As the coronavirus pandemic continues to put unbelievable pressure on Canadian small businesses, Vancouver's beloved Red Cat Records has announced it will be permanently closing its Hastings Street location.
The long-running record store made the announcement late Friday (May 1), revealing that its Hastings Street location will cease operations after opening the secondary shop five years ago.
"It's with a heavy heart that we have to announce our decision to close our second location at Hastings & Nanaimo," the announcement reads. "It's been a great five years, but given current events & that our lease is ending we need to consolidate to just one store."
However, Red Cat's original store, located at 4332 Main Street, will remain open, with the store continuing to focus on online sales and free delivery within Vancouver while stay-at-home orders continue in BC. Red Cat will also soon be offering curbside pickup at the Main Street store.
"Over the next few weeks we will be consolidating stock and re-organizing the Main Street location," Red Cat explains. "When we're ready, we'll start doing curbside pick-up at the Main street location too. Don't worry: if you have store credit at Hastings, it will be honoured at Main Street when we re-open. Same with gift certificates and ticket refunds."
Speaking to Exclaim!, Red Cat co-owner Dave Gowans says that while the decision to close the Hastings Street location was difficult, Red Cat is now very much looking towards the future and the new normal now facing physical record stores.
"People need to know now that supporting their local indie is important," Gowans says. "Whether it's a used Journey record or a rare album or new release, they need it!"
He also goes on to explain that customers need to start preparing for a new experience when it's okay to reopen again.
"With social distancing rules, it's going to be hard in a record shop, people touching everything, taking their time, listening stations, all that stuff," he says. "Customers will need to be okay with the rules of curbside pickup, ordering over the phone and special orders for some time."
You can read Red Cat's announcement about the Hastings location below.
Red Cat remains open online, and you can continue to support the store via its website, as well as through Red Cat's Discogs page.
To read more about the challenges currently facing Canadian record stores, read Exclaim!'s recent feature on how shops are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The long-running record store made the announcement late Friday (May 1), revealing that its Hastings Street location will cease operations after opening the secondary shop five years ago.
"It's with a heavy heart that we have to announce our decision to close our second location at Hastings & Nanaimo," the announcement reads. "It's been a great five years, but given current events & that our lease is ending we need to consolidate to just one store."
However, Red Cat's original store, located at 4332 Main Street, will remain open, with the store continuing to focus on online sales and free delivery within Vancouver while stay-at-home orders continue in BC. Red Cat will also soon be offering curbside pickup at the Main Street store.
"Over the next few weeks we will be consolidating stock and re-organizing the Main Street location," Red Cat explains. "When we're ready, we'll start doing curbside pick-up at the Main street location too. Don't worry: if you have store credit at Hastings, it will be honoured at Main Street when we re-open. Same with gift certificates and ticket refunds."
Speaking to Exclaim!, Red Cat co-owner Dave Gowans says that while the decision to close the Hastings Street location was difficult, Red Cat is now very much looking towards the future and the new normal now facing physical record stores.
"People need to know now that supporting their local indie is important," Gowans says. "Whether it's a used Journey record or a rare album or new release, they need it!"
He also goes on to explain that customers need to start preparing for a new experience when it's okay to reopen again.
"With social distancing rules, it's going to be hard in a record shop, people touching everything, taking their time, listening stations, all that stuff," he says. "Customers will need to be okay with the rules of curbside pickup, ordering over the phone and special orders for some time."
You can read Red Cat's announcement about the Hastings location below.
Red Cat remains open online, and you can continue to support the store via its website, as well as through Red Cat's Discogs page.
To read more about the challenges currently facing Canadian record stores, read Exclaim!'s recent feature on how shops are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
