CIMS’ Don VanCleave Rebuts Indie Retail Doom And Gloom
"…If you are Joe Consumer and you read any media, you have been told in the past two weeks that independent retail is on its deathbed. The news that heritage locations like Arons, Rhino Westwood and NYCD were closing down got the doomsday press guys all fired up."
"OK, it is never easy to see longstanding retailers go out of business. Any business. The lumber business goes thru it. The restaurant business suffers from it…What you don’t have is this constant drumbeat from the press that everyone is going away when your local 40-year clothing store goes down."
"… last week, I took many calls from journalists…Most wanted to discuss the closing of these three stores. Actually not discuss because most of these guys had already figured out that the slant of the story was that ALL indie retail record stores were on their last breath and by the end of this coming year none would be left…
"..I don’t really have a close relationship with the three stores that went down…I don’t know exactly
what went on with any of these guys decision to close. I do know that we had heard about them all being in trouble for quite a while…"
"Within CIMS (The Coalition Of Independent Music Stores), we had a bunch of stores meet or beat last year’s numbers."
"These stores had their best year ever. We had other stores who were off from last year but still profitable. I got the same message talking to Eric Levin and the AIMS stores…They have diversified their inventory. They are trying all kinds of promotions to keep their stores as the center of community. I know several people who are looking to OPEN more locations this year."
"I am not saying that it is not a tougher environment to do business. I am saying that it is exactly the kind of environment where record stores in a weak position, be it MusicLand or indie, get weeded out. But, to assume that everyone is over is not the bet you should make."
Click below to read Don VanCleave’s full comments and the CIMS Top 200 for this week.
Howdy everyone,
OK I am a little pissed off. If you are Joe Consumer and you read any media, you have been told in the past two weeks that independent retail is on its deathbed. The news that heritage locations like Arons, Rhino Westwood and NYCD were closing down got the doomsday press guys all fired up.
OK, it is never easy to see longstanding retailers go out of business. Any business. The lumber business goes thru it. The restaurant business suffers from it. The hardware business has seen its share. Coffee stores, gas stations, beauty shops, fabric stores, pool supply outlets. You name the business sector and there are closings every single day. What you don’t have is this constant drumbeat from the press that everyone is going away when your local 40-year clothing store goes down.
From December 20 till midweek last week, I took many calls from journalists.
Many were medium market folks wanting a pulse. But some were from national publications and major market newsweeklies. Most wanted to discuss the closing of these three stores. Actually not discuss because most of these guys had already figured out that the slant of the story was that ALL indie retail record stores were on their last breath and by the end of this coming year none would be left. One guy actually started the call that way.
When someone goes out of business, the last thing you want to tell a journalist is that it was inevitable. Now, I don’t really have a close relationship with the three stores that went down. I have been in Arons and Rhino but not NYCD. I don’t know exactly what went on with any of these guys decision to close. I do know that we had heard about them all being in trouble for quite a while.
Look, in any retail industry in any segment of the economy there are strong players and people that don’t make it for one reason or another. Stores in any sector that run into money troubles can hang on for quite a long time.
You get professional at hand to mouth cash flow. But, at any downturn you are ripe for real disaster. In our business, indie retailers start their business because they are music fanatics and not because they are Wharton Business School grads. The ones surviving have to focus as much on being a business as they do on being a cool place to buy music.
Within CIMS, we had a bunch of stores meet or beat last year’s numbers.
These stores had their best year ever. We had other stores who were off from last year but still profitable. I got the same message talking to Eric Levin and the AIMS stores. The one conclusion that I got out of dozens of conversations was the opposite conclusion of the journalists. Many people are very bullish and excited right now. They have diversified their inventory. They are trying all kinds of promotions to keep their stores as the center of community. I know several people who are looking to OPEN more locations this year.
I am not saying that it is not a tougher environment to do business. I am saying that it is exactly the kind of environment where record stores in a weak position, be it MusicLand or indie, get weeded out. But, to assume that everyone is over is not the bet you should make.
Coalition of Independent Music Stores Top 200 for Week Ending 1-8-06
Label Pos. Artist|Title
RCA 1 STROKES|FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF E
ATLG 2 DEATH CAB FOR C|PLANS
LHWY 3 ADAMS*RYAN|29
EPIC 4 MATISYAHU|LIVE AT STUBBS-AUSTI
ATO 5 MY MORNING JACK|Z
GEFN 6 BLIGE*MARY J.|BREAKTHROUGH
ATLG 7 BLUNT*JAMES|BACK TO BEDLAM
BADB 7 NOTORIOUS B.I.G|DUETS: THE FIN
J 9 FOXX*JAMIE|UNPREDICTABLE
ISL 10 CASH*JOHNNY|LEGEND OF JOHNNY C
INT 11 EMINEM|CURTAIN CALL
ASK 12 STEVENS*SUFJAN|ILLINOIS
BNTE 13 MONK/COLTRANE|THELONIOUS MONK
EPIC 14 APPLE*FIONA|EXTRAORDINARY MACH
WAR 15 OUR NEW ORLEANS|OUR NEW ORLEAN
COL 16 SYSTEM OF A DOW|HYPNOTIZE
RCAV 17 HEAP*IMOGEN|SPEAK FOR YOURSELF
CYSY 18 CLAP YOUR HANDS|CLAP YOUR HAND
WAR 19 YOUNG*NEIL|PRAIRIE WIND
WAR 20 MADONNA|CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE
WAR 21 WILCO|KICKING TELEVISION- LIVE
HOL 22 JORGE*SEU|LIFE AQUATIC STUD SE
VRGN 23 GORILLAZ|DEMON DAYS
INT 24 BECK|GUEROLITO
ISL 25 FALL OUT BOY|FROM UNDER THE CO
UNJJ 26 JOHNSON*JACK|IN BETWEEN DREAMS
COL 26 MAYER*JOHN TRIO|JOHN MAYER TRI
CAP 28 COLDPLAY|X&Y
INT 29 BECK|GUERO
UNCM 30 LIL’ WAYNE|CARTER II
MERG 31 SPOON|GIMME FICTION
VRGN 31 KORN|SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE
CPDR 33 MCMURTRY*JAMES|CHILDISH THINGS
DEF 34 WEST*KANYE|LATE REGISTRATION
V2 35 WHITE STRIPES|GET BEHIND ME SA
VRCS 36 BLOC PARTY|SILENT ALARM
ROAD 36 NICKELBACK|ALL THE RIGHT REASO
WAR 38 DISTURBED|TEN THOUSAND FISTS
AANC 39 BROKEN SOCIAL S|BROKEN SOCIAL
MERG 40 ARCADE FIRE|FUNERAL
UNIV 41 MARLEY*DAMIAN|WELCOME TO JAMRO
SUBP 42 WOLF PARADE|APOLOGIES TO THE Q
ISL 43 CAREY*MARIAH|EMANCIPATION OF M
GEFN 43 SIGUR ROS|TAKK
COL 43 BUSH*KATE|AERIAL
COL 46 CASH*JOHNNY|AT FOLSOM PRISON
INT 47 FEIST|LET IT DIE
VFOR 48 BROKEBACK MOUNT|BROKEBACK MOUN
EPIC 49 FRANZ FERDINAND|YOU COULD HAVE
EPIC 49 FRAY|HOW TO SAVE A LIFE
EPIT 49 DANGER DOOM|MOUSE & THE MASK
FTCT 52 ANIMAL COLLECTI|FEELS
SCRS 53 BRIGHT EYES|I’M WIDE AWAKE IT’
COL 54 GO! TEAM|THUNDER LIGHTNING STR
FUER 55 PANIC! AT THE D|FEVER YOU CAN’
COL 55 DIAMOND*NEIL|12 SONGS
RHI 57 PHISH|LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE G
WAR 58 DEPECHE MODE|PLAYING THE ANGEL
WAR 58 GREEN DAY|AMERICAN IDIOT
DEF 58 SANTANA*JUELZ|WHAT THE GAME’S
RHR 61 GILKYSON*ELIZA|PARADISE HOTEL
OVCT 62 IRON & WINE/CAL|IN THE REINS
AAM 62 BLACK EYED PEAS|MONKEY BUSINES
GEFN 64 WEEZER|MAKE BELIEVE
AMNA 65 THIS IS AMERICA|VOL. 2-THIS IS
SUG 66 NICKEL CREEK|WHY SHOULD THE FI
V2 67 WHITE STRIPES|WALKING WITH A G
GEFN 68 SUBLIME|GOLD
WNDU 69 WALK THE LINE|SOUNDTRACK
SODF 69 HAMILTON*ANTHON|AIN’T NOBODY W
DEF 71 LUDACRIS & DTP|LUDACRIS PRESEN
SUBP 71 POSTAL SERVICE|GIVE UP
RCA 71 LAMONTAGNE*RAY|TROUBLE
CAP 74 MAGIC NUMBERS|MAGIC NUMBERS
ISL 74 KILLERS|HOT FUSS
ANIT 74 LAVETTE*BETTYE|I’VE GOT MY OWN
WAR 74 GREEN DAY|BULLET IN A BIBLE
INT 74 VARIOUS ARTISTS|MUSIC FRM & IN
INT 74 NINE INCH NAILS|WITH TEETH
RCA 74 LAMONTAGNE*RAY|LIVE FROM BONNA
WAR 81 AVENGED SEVENFO|CITY OF EVIL
BARS 82 NADA SURF|WEIGHT IS A GIFT
OLE 82 NEW PORNOGRAPHE|TWIN CINEMA
LHWY 84 ADAMS*RYAN|JACKSONVILLE CITY N
VRGN 84 ROLLING STONES|BIGGER BANG
COL 86 COHEED & CAMBRI|GOOD APOLLO,I’
JIVE 86 BROWN*CHRIS|CHRIS BROWN
RCA 88 GRAY*DAVID|LIFE IN SLOW MOTION
RHMS 88 ATMOSPHERE|YOU CANT IMAGINE HO
VFOR 88 TEDESCHI*SUSAN|HOPE & DESIRE
KILL 88 DECEMBERISTS|PICARESQUE
DEF 92 CASH*JOHNNY|MAN COMES AROUND
RDIK 92 BLACK REBEL MOT|HOWL
UNIV 92 CHAMILLIONAIRE|SOUND OF REVENG
IDER 95 BROWNE*JACKSON|VOL. 1-SOLO ACO
WRPR 95 BOARDS OF CANAD|CAMPFIRE HEADP
WAR 95 ENYA|AMARANTINE
ECPK 95 GRASSHOPPER TAK|SEE NO EVIL
ALTD 99 MATT POND PA|SEVERAL ARROWS LA
FAN 99 FOGERTY*JOHN|LONG ROAD HOME: U
CAP 99 PINK FLOYD|DARK SIDE OF THE MO
HEIN 102 PINK MARTINI|HANG ON LITTLE TO
XLXL 102 BANHART*DEVENDR|CRIPPLE CROW
WAR 102 MY CHEMICAL ROM|THREE CHEERS F
INT 102 STEFANI*GWEN|LOVE.ANGEL.MUSIC.
OHB 102 PRINE*JOHN|FAIR & SQUARE
CIDV 107 SUN KIL MOON|TINY CITIES
COL 107 GOAPELE|CHANGE IT ALL
DEF 107 YOUNG JEEZY|LET’S GET IT
UMBL 110 SYN|SYNDESTRUCTIBLE
COL 110 CARLILE*BRANDI|BRANDI CARLILE
WAR 110 HIM|DARK LIGHT
JIVE 110 LIVING THINGS|AHEAD OF THE LIO
INEP 114 AUDIOSLAVE|OUT OF EXILE
COL 114 AQUALUNG|STRANGE & BEAUTIFUL
RCA 114 FOO FIGHTERS|IN YOUR HONOR
XLIN 117 M.I.A.|ARULAR
RCA 117 MATTHEWS*DAVE B|WEEKEND ON THE
AGVP 117 PAUL*SEAN|TRINITY
LHWY 120 ADAMS*RYAN|COLD ROSES
TWCV 120 O’CONNOR*SINEAD|THROW DOWN YOU
SUBP 120 SLEATER-KINNEY|WOODS
RCA 120 CLARKSON*KELLY|BREAKAWAY
ATLG 120 DARKNESS|ONE WAY TICKET TO HEL
OCCR 125 COOK*DANE|RETALIATION
ROUN 125 PEYROUX*MADELEI|CARELESS LOVE
SUBP 125 ROGUE WAVE|DESCENDED LIKE VULT
INT 125 U2|HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC
JDUB 129 MATISYAHU|SHAKE OFF THE DUST..
COL 129 SPRINGSTEEN*BRU|BORN TO RUN-30
MRGE 129 NEUTRAL MILK HO|IN THE AEROPLA
SDSF 132 STEVENS*SUFJAN|MICHIGAN
SSCR 132 ANTONY & THE JO|I’M A BIRD NOW
BBG 132 THINK DIFFERENT|WU-TANG MEETS
KILL 135 DEERHOOF|RUNNERS FOUR
GEFN 135 NIRVANA|SLIVER-BEST OF THE BOX
HEIN 137 PINK MARTINI|SYMPATHIQUE
COL 137 DYLAN*BOB|NO DIRECTION HOME: T
SUBP 137 SHINS|OH INVERTED WORLD
RCA 137 CITIZEN COPE|CLARENCE GREENWOO
INT 137 QUEENS OF THE S|OVER THE….(E
ISL 137 MARLEY*BOB & TH|LEGEND
DRGC 137 SILVER JEWS|TANGLEWOOD NUMBERS
LHWY 144 GAUTHIER*MARY|MERCY NOW
VRCS 144 DEATH FROM ABOV|YOU’RE A WOMAN
CAP 144 COLDPLAY|PARACHUTES
OLE 144 INTERPOL|ANTICS
ANIT 144 BLACKALICIOUS|CRAFT
ATLG 144 STAIND|CHAPTER V
COL 144 SYSTEM OF A DOW|MEZMERIZE
KOCH 151 KWELI*TALIB|RIGHT ABOUT NOW…
WAR 151 AMADOU & MARIAM|DIMANCHE A BAM
IMPL 151 IMPULSIVE!-REVO|IMPULSIVE!-REV
IMPL 151 COLTRANE*JOHN|ONE DOWN ONE UP
SUBP 151 IRON & WINE|OUR ENDLESS NUMBER
CAP 151 BEATLES|ABBEY ROAD
COL 151 THREE 6 MAFIA|MOST KNOWN UNKNO
TVT 151 SEVENDUST|BEST OF SEVENDUST-CH
VRCS 159 DEATH FROM ABOV|ROMANCE BLOODY
COL 159 SON VOLT|OKEMAH & THE MELODY O
BNTE 159 LEE*AMOS|AMOS LEE
LSGA 159 METRIC|LIVE IT OUT
AAM 159 PUSSY CAT DOLLS|PCD
SUBP 159 IRON & WINE|CREEK DRANK THE CR
WAR 159 NEW ORDER|SINGLES
NWWT 159 MCCLINTON*DELBE|COST OF LIVING
GEFN 159 BLINK-182|GREATEST HITS
VRGN 159 ROLLING STONES|RARITIES 1971-0
GEFN 159 MORRISON*VAN|MAGIC TIME
TVT 159 YING YANG TWINS|U.S.A. STILL U
JIVE 159 T-PAIN|RAPPA TERNT SANGA
UNJJ 172 JOHNSON*JACK|ON & ON
UNEJ 172 JOHNSON*JACK|BRUSHFIRE FAIRYTA
EPIC 172 GARDEN STATE|SOUNDTRACK
SUBP 172 SHINS|CHUTES TOO NARROW
WAR 172 RILO KILEY|MORE ADVENTUROUS
HIDA 177 GONZALEZ*JOSE|VENEER
RBR 177 BIRD*ANDREW|MYSTERIOUS PRODUCT
OLE 177 INTERPOL|TURN ON THE BRIGHT LI
WAR 177 DEFTONES|B-SIDES & RARITIES
WAR 177 HILL*FAITH|FIREFLIES
ATLG 177 SHINEDOWN|US & THEM
AAM 177 CROW*SHERYL|WILDFLOWER
COL 177 CASH*JOHNNY|16 BIGGEST HITS
TOMT 185 VAN ZANDT*TOWNE|BE HERE TO LOV
JAGJ 185 OKKERVIL RIVER|BLACK SHEEP BOY
VERV 185 CULLUM*JAMIE|CATCHING TALES
CAP 185 RADIOHEAD|O.K. COMPUTER
WAR 185 MORISSETTE*ALAN|COLLECTION
WAR 185 WILCO|SUMMER TEETH
INT 185 ALL-AMERICAN RE|MOVE ALONG
VRGN 185 BIG BOI PRESENT|VOL. 2-GOT PUR
WAR 193 HANCOCK*HERBIE|POSSIBILITIES
BARS 193 DEATH CAB FOR C|JOHN BYRD E.P
RCNA 193 MCBRIDE*MARTINA|TIMELESS
CAP 193 HARRISON*GEORGE|CONCERT FOR BA
CAP 193 BEASTIE BOYS|SOLID GOLD HITS
COL 193 DESTINY’S CHILD|#1’S
EPIC 193 SOCIAL DISTORTI|SOCIAL DISTORT
RYKO 193 HICKS*BILL|OXFORD NOVEMBER 11
c) 2006 by SoundScan, Inc. All rights reserved
Don VanCleave
Coalition of Independent Music Stores
Suite 101
1776 Independence Ct
Birmingham, AL 35216
205-879-9023 x201
205-879-2889 (fax)
