Friday, June 5, 2009
Love / Business / RIP And Then There Were None
Posted by Grant Brissey on Fri, Jun 5, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Photo via Wikipedia user Jmabel
Sad news came in the form of an anonymous tip this morning, and a call to Cellophane Square manager Steve Romano confirmed that the venerable University District record store will close its doors forever by the end of the month. "We've foreseen this coming for a while, but we made a pact to ride it out until the end," says Romano, an employee of 13 years. "It was really the economy—at the beginning of this year, the downfall was more precipitous than anyone expected, including the owners."
When the landlord wouldn't negotiate terms for the space, Romano says, they basically knew things would soon come to an end. "We could keep trying to nickle and dime it, or give up the fight."
The University District location was the last of what was once a chain of four stores around the Northwest, and it has employed many Seattle music-scene luminaries— Barrett Wilke (Kinski), Dann Gallucci (Murder City Devils, Modest Mouse, A Gun Called Tension), Kim Warnick (the Fastbacks), and The Stranger's own emeritus Sean Nelson.
The original four locations were bought during the dot-com boom by Djangos, an online CD retailer that "made nothing but terrible decisions and basically brought down almost every record store they bought," explained Romano.
He says that Everyday Music then bought Cellophane Square out of the Djangos bankruptcy and that they were "basically the coolest owners out of all three if you really want to know the truth."
Of the longtime employees, Romano says, "We're just a bunch of music dorks, and we had a great time while it lasted. We're all just fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants kinds of people. We'll figure out [what to do next]."
I'm going there to buy a record tomorrow.
This story has been updated since its original publication.
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1
Man, that really sucks. What the hell are the landlords thinking? Have they seen all the empty storefronts in the U District?
2
bizarre - you have a tenant for 13 years and you are not willing to work with them through this economy? if they don't have someone lined up to go in it does seem a little stupid. either way, yeah, they'll be missed. during college they were my primary source.
4
totally sucky lameness. I work @ UW and enjoy my weekly walks up the ave to Cel Square and do enjoy spending my $$ there. it has seemed like a ghost town inside the store lately though. WTF? guess I'll just keep shopping at easy street, silver plat, sonic boom. cheers
5
What? FUUUUUUUCK! Jesus, that's been the only place I've ever bought music for the last 8 years! What the fuck am I going to do now?
7
fuck. after a few years of record/CD shopping in seattle, i finally made my first purchases at cellophane square last weekend, at least in part b/c a few months ago i resolved to never again go into an indie record store w/out buying at least one item. its a nice place and a damn shame that they'll be gone. all the best to their staff and god forbid anything shitty goes into that space.
8
First Peaches and now this? Shit, guess I'll have to start going to Time Travelers. What's that? Shit.
9
Back when they were on 42nd, I bought almost all of my bootlegs and UK punk 45s there. Had the complete set of the Buzzcocks 45s with the awesome Assorted Images sleeves by Malcolm Garrett. I also bought my PiL Metal Box there, and god knows how many other classics of the day. They were never as cool as Time Travelers downtown, but still pretty cool nonetheless. Can't say I've been very impressed since those days, though. I always hated what I still call "the new location". Still, RIP. My home away from home for many years.
10
they sold my first band's demo there -- i know that might be a way selfish reason for liking them, but that's one thing local record stores are best at: connecting local bands with local listeners.
11
Despite what you may think, I'm sad to see any indie record shop go. We're all struggling and we are all in this mess together. Running a store is a labor of love and is not a lucrative prospect. We're all struggling with the economy, digital downloading and an industry that is getting really good at shooting itself in the foot. I hope Easy Street, Silver Platters, Everyday and all the other great indie stores in Seattle are able to survive or it will be a sad day for all of us. That said, it's in the public's hands and you decide what businesses you want to see emerge from this by voting with you hard earned dollars. So please think about how and where you spend it.
Jason Hughes - Sonic Boom Records
Jason Hughes - Sonic Boom Records
12
Lame, that was the first record store I ever started buying from growing up in Redmond. They had a location inside Bell Square back then(wow). Bought Big Black, Songs About Fucking there. R.I.P Cellophane.
13
That really sucks, but I hope it's not bad news for Everyday. That's where I've done 90% of my music-buying over the last few years.
15
Damn. I used to go there all the time when I lived in the apartment across the street from the original location on 42nd. Of course that was almost 20 years ago by now.
16
Notice how everyone is talking about how they used to shop there. I rarely did, but sold them plenty of promo CD's. But as go the promos, so goes the store.
17
I stopped in there a few times in recent years, but found their selection, price and general record store vibe to be lacking. Still have good memories of shopping at the old location way back in the day though.
And it's a shame that Django's tanked as an online retailer, as their store in Portland was a great one in the 80s.
And it's a shame that Django's tanked as an online retailer, as their store in Portland was a great one in the 80s.
18
I'll second what Fnarf said - for some reason I even remember exactly what 45s I bought at the 42nd st. store. The "new" store (I mean location, not The New Store, er... nevermind.) I never really fell for, reminded me too much of a Tower for some reason, buts it's hard to say why, music itself changed quite a bit in those years. Also, their Bellevue Square shop was probably the coolest thing on the East Side north of Bubbles.
Sad to hear it's going to the great Toast Bar in the sky.
Sad to hear it's going to the great Toast Bar in the sky.
19
Cellophane Square bought half the CDs that got stolen from my apartment back in 95, but held them in the back & took driver's license info from the thief. i got em all back thanks to their sanity.
20
I live very close to this place and think, in general, it was pretty lame. I almost never buy CDs and spend almost all my money on new vinyl. Last time i stepped foot in there (couple years ago) they didn't even bother carrying anything new on vinyl. Ever since I've preferred to ride to ballard or capitol hill for my record buying pleasure. Plus the place looks like it is in high security lockdown....not exactly "comfortable" for record browsing.
22
Cellophane Square should have worked out a deal with Thai Tom, where people waiting to get a counter seat at Thai Tom could get a discount to shop at Cellophane while they were waiting.. or something like that.
LOL @ Levide. You can never get enough black tapioca balls! BOOYAH!
LOL @ Levide. You can never get enough black tapioca balls! BOOYAH!
23
I feel the same as #17. I've been in there quite a bit and I don't believe I've ever purchased anything. Higher prices and less selection than other stores? Eh.
24
More good memories from places gone or soon to be gone.
I used to live in the U in the early 2000s and bought a lot of music there. I would shop there and go have coffee at Perkengruven....and talk to Mary...the old Earls...Silence Heart Nest's neatloaf (or was it beetloaf?).
Cellophane is the only place in my life I sold some CDs - it was nice cash for a rave get away weekend 4/20 weekend in 2003.
I used to live in the U in the early 2000s and bought a lot of music there. I would shop there and go have coffee at Perkengruven....and talk to Mary...the old Earls...Silence Heart Nest's neatloaf (or was it beetloaf?).
Cellophane is the only place in my life I sold some CDs - it was nice cash for a rave get away weekend 4/20 weekend in 2003.
25
They had a good collection of metal albums and stuff on vinyl. I'll admit it's been a while though since I last shopped there. It's always unfortunate when another record store closes.
27
records stores are like bars.. there really aren't enough of them..sometimes a general demographic is well served , sometimes a smaller one, but even if you never use it..well it just oughta be there.. of course it oughta make money too..however much people carp about prices most don't know all the hidden costs that take their toll. they should note that you could sweep the entire of both seaboards and fail to find a person who became rich or remains rich from record store ownership..thaks for struggling to keep it afloat all this time..
i'm very very very sorry to see it go.
i'm very very very sorry to see it go.
28
@27 well put. sure, i don't shop there anymore.... but that's because they are not my local store anymore (hello @11). but they were my store when i lived in the u-dist, and it seems a shame for such a neighborhood not to have a good store like that. there used to be tower, cs, 2nd time and who knows what else. on the other hand you don't have to get your music from stores anymore, you can get it all online, so it's tough. i'd still rather have a shop, and i will still frequent the one in my neighborhood.
29
As others mentioned, C-Square used to be an amazing store, but that was in the old location. For some reason they weren't able to bring the magic with them when they moved onto the Ave. I am not sure why, though.
A local musician who worked there that wasn't mentioned in the post was Scott McCaughey of the Young Fresh Fellows. He was there for quite a while IIRC.
Geez. I remember the days when I was in there just about every day (I lived up on Brooklyn and wandered the Ave probably 7 days a week). I sold them a lot of promo albums to make rent money, too.
A local musician who worked there that wasn't mentioned in the post was Scott McCaughey of the Young Fresh Fellows. He was there for quite a while IIRC.
Geez. I remember the days when I was in there just about every day (I lived up on Brooklyn and wandered the Ave probably 7 days a week). I sold them a lot of promo albums to make rent money, too.
30
This means I need to stop in there before it closes, to complete a long bout of karma that one of the guys working there has coming to him.
Berate me for an hour while I was doing my sing-holding job, shouting in my face and calling me a prostitute? I used that time to remember exactly what you looked like, and smiled pleasantly and made genuine conversation the next time I saw you and you helped me order my Steven Jesse Bernstein cd. I was waiting for you to make any sign that you remembered me as well as I remembered you- I'm not sure if it's to my advantage that it seems you didn't.
Berate me for an hour while I was doing my sing-holding job, shouting in my face and calling me a prostitute? I used that time to remember exactly what you looked like, and smiled pleasantly and made genuine conversation the next time I saw you and you helped me order my Steven Jesse Bernstein cd. I was waiting for you to make any sign that you remembered me as well as I remembered you- I'm not sure if it's to my advantage that it seems you didn't.
32
@29, Scott McCaughey used to work at Second Time Around, too, or maybe it was one of their other stores (in the late seventies/early eighties they had THREE on the Ave, even if I can't remember what they were called), and the day he slipped me a beat but playable copy of "Trout Mask Replica" in with whatever crap I was actually paying for that day changed my life.
34
I worked there, original beat up location from 76-82 with HJ, SM, ST, GB, RB, SW, MP, Eric, the amazing Gordy Arlin, and so many others.
You may scoff, but I just lost a chunk of my heart.....
So... the best but most wasted 6 years of my life... I have only recently come back into contact with my old friends from that era.... hired at cello by Roy Brown, which the Panagos' were running like good ex-hippies. Hugh was my boss, I drugged wayyyyy too much, but it was there that I got into Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, 999, the Jam, Graham Parker, Pearl Harbor, the Revillos, the Clash, Pearl Harbor, Sun Ra, Keith Jarrett, Mahavishnu (thanks GB,) Count Basie (thanks ST), 50's jazz, and the best Dylan (thanks SM) plus all the great locals Pudz, Cheaters, Fastbacks, Red Dress, H. Boy and too many more. Those who worked there know about melts, the 99cent bin, the crazy sales, tape face, the schizos we would allow to come in because they had nowhere to go like the guy who played the same Tull song every morning and the guy who hated drunk drivers and sold us a Butcher Cover for like $5 (way to go Hugh). Crashed and burned but oh well, that's life. I think I posted this twice, more or less, and either I deleted the first one or it will show up later and you will spot me for the cyber idiot that I am......
R.I.P. Cello--and did GB ever clean out his employee bin?
You may scoff, but I just lost a chunk of my heart.....
So... the best but most wasted 6 years of my life... I have only recently come back into contact with my old friends from that era.... hired at cello by Roy Brown, which the Panagos' were running like good ex-hippies. Hugh was my boss, I drugged wayyyyy too much, but it was there that I got into Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, 999, the Jam, Graham Parker, Pearl Harbor, the Revillos, the Clash, Pearl Harbor, Sun Ra, Keith Jarrett, Mahavishnu (thanks GB,) Count Basie (thanks ST), 50's jazz, and the best Dylan (thanks SM) plus all the great locals Pudz, Cheaters, Fastbacks, Red Dress, H. Boy and too many more. Those who worked there know about melts, the 99cent bin, the crazy sales, tape face, the schizos we would allow to come in because they had nowhere to go like the guy who played the same Tull song every morning and the guy who hated drunk drivers and sold us a Butcher Cover for like $5 (way to go Hugh). Crashed and burned but oh well, that's life. I think I posted this twice, more or less, and either I deleted the first one or it will show up later and you will spot me for the cyber idiot that I am......
R.I.P. Cello--and did GB ever clean out his employee bin?
35
The landlord must have a deal with another company to open a shop there if they're refusing to cut a deal. I'm wondering who.
Keep an eye on that storefront once the doors close.
Keep an eye on that storefront once the doors close.
36
Yeah, I worked at Cellophane, NOT Second Time Around!!! But hey, glad somebody remembered me for foisting Trout Mask Replica on him. I'm really sad to see it go, however different it may have ended up. I'm in agreement with dickpotts, thanks to all the great people I got the opportunity to work with there, and all the AWESOME music I got turned on to due to the omnivorous evangelical nature of my friends there. And yes, great customers too, even the insane ones!
38
Nice to see Scott M. post here. I worked at the 42nd Street C.Square from '86 to '88. Back then, we were still wrapping LPs in newspaper, and selling mystery packs for a buck. It was a huge joy to work with and learn from ST, SM, HJ, DC and the rest. These were the dying days of the first LP era, and yet on my $600/mo. salary (!) my record collection grew 1000 percent. I seldom shopped at the new store way up on the Ave, but I am terribly sorry to see it go.
Corky
Corky
39
I sold tapes (TAPES!) to the 42nd St store for, I dunno, cigarette money or something when I was a kid. I loved the 'mystery packs' around Christmas, even though I ended up with a New Kids On The Block CD once. After Peaches/Beehive closed, C. Square became my go-to record shop for years and years. I walked out with a stack of $0.50 vinyl a just couple of weeks ago. Sad news indeed.
40
Just got the word from HJ. On my birthday no less. Two of the best bosses I've EVER work for; HJ-n-DP. Let alone, co-workers that still resonate in the hollows of my mind. Lucky to be there when the pinball room ruled supreme, from 10pm till midnight. On some nights I be closing; and have to ask/chase out the likes of Duff, Kim. Tom Rrice, GB (prior to being hired),the Bloch brothers, etc. Then, after closing, enjoy a drink or more while, CRANKING the sound; having the place to your self, a world of records, and play pin ball into the night. I think there were times it used to quiet enough in the U-District, that you could hear the music being blasted by those closing; a half block away. Folks having real jobs calling at 1am and possibly later asking to have the music turned down, sometimes cops might knock on the door and let you know there were complaints. NEVER, did I think or worry 'bout staying til midnight, to close. Plus there was working with GB, he'd play "Can of Bees" or The Birthday Party, overandovernadover; til I was sooo sick-n-tired of 'em; that it took years of therapy and coaxing, to come round and accept Robyn and Nick. Then the heart break of psoriasis (not really), getting schooled by being fired; in an important life lesson: for not having the good sense to realize you might've been at one place too long. Or, could it have been not vacuuming the carpet, forgetting to water those damn plants, one noise complaint too many???? So, that's how I came to be here; manning one of the last light houses on the outer fringes of the Aleutian Islands. Gimme a shout some time DP, GB, BF, etc...
41
Over half of our vinyl collection still has the old Cellophane Square price tag stickers on them from the good old days on 42nd. ($2.99 and $3.99 for most of them!) Much of my musical knowledge was formed thanks to the employees at the old store. Thanks Scott, Hugh and Steve!
42
Damn it. It was only last week that I declared, fuck iTunes, I'll be getting all my music from Cellophane from now on - and now this?
I haven't known you guys long, but you've been kickass, CP and company. You'll be much missed.
I haven't known you guys long, but you've been kickass, CP and company. You'll be much missed.
43
stopped by today and picked up a few disks (nearly bought a copy of songs about fucking ala post #12, actually).
one of the things that most rules about cellophane is that their price stickers don't gum up the front of the jewel case, and they're not impossible to get off either.
one of the things that most rules about cellophane is that their price stickers don't gum up the front of the jewel case, and they're not impossible to get off either.
44
I worked there between 1988-92. Made minimum wage and had no health insurance--they eliminated dental only a few months after I started--but I left with a first-rate record collection and the equivalent of a four-year music degree. Scott McCaughey exited before my time, but dropped by often as a Popllama rep, and was always a gent. I took over from Dave Crider (Mono Men, Estrus Records) as marketing and advertising coordinator. Also enjoyed occasional visits from Calvin Johnson, Mark Pickerel, Mark Lanegan, who worked at Peaches at the time, and other then-local luminaries. (I'll always remember the evening I was playing Monster Movie. Lanegan was walking by, paused, stepped in, and asked with obvious awe, "What is that...?") Also enjoyed the in-stores and visits from out-of-towners like J. Mascis and Henry Rollins. Fun fact: Jonathan Poneman and gang used the sealer at Cellophane to wrap '88's Sub Pop 200 three-LP set as they didn't yet have one of their own.
45
Yes, what an odd feeling! The king of Seattle record stores is dead - long live the king! It was inevitable but frankly I am surprised that it didn't wind down earlier without the Hugh Jones at the helm. What made Cellophane truly great was your ability to both make sure that the store kept it's humanity all those years as well as keep a step ahead of every little fickle trend that the industry spewed out and make it work for the store. With your departure, the store seemed to react very slowly to big changes in that market.I always thought that that was a remarkable ability you had to navigate three decades worth of market changes and keep the store on top.And that is not to mention that at my present 52 years of age - you are easily the coolest boss I have ever worked for. My hats off to you!
My own experience (with the exception of the untimely departure) there was and will be unforgettable. The cast of characters of those who worked there as well as shopped there - many who still cross my path regularly.People like Steve Marcus, Marty Perez,Susan Waterworth, Dick Potts, Roy Brown,Garth Brandenburg, Hugh Jones, and the rest of the alumni will always be bigger than life to me. I suppose there could have been worse things than getting replaced by Scott McCaughey! Three forths of my original band, the Chubby Children in 1982, came from the store.Cellophane was unique in that you went there to shop and to gather with all your friends - day and night. I think back about the day PIL's Metal Box came in,Roy Brown beaming when he got those Isomizers in, deciding whether $6 was too much money for a mint Dylan mono LP,how cool it was having Jazz Alley right next door,beginning my shift by counting my Till and smoking a bowl (hey, it was the 70s!),the buzz every time a Beatles Butcher Cover came in, closing the store with Garth before we dosed and had record wars til the next morning,Leon's legendary 1980 Cheap Trick party,working in the only store where you could listen to Black Flag while you worked,Driving up to Vancouver in 1978 with the Joneses to see Elvis Costello play about 20 minutes, finding The Replacements first 45 "I'm in Trouble" by accident for 25c, how the Jazz racks were bulging with Impulse, Blue Note and ESP titles because it wasn't quite hip again yet, the constant battle to keep your personal hold under 100s of pieces, knowing that sooner or later almost every record ever made came through the store which made you have a promo, stock copy, UK,and Japanese copies of every title you owned. I could go on and on - and as those who know me will attest - I usually do - LOL! Suffice to say - it is truly - very truly - the end of an era. Salutations to all the 'Square bruthas and sistas, Brian Fox
More...
My own experience (with the exception of the untimely departure) there was and will be unforgettable. The cast of characters of those who worked there as well as shopped there - many who still cross my path regularly.People like Steve Marcus, Marty Perez,Susan Waterworth, Dick Potts, Roy Brown,Garth Brandenburg, Hugh Jones, and the rest of the alumni will always be bigger than life to me. I suppose there could have been worse things than getting replaced by Scott McCaughey! Three forths of my original band, the Chubby Children in 1982, came from the store.Cellophane was unique in that you went there to shop and to gather with all your friends - day and night. I think back about the day PIL's Metal Box came in,Roy Brown beaming when he got those Isomizers in, deciding whether $6 was too much money for a mint Dylan mono LP,how cool it was having Jazz Alley right next door,beginning my shift by counting my Till and smoking a bowl (hey, it was the 70s!),the buzz every time a Beatles Butcher Cover came in, closing the store with Garth before we dosed and had record wars til the next morning,Leon's legendary 1980 Cheap Trick party,working in the only store where you could listen to Black Flag while you worked,Driving up to Vancouver in 1978 with the Joneses to see Elvis Costello play about 20 minutes, finding The Replacements first 45 "I'm in Trouble" by accident for 25c, how the Jazz racks were bulging with Impulse, Blue Note and ESP titles because it wasn't quite hip again yet, the constant battle to keep your personal hold under 100s of pieces, knowing that sooner or later almost every record ever made came through the store which made you have a promo, stock copy, UK,and Japanese copies of every title you owned. I could go on and on - and as those who know me will attest - I usually do - LOL! Suffice to say - it is truly - very truly - the end of an era. Salutations to all the 'Square bruthas and sistas, Brian Fox
46
wow....sm, bnfox and mp all posting their fond farewells... and i have never posted here before either....
i think we need a Cello alums and customers party
i nominate HJ to organize it. ha ha ha ha me passing the buck.
i think we need a Cello alums and customers party
i nominate HJ to organize it. ha ha ha ha me passing the buck.
47
I'm bummed. I think that after Cellophane Square closes we connoisseurs of tangible music media should organize periodic "Buy From an Indie Record Store" days upon which downloaders go in and buy one, just one CD.
I'll miss everybody at Cellophane, including that cute guy Wes.
I'll miss everybody at Cellophane, including that cute guy Wes.
48
Wow, amazing to see all the alumni posting - thanks folks, for making me feel good. I had a pretty amazing 25 year run at the place (October 1975 to February 2001), resulting in many great memories and lasting friendships. . . and I've really enjoyed going in over the last 8 years since I left as a customer, too. I'm going to miss it.
Cheers to all - if you organize that party, DP, let me know!
- HJ
Cheers to all - if you organize that party, DP, let me know!
- HJ
49
George Romansic (Beakers, Little Bears from Bangkok, 3 Swimmers) sent me a link to this article and I've already sent a personal note on to Hugh via email, thanking him for his deft ability to balance art/music/business with empathy, compassion, knowledge and passion.
It really was Hugh's personal warmth and deep knowledge (along with the people he personally chose to work with him) that truly made Cellophane Square more like Seattle's rendering of The Explorer's Club, complete with exotic mounted musical finds on every wall - every visit meant making new discoveries: tactile and real.
The loss of Cellophane is like watching a significant city cornerstone being decimated. It's sad, but no regrets for time well spent.
Thank you all (mentioned above) who I met there and discussed songs, artists, artwork, and for contributing to my life in so many positive ways.
- Stephen Rabow
It really was Hugh's personal warmth and deep knowledge (along with the people he personally chose to work with him) that truly made Cellophane Square more like Seattle's rendering of The Explorer's Club, complete with exotic mounted musical finds on every wall - every visit meant making new discoveries: tactile and real.
The loss of Cellophane is like watching a significant city cornerstone being decimated. It's sad, but no regrets for time well spent.
Thank you all (mentioned above) who I met there and discussed songs, artists, artwork, and for contributing to my life in so many positive ways.
- Stephen Rabow
50
I have a lot of good memories from working there. The Cellophane Square in Bellingham was basically my first job after moving away from home in Yakima in 1993.
Probably my most cringe-inducing moment now is thinking of the time around 1993 when David Weiss was putting the cellophane.com website online. (complete with its awesome blanket-background image buttons!). I asked Dave what this whole "domain name" thing was and asked him if drugs.com was available. He said it was and asked if I wanted it. (I think this was after they were charging fees for domain names), out of ignorance I said that I didn't want the government after me and had never thought of commercial drug companies! It sold a few years later for around $830,000.
Cellophane memories/references still pop up from time to time. Recently I found out that a good friend who I met a couple years ago via my wife...I actually had met him about 10 years earlier when he would come in and sell CDs on several occasions at the Seattle store.
A couple times at parties/etc, I've also had fun pointing out Hugh's name and footage on the Led Zeppelin DVD too.
Probably my most cringe-inducing moment now is thinking of the time around 1993 when David Weiss was putting the cellophane.com website online. (complete with its awesome blanket-background image buttons!). I asked Dave what this whole "domain name" thing was and asked him if drugs.com was available. He said it was and asked if I wanted it. (I think this was after they were charging fees for domain names), out of ignorance I said that I didn't want the government after me and had never thought of commercial drug companies! It sold a few years later for around $830,000.
Cellophane memories/references still pop up from time to time. Recently I found out that a good friend who I met a couple years ago via my wife...I actually had met him about 10 years earlier when he would come in and sell CDs on several occasions at the Seattle store.
A couple times at parties/etc, I've also had fun pointing out Hugh's name and footage on the Led Zeppelin DVD too.
51
In college I lived across 42nd from C-Square and spent all my spare time and $$ there. Now that I live on Vashon Island and have my own music store I don't get to visit as often, but always make sure to stop by on trips to Seattle to pick up a record or CD. The staff and selection have remained consistently interesting and worth the trip. It is a dark day whenever an independent store closes-- but this one is especially sad. Running a music store is definitely a labor of love. As most of these posts show, many customers understood and appreciated that.
Karen
Vashon Island Music
Karen
Vashon Island Music
52
So many fun trips to Cellophane. All through my years at the UW. It was just the best store (on 42nd). It was preferred over those other three stores because of the staff. They were willing to help you find cool albums, and if you asked them Is this a good one, they were always right on. That was Hugh and Scott McCaughey and Steve & Eric. Thanks for all the great deals! I got to be friends with Tina. I later made a point to open my still sealed box set 8-track of John & Yoko The Wedding album that I had just bought for 16$ in front of Joanne. Things got even more amazing for me...I got hired in 1986! There has never been a feeling like getting to work at Cellophane. I could hardly believe it! It was the best Seattle experience a guy could have. I discovered indie rock there. I helped DO the sealing on Sub Pop 200! Endless stories of customers (like Kurt Bloch coming in on Sunday evenings quite often) and shows (BB was there) and good times. I met my first band Food Giant there. I worked with some super fun people like Mike Cox and Corky and ER and EB and Malik and Harris. I started to be a fan of what was later called grunge. I managed the Bellevue store for a year in 1990 and I had an all- star team like Mark Wooten and Jake and lots more. When Seattle stores like this close it sucks for the city. This place was THE Seattle record store. The template. A big part of my life. May the spirit of Cellophane Square live on. -Scott Farley
53
Cellophane was my first professional job as manager on 42nd, then I opened up the first B'ham store and oversaw them both. This was from '73-'78. The owners were hiring and firing on a regualr basis, so I put together a hiring and training program, and we built a great team with almost no turnover for most of the five years. I would like to say thanks to those who will always be my friends, and hope you are all doing well. Hugh was one of the first hires; he became the manager in Seattle when B'ham opened, and later GM. Carol Bestwick was the first manager in the B'ham store. Sue Pickford came on about that time and was a great member of the team. Gordie Arlin was there then too; he is still known for his heart, to big to fit in any box. He owns Bargin CDs and Tapes in Everett and has for many years. Dick Potts was the life of the party and a big part of the heart of our team. Dick Major was our Engilsh Folk expert, and I was and still am heavily into the Blues. I'm a six year board member of the Washington Blues Society, and am working with a major local Delta Blues artist, Son Jack Jr. I'm sure there were great teams and great times as the years rolled by. But my team started it all, and I am proud of 'em, and love 'em all to this day, each and every one. We were a family. And we were a team that gave honesty, integraty and fair deals for vinyl (no CDs in those days). That was thirty years ago with a new wife, new baby, new job and new life. It's 30+ years later, and I still ain't never been rocked enough.
Roy Brown
Roy Brown
54
How Doo,
I can't believe no Cellophane no mo! I worked in the B'ham location for a
couple of years before moving on to Golden Oldies. Hugh Jones or should I
say the great Hugh Jones brought me on board along with Jim Weymeyer. I
worked with people who are still good friends especially Ron Okura (the hardest working man in show biz), Chuck Foster, Richie Rich, and Laura
Esparza. I have memories of those sales and the lines out the door. I once
pulled a graveyard putting out product for the sale when my co-workers were
at a T-Heads show down in Seattle. I learned to do Canadian exchanges in
my head faster than the bank. I have fond memories of the Seattle crew,
Scott, Eric, Steve Marcus and Tina. Our B'ham bunch was also kick-butt.
Hugh really taught me the biz and was the best GM ever. Very proud to have
been a wee-part of this magical place.
Mark "Lonesome Jerome" DuFresne
I can't believe no Cellophane no mo! I worked in the B'ham location for a
couple of years before moving on to Golden Oldies. Hugh Jones or should I
say the great Hugh Jones brought me on board along with Jim Weymeyer. I
worked with people who are still good friends especially Ron Okura (the hardest working man in show biz), Chuck Foster, Richie Rich, and Laura
Esparza. I have memories of those sales and the lines out the door. I once
pulled a graveyard putting out product for the sale when my co-workers were
at a T-Heads show down in Seattle. I learned to do Canadian exchanges in
my head faster than the bank. I have fond memories of the Seattle crew,
Scott, Eric, Steve Marcus and Tina. Our B'ham bunch was also kick-butt.
Hugh really taught me the biz and was the best GM ever. Very proud to have
been a wee-part of this magical place.
Mark "Lonesome Jerome" DuFresne
55
After reading all these comments from so many of my former Cello friends, colleagues, customers, family I feel compelled to chime in on the demise of my home away from home from 1980-1998. I was hired by Dick Potts & Hugh Jones in the fall of 1980 and planned to stick around until I figured out what I wanted to really do for my working life. I ended up loving my job (how many can say that?) and decided to stay until I didn’t love it anymore. Well that turned out to be 18 years later! Sure we worked for not much money but the passion that so many orbiting the store – fellow employees, the owners, & customers - had for the world of music made up for whatever I lost in salary opportunity for those years. Call me naïve but I actually looked forward to and so enjoyed going to work most days and hanging out with HJ, DP, SM, GB, WF, JB, DC, JD, JJ, MS, CH, DK, KN, SF, KF, JH, GS, JH, SF and on and on through the years, not to mention all the passionate, loyal (Hutch, Rob M., Harry V, Eli M, Ann C, and, as Scott McC said, sometimes crazy customers. And they paid me to do it!
The tidal wave that is the digital revolution has its advantages when it comes to accessing music but it will never replace the community that revolves around the local record store. Long live, Easy Street, Everyday Music, Sonic Boom and all the other survivors to date. And long live one of the originals and soon to be a part of Seattle history – Cellophane Square. You will be missed.
The tidal wave that is the digital revolution has its advantages when it comes to accessing music but it will never replace the community that revolves around the local record store. Long live, Easy Street, Everyday Music, Sonic Boom and all the other survivors to date. And long live one of the originals and soon to be a part of Seattle history – Cellophane Square. You will be missed.
56
I guess I need to read Line Out more often. I found out just today that it was closed for good. My god.
57
to the person who said "more room fore bubble tea" -- please tell me you're joking. not that I don't like bubble tea, but do we really need 16 bubble tea/frozen yogurt places on one street?
58
I worked at the Bellevue Square location for six months back in '94, and had bought from and sold to them at the Seattle locations a bunch over the years. Sad to see them go, but where one story ends others begin.
59
I loved working at the U-district location with Steve, Matt, Nick, Gabe and Barrett. It was the best college job I ever could have had. I got turned on to so much music working there. Plus, the basement was the best place for smoking dope while working the late shift.
I was quite bummed out when I saw it was closed.
I was quite bummed out when I saw it was closed.
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