Since selling to Value Music Concepts two years ago, the Catonsville location of Record & Tape Traders has downsized from its two-story location on Frederick Road to a smaller location just down the block from Bill's Music. As a Catonsvillean (is that accurate for what we're called), I've seen Music City, Maryland downsize in record time from having Bill's huge two-building sprawl and the double-whammy of a two-story Record and Tape Traders to seeing each shrink to one-half (or less) its original size. I'm not a big fan of Bill's, anyway, mind you, but it was a monster of a landmark. 

Now I find out that as of tomorrow, my favorite (and only, really) local record store will be closed. So much for green beer and pretending to be Irish, I have to go see if I can scoop up some vinyl deals as one last farewell. Gone will be the days of blowing an entire Sunday digging through the used records or stopping in on Tuesday morning, first thing, to pick up the latest albums. Where do I go from here? Target? Dare I say it, Wal-Mart? iTunes, even?

Sure, the brick-and-mortar world of music buying has been declining for years since Napster and then iTunes. But it seems that Record and Tape Traders has taken a huge hit since being sold to a holding company of small music retailers. I knew, when I saw that my local was moving to a smaller, more remote and almost-invisible (no street signage) location that the end was near. I just didn't think it was coming so soon.

Best of luck to the staff and to the fans of small retail shops.

Tags: business, Catonsville, Record and Tape Traders