I heard on the radio this morning that Tower Records has declared bankruptcy. This is not a mere reorganization, most of the stores are losing money. The company could not find a buyer, in part because this is a bad time for selling CDs through a storefront.
I grew up with Tower Records and built much of my classical collection through the store. I will never forget the first time I walked into Tower and saw the parent branch in San Francisco. I knew that something fundamental had changed in the world, and for the better. The branch at W. 4th St., in New York, later became one of my favorite places in the whole world. For several years now I have been more likely to buy on Amazon.com, mostly because my local Towers cut back on their selection (readers of VC will know that I buy obscure contemporary classical music). Here is a fond farewell to a company that changed my life, and the lives of many of us.
Addendum: I have since learned that the very first Tower was in Sacramento, not SF.
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