Haines His Way

Well, it's the end of an era.  

I just received the most disgusting, annoying, and nauseating news - Aron's Records, which I have been going to for close to forty years (first in its original Melrose Ave. location, and then in its current location on Highland) is closing its doors.  Amoeba has finally done them in.  This is so sickening on so many levels - Amoeba simply ripped off the business model of Aron's.  They took a look at the success of that store, and opened their version in San Francisco.  It did so well (why wouldn't it - Aron's was hugely successful), and then they decided to come to LA.  WHERE did they open a store?  One half mile from Aron's.  It was the kiss of death, because Amoeba spent hundreds of thousands of dollars getting the word out.  And the people came.  Idiot teenagers came, and they paid list price for things they could get three or four dollars cheaper ANYWHERE, and considerably cheaper than that at Aron's, which always had the best discount.  Amoeba, within weeks, had put a huge dent in Aron's business - why, is another story.  Why did all those people who'd been shopping at Aron's for years, suddenly jump ship to another store where they'd be paying MORE money?  I'm not talking about the "regulars" like me - I'm talking about these young, disgusting pimple-faced little twits who wouldn't know loyalty if it kicked them in the ass.  Apparently it was worth paying more money to be in the flavor of the week hip place.  Of course, Amoeba will find this out in three or four years, when someone else comes along and does to them what they did to Aron's.

I've watched with some sadness as Aron's, a store that was usually filled to the brim with shoppers, had their customer base dwindle down to nothing.  They were the best store for soundtracks and shows (my pal Brad Bennett was/is their buyer - and no one knows their stuff like Brad), a mecca, and now, as of January (or sooner) they will be gone.

And, unlike Footlight in NY (another mecca, recently closed), there will be no life for Aron's on the Internet.  It's just another nail in the coffin of the way we live today and I am truly depressed by this news.  

It's the end of an era.

This day has turned into an avalanche of crisis must-dos.  

Have mercy!  I'm still looking at leaving at 5 p.m., but one never knows.

There have been sporadic flurries of crisis-mode angst with gaps of mind-numbing normalcy.

But meetings are underway...oh, yes!  Folks are meeting, and planning, and plotting.

I pray for the fat lady to sing...

What's that, Tomovoz?

It's great to be retired?

Aron's was, I believe, the first store to every buy used LPs and make those the calling card for their customers.  They always had the new stuff, well-discounted, but it was the used LPs that brought hordes of people flocking to the store.  Once they did that, then everyone jumped on the bandwagon, but they were there first.  

I have a friend who used to find Academy promo CDs of film scores at Aron's...and would buy them for $3-$5 each.  And not only that, but such rarities, USED, like "The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearn" for mere pennies.

Last I saw, a copy of that CD could be had for $249.99.

The clientele in LA was very diverse and had a wealth of CD materials thrown at them...and many found that Aron's was a great way of getting that material into hands that would value it.

Rats!  Damn!  Poopie!

I see a mess of readers "Twiddling My Thumbs" in lurk.

But nothing...NAY NOTHING...seems to move them to post.

It's late Saturday morning here DR Ron. Shopping done, birds fed (a few times), dogs fed and now to decide which task to put off next. There are such choices in retirement.

It's been a battle for the independent CD stores to survive but some of them have indeed managed here. I don't think "Borders" have made much of an inroad here - too expensive! Amazon and downloads are still the major issues.  I have still never downloaded music from the NET.

Toby and Dylan and their humans send Good Health vibes to DR Danise!!!

Good afternoon DR Jose! (From Colin, Magnus & Fosca too)

Good Afternoon to You too, my friends Down Under!

Ginny I will be interested in reading your opinion of THE JOYLUCK CLUB.  I preferred the movie to the book.

Our refrigerator is freezing our food, the food in the freezer is thawing and the microwave is taking longer and longer to heat the food.  If only we could use the new appliances scattered around our house.

Well...  Why not just put the fridge food in the freezer and vice versa?



*And there's no rule saying that refrigerator has to be in a kitchen... If there's a plug nearby, I say plug them in!

I am watching YOUR CHEATIN' HEART - the movie about the "life" of Hank Williams.  I had never seen it.  Hmmmm.....but I knew I was in trouble (to say nothing of George Hamilton as Hank) when the credits rolled and it was a Sam Katzman/Clover production directed by Gene Nelson.

Red Buttons and Arthur O'Connell....oh my.  Well - I suppose it's as good a movie as could be expected.  The music is fine (Hank Williams, Jr sings his daddy's songs).

Watching it because I am (like DR CILLALIZ) probably going to see WALK THE LINE in the next few days.  I like Johnny Cash's music - and I really like Joaquin Phoenix - so my fingers are crossed.

I see that the soundtrack CD has Phoenix and co-star Reese Witherspoon singing the songs.....hmmmm....

Awaiting an HHW report on said film!

DR vixmom - If you had had to cross the picket lines, I would have understood.  You paid good money for those tickets, and I would not have wanted you to end up wasting the money - and the trip into the city - over something you have no control over.  Heck, my parents will be making their annual trip up to see the Holiday Spectacular in a week or so with their friends.  -They take one of those day charter busses up for the day.  -Oh, but that will be after they get back from the Philippines - they've decided to take a sort of last minute trip "just because".  I think they were able to get a good deal on an airfare - they're even expediting the renewal of their passports - which they had just realized had expired last year.

Hello, Jose!

How's it going?