[a fool in paradise]

Record stores are still around. Independent shops. Selling CDs and Vinyl.

VirginSoundwareHauSamGoodyGotIt lost out on the price war to Best Buy. Best Buy offers CDs cheaper than other stores are paying wholesale. And bundling titles with exclusive bonus CDs and DVDs.

Besides, the whole record biz isn’t making the numbers it used too. Radio doesn’t draw the same audience either. Too much control over the public’s taste. The public went elsewhere. Indie stores never had “crazy” numbers to begin with. But there is still enough new and used trade to stay in business. Keep the inventory moving. Don’t sit on “collector’s items” that “one day” will pay the rent. Price them to move.

[MrEdd]

Paper books will be a niche market. I was in a used book store last Tuesday, mostly for the nostalgia. Anymore, I get electronic books which dont take up any space in the hous - and I have already cut the house down to only five book cases.

Even the livery stables exist in parts of the Andes. I saw an ice plant out in east Texas in 2009.

You can find 8 track tapes and slide rules if you look hard. There are Caribbean cruises with three masted clippers, for that matter.

But all these things are never going to be viable in every small city again.

In 1998, when I first began collecting electronic books (with a complete set of The Shadow novels in .pdf electronic books were a niche item. Today things have reversed. I do not expect a second reversal.