Last week, I really wanted to get Manchester Orchestra’s new EP/DVD after missing their recent concert. I had tried ZZZ Records the day before but no luck and was out today in West Des Moines to try Homer’s. Doing my best to avoid Best Buy. Now Homer’s is a extension of a group of record stores in Omaha and Lincoln. I was really excited to have one come to Des Moines because they have a great reputation of supporting the local scene. Though I didn’t know about their launch last summer. I frequented their shoppe weekly since early spring this year.

I loved the local bands they brought in from Nebraska and Western Iowa. Anchondo, Clever, Trippin’ Default, and Matthew Whipkey were mixed in with loads of indie hotshots and sleepers. Lots of local and indie music that other small shoppes would never have. I was most impressed by their showing at 80/35 with the large number of big names sitting behind their tent for meet and greets. I had the hopes they would build enough cred to get people to make the drive to urbandale.

As I drove up, it looked dark and as I pulled up I knew it was empty.

Maybe they moved. Not after I saw this on the window:

After 14 months, as only the Register reported, their wasn’t enough sales to keep it going. This also reminds me of the lost of Peeple’s near 42nd and University. I stopped in their weekly, always coming out with at least a couple of CDs and a poster in tow. But again, they were in a tough location for music lovers. And besides the economic tug, stores like ZZZ have had natural disasters plague them.

There is still pull for such places. The owner of the old ZZZ records home in the east village, moved in their own store, Capital City Music. Along with records, you can find old stereos, turntables, sound equipment, memorabilia, and guitars. But it barely fills the place and just does not have the ambiance ZZZ once did.

In fact, ZZZ’s new home next to Audio Labs on Ingersoll worries me as well. It’s tiny. It’s a third of the space of the old place. If you had seen the basement in the old place, you know how many records Nate had holding below. It just dwarfs what they are in now. Plus, though the location is on a major intersection, I think it’ll be harder for the clientele to head over there. We’ll see.

I guess all this lamenting does little. The real loss is not the stores, but the loss that falls upon us. The lost of sustaining cool, local, niche, stores that foster a creative culture in this little city. So as we bundle up for the holidays and way-too-early Black Friday sales, support your local music shops. If they don’t have the music you’re looking for, try the band’s website. As you’re looking for presents, check your locally-owned stores. Normally they have higher quality products and better service than big box stores can.

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