report this
15
Very sad about this. When in town I and a friend stayed twice at the Inn at Queen Anne right down the block, and we loved shopping here (and of course, the W Seattle location). It adds such a great vibe to the neighborhood, and who doesn't love that rotating sign? Very sad to this this place go. Sniff.

Velvetbabe on January 20, 2013 at 12:43 PM Report this
16
This can only mean two things… too many of you lazy bastards are still banking with mega-banks, and we're not supporting our community businesses enough. This is truly a dark day.
funnylittlemunki on January 21, 2013 at 3:43 PM Report this
17
Every time i go to Decibel, I always stayed in one of the hotels close to the Space Needle, just to be close to that store and go back and forth with records. It was truly a great place to buy music related items as well. And also it was a place that you could find the music from our label Static Discos. Is Wall of Sound still open?
ejival on January 22, 2013 at 4:37 PM Report this
18
Wall of sounds on capitol hill. Easy street was the only store with a dynamic array of genres.there was always at least a couple staff members to represent each genre of music,especially.for.vinyl.silver platters.is a joke,and completely.generic.the only shop left is everyday music,but the staff lacks enthusiasm for the space,;+the selection of new music.lacks.depth/ESP.img the electronic dept. Anyways the staff at easy street truly loved what they were.doing or found a way through networking to make it an enjoyable experience. Thanks to you all !,unfortunately the west Seattle store doesn't compare....

refugei on January 22, 2013 at 9:20 PM Report this
19
Ejival: Wall Of Sound is still open.

http://wosound.com/home.php
Dave Segal on January 23, 2013 at 3:18 PM Stranger Staff

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