In some truly bad news for good music, Toronto record store Good Music is closing its doors forever. In an abrupt move, the store announced its closure today on its website.
"I know this is probably sad or shocking news to some of you, but it is honestly the best scenario for me," wrote Good Music owner Lincoln Stewart (former manager of the now shuttered Vortex Records). "Based solely on personal factors, the decision was mine alone and I made it happily."
Good Music opened in 2014, originally on Queen West before moving to a pop-up space on Dundas West last November. Lincoln was in the midst of signing a new lease for Good Music, but instead he's decided to close up shop for good, with his remaining stock all being sold in one lump sum to Rotate This.
While Stewart's farewell note is a fairly positive one, he did make some observations about the state of the record store business, especially in Toronto.
"The quantity of record stores in the city is affecting stores' ability to find inventory, and that's causing people to behave in ways that I don't find ethical," Stewart told Now. "I never had to resort to those ways, and I've had a good reputation for years and records brought to me. I like it that way, but a lot of places aren't doing that."
And while Stewart doesn't name names, he does state: "Some of these other stores aren't paying fairly, and [their employees are] going into stores like mine and buying stock, then bringing it back to their stores and gouging customers on the price. It's just wrong. I've been in my shop or Rotate and seen it happen. Even though these stores have been called out for it, they still keep doing it. I mean, I love Rotate, Shortstack Records and Parkdale Platters. There are a bunch of great stores in the city. I just don't want to be part of it anymore."
You can read Stewart's full farewell message here.
On a personal note, we thank Stewart for all the never-seen-before-and-never-seen-since Morricone albums and that original copy of Twin Peaks. We'll miss you, Good Music.
"I know this is probably sad or shocking news to some of you, but it is honestly the best scenario for me," wrote Good Music owner Lincoln Stewart (former manager of the now shuttered Vortex Records). "Based solely on personal factors, the decision was mine alone and I made it happily."
Good Music opened in 2014, originally on Queen West before moving to a pop-up space on Dundas West last November. Lincoln was in the midst of signing a new lease for Good Music, but instead he's decided to close up shop for good, with his remaining stock all being sold in one lump sum to Rotate This.
While Stewart's farewell note is a fairly positive one, he did make some observations about the state of the record store business, especially in Toronto.
"The quantity of record stores in the city is affecting stores' ability to find inventory, and that's causing people to behave in ways that I don't find ethical," Stewart told Now. "I never had to resort to those ways, and I've had a good reputation for years and records brought to me. I like it that way, but a lot of places aren't doing that."
And while Stewart doesn't name names, he does state: "Some of these other stores aren't paying fairly, and [their employees are] going into stores like mine and buying stock, then bringing it back to their stores and gouging customers on the price. It's just wrong. I've been in my shop or Rotate and seen it happen. Even though these stores have been called out for it, they still keep doing it. I mean, I love Rotate, Shortstack Records and Parkdale Platters. There are a bunch of great stores in the city. I just don't want to be part of it anymore."
You can read Stewart's full farewell message here.
On a personal note, we thank Stewart for all the never-seen-before-and-never-seen-since Morricone albums and that original copy of Twin Peaks. We'll miss you, Good Music.
