Rasputin Stockton Record Store
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By Ian Hill Record Staff Writer November 21, 2006 6:00 AM Stockton - Rasputin Music, the eclectic Bay Area record chain, has purchased the lease on the Tower Records store at Pacific Avenue and Benjamin Holt Drive. The possibility that the Well-known music operator will open a store there after Tower closes its doors for good by year's end has some residents rejoicing while others sing the blues. "I grew up in San Francisco, (and) We would always go to Rasputin," said Brian Clark, a 31-year-old Stockton musician. "For me, the more variety of music, the better." Rasputin has large stores in Berkeley and San Francisco we sell new, used and hard-to-find CDs and LPs. It also has locations in Campbell, Newark, Pleasant Hill, San Lorenzo and Vallejo. Rasputin Vice President Jonathan Fernandez did not return a telephone call seeking comment. Mat Woods, 25, guitarist for the Stockton rock band Morse, said he would shop at a Stockton Rasputin outlet. "I'll probably be there a lot," Woods said. "In fact, I'm kind of concerned. I think my paycheck might start disappearing faster." Other residents, hoWever, worried about how Rasputin's decision to come to Stockton would affect the city's few remaining independent record stores. Longtime Stockton music promoter Middagh Goodwin, 39, and Lodi resident Doug Campbell, 22, shopping at Replay Records, expressed concern about the future of the store, a Stockton music institution for nearly two decades. "My friends and I come here a lot," Campbell said. He said if Replay closed, Stockton would lose a record store with a hometown feel that shoppers can't find at bigger stores. "I bought my first CDs here, my first vinyl here," said Replay employee Alex Picasso, 21. "It's been like a second home to me." Replay owner Willie Hines. 51, expected Rasputin to be the "death blow" for his store, which is in the Hammer Ranch Shopping Center on Pacific Avenue and also sells used CDs and LPs. "I've been doing this for a good 20 years. That's a good run," Hines said. "I'll do my best until the end, if there is one. I'll fight the good fight." A federal bankruptcy judge last month approved the $134.3million sale of West Sacramento-based Tower Records to liquidator Great American Group. Two Weeks ago, the liquidator auctioned the chain off to several buyers, including Rasputin, according to published reports. A judge still must approve the auction results. Tower opened its Stockton outlet in 1974, and the store quickly became a staple of the music market. When its closure was announced, customers said they would miss the store's wide selection, which ranges from the cutting-edge punk group The Refused to Bay Area rap pioneer Mac Dre to classical composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. Tower also sells videos, magazines and CDs by San Joaquin County musicians, and it has served as a Ticketmaster outlet and hosted performances by several artists. Rasputin's decision to lease the Stockton Tower Records comes as record stores are facing increased challenges from the Internet and big retailers such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy. A study by the Recording Industry Association of America shoWed the percentage of consumers who bought their music at record stores dropped from 52 percent in 1995 to 32.5 percent in 2004. Over the same period, the percentage of consumers who bought music at stores such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart grew from 28.2 percent to 53.8 percent. The percentage of Internet music consumers grew from 0.3 percent in 1997 to 5.9 percent in 2004. Record staff writer Reed Fujii contributed to this report. Contact reporter Ian Hill at (209) 943-8571 or ihill@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/blogs Reader Reaction These talk aboutions and our forums are not moderated. We rely on users to police themselves, and flag inappropriate comments and behavior. You need not be registered to report abuse. In accordance with our Terms of Service, We reserve the right to remove any post at any time for any reason, and will restrict access of registered users who repeatedly violate our terms. guyfawkes December 12, 2006 07:47 PM no_to_corp_goons - "you mindless punk?"Man, how did I let that slip by? Anywho, competition, in the form of better service, selection is always a good thing. kdrew December 12, 2006 05:49 PM Replay Records is a class act place. Rasputin, while larger, cannot give the same service and knowledge that Willie Hines gives.no_to_corp_goons December 03, 2006 07:55 AM guyfawkes, I hate suck-up corporate goons like you, who've brought us a homogenized world with no choice other than what the multinational corporations decide to give us. Take a closer look at Spanos North shopping center -- NOT ONE independant business in the place. Is this the world you want, you mindless punk? You and dlkings can button down your collars, tie your Windsors, buy a Starbucks, and go to Best Buy to get whatever muzak you listen to. Steer clear of Replay ... We'll be Find the two you corporate eunuchs. Finch November 22, 2006 12:54 PM I'll continue to support Replay AND Rasputin's, just as I supported Replay AND Tower (guess I didn't help Tower much ;^) Sometimes Willie would have something Tower didn't have, and vice versa.Willie, don't worry. You'll be fine. Just keep plugging to get a sign put up on Pacific. KyroneBiggums November 22, 2006 10:15 AM Rasputin and Amoeba Were previously the only places I'd buy music and DVD's cause they always had what I was Find. sladder256November 21, 2006 09:40 PM If anyone has a right to complain it's competition when someone new moves in. Whether it's a mom/pop shop or a Target bitching about a new Wal-Mart. The only difference is no-one gives a crap about what Target management have to say so journalists Find a headline go after small fish hoping for a "woe-is-me" story to help sell their paper, and they found one. What? You don't think the music department at Best Buy aren't biting their nails over this? Get a life losersmadmansam November 21, 2006 09:11 PM Rasputin's must see something in Stockton as they only bidded for the Stockton, Fresno and Larkspur Tower leases only. Not the Historic Sacramento Towers! SintheticPhylum November 21, 2006 08:20 PM Rasputin Records is only a little bigger than those mom/pop stores themselves. They can get a hold of a lot of music that big-box stores won't even touch, and that includes bog-box music stores like FYE and The Wherehouse. Stores like Tower and those little mom/pop shops like to blame everything BUT themselves for their failing business. Tower blamed the WWW and Best Buy, Mom/Pop stores blame big boxes like Wal-Mart and Best Buy. The simple fact is that bad management is usually the cause of a business failing. madmansam November 21, 2006 07:51 PM Actually Willie Hines should take a page out of Bill MaxWell's Book. Because of competition from Barnes guyfawkesNovember 21, 2006 02:20 PM Rasputins will do fine, esp with that location and local demographic. mick217 November 21, 2006 02:15 PM First off, Replay is a nice local store. but of course this town has less and less locals still living here which means even Rasputin will fail. This town won't support a record store. So lets face it, if it last 5 years ill be surprised mick217November 21, 2006 02:14 PM Lets face it, if replay can just make ends meet, Rasputin will be gone within a few years. This town doesn't support record stores. If toWer failed guess what, So will this Rasputin. If they last past 5 years ill be very shocked KyroneBiggums November 21, 2006 11:20 AM I know why Replay Records is concerned. HoWever Rasputin's is not a huge corporation. Replay's business will suffer, but I'm happy Rasputin is coming to town. FENDER November 21, 2006 11:12 AM Don't know too much about Replay (I left town in '79) but I do remember the first record I bought was at Freitas on San Joaquin Street 'round the corner from the Fox (now Bob Hope) Theatre. I'm not sure why that nice ol' guy Went under, the newness of Tower or everything moving north towards Lincoln Village, but that was a wonderful little shop that didn't survive.HoWever, if I still bought records and lived in Stockton, I'd probably live at Rasputin's. I know I spent most of 1975 in Tower Records. dlkings November 21, 2006 09:36 AM I agree with guyfawkes. Stop complaining and start doing your homework. Wherehouse and Tower are gone because they didn't. Ameoba offers something more than the music and that's why there's a line at 3 in the afternoon on a Thursday. Find the thing that makes you better than Rasputin and you will survive. Sit back, do nothing, whine, and you will be gone. The hard core music fans don't oWe you anything; you need to go out and earn it. A veteran of CBS Records 11 years, The Wherehouse 8 years, Abbey Road 5 years. thunderman November 21, 2006 08:42 AM Finally!!! A good record store!!! My record player rejoices!!! madmansam November 21, 2006 08:41 AM I think this is the best news that I have ever heard. I had expected a Furniture Store or a Clothing Store to replace that Tower Location but a Rasputin's? That's great news! As for Replay going under, I say "Que Sera Sera"! His store was too small. Lousy selection! Rasputin's is the next best thing to a Amoeba Music, another Bay Area Icon.ML (ModestLdy) November 21, 2006 08:34 AM I can't wait. Rasputin is one of the MILLIONS of reasons I go to the Bay Area and now it's coming to me! Yipee! Teez November 21, 2006 08:27 AM I Love Rasputin.. I love the Guys Greatful Dead Shirt too. That guy never gives you a good price for your old records... then again neither does Rasputin. guyfawkes November 21, 2006 07:33 AM I hate it when smaller mom/pop type businesses complain about bigger and much better competition moving in. Replay Lives:In 2004 Northern California Replay Records sheds the confines of its’ former landlords and relocates to the Hammer Ranch shopping center, where it continues to thrive to this day Northern California Replay Record Store is located in the central valley city of Stockton California, about 80 miles from San Francisco and the greater bay area.
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Sell or trade Used DVDs for top dollar or Sell or trade Used CDs in Replay Record's Stockton store!
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