Ugh. Gimme Gimme Records, a gem of a used shop on East Fifth Street (next to the 9th Precinct), is closing after this weekend. This past summer, as we noted here, Steve Croman of Croman Realty (9300 Realty) bought the building... a huge rent hike ensued and... the store that just recently celebrated its 18th year is closing Sunday night. That's how it goes.
And it is/was a great little store... open three days a week (and Slum Goddess works here) ... with a piano teacher using the space at other times. Seems so quaint in these bloodthirsty real-estate days.
Owner Dan Cook has plans to eventually reopen the store in Los Angeles. Maybe you can visit. And by my count, this is the fourth record store to close in the East Village this year — Norman's, Rockit Scientist and Big City Records.
Very sad. I only discovered this store last year and have been a frequent customer since. Sad to see it leave. Great prices and selection of vinyl.
ReplyDelete- East Villager
Yes. Come by this weekend if you want to show some support, buy some vinyl and say goodbye..Very sad about this!
ReplyDeleteOoof! Another hit to the gut. I guess cops don't buy vinyl.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't a frequent visitor to this store but I did procure a handful of choice LPs from this location on a couple of occasions. Interesting selection but pricier than Academy on 12th, which is fast-becoming the last hold-out for East Village vinyl listeners.
Always hate to see another record store close.
ReplyDeleteGreat store, will be missed. Unfortunately it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. Fuck NYC real estate and it's douchebag landlords. Of course this store will turn into some generic upscale piece of shit retail boutique. Glad to hear that the owner is moving to LA. Things have changed out there as well, but not like here. In fact I may follow his lead and go out there too. If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times: New York City is OVER, DONE, WHITE-WASHED, NUTS CUT OFF AND EVERYTHING.
ReplyDeleteAnother great record store gone. We really liked these people and they have a wonderful selection of vinyl. Wish them well in LA, though it makes me so sad that the hood is becoming so bland.
ReplyDeletei'm excited for the new 7-11.
ReplyDeleteI need more records like I need more CDs or cassette tapes, but I will probably stop by this weekend and buy some.
ReplyDeletesoon you'll only be able to buy physical music in starbucks.
ReplyDeleteCroman should be thrown in jail for crimes against culture and humanity
ReplyDeleteGreat unpretentious store. Fantastic selection, cool vibe, and on the most part pretty good prices. This is a real bummer. Another one bites the dust.
ReplyDeleteNYC is done. Just keeps sinking to new depths. Hear, hear for LA. Like 10:29 said, LA has been changing but in complete opposite to NYC. Good luck Gimme Gimme.
I'll stop by there this weekend to say farewell and give some business to the owners. Hope they continue on to success in the new place....
ReplyDeleteAcademy is not the last option in the East Village....Kim's on 1st Ave has a great selection, and there is also Good Records on 6th Street just one block from Gimme Gimme, and Tropicalia in Furs also on 6th....
ReplyDeleteStill, Gimme Gimme will be missed....I like to make the rounds of all these stores...
Great place to pass time and browse records. Good selection of New Wave records, which they have as a separate category from the 80's rock/pop. I got the Depeche Mode The Singles 81→85, back in '96/'97, lent it o a girl I had a crush on, but she never returned it. Do I miss that record and her. I digress.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'll be hunting high and low for new wave or otherwise records on Gimme's last 3 days.
And A-1 Records is still around, so is St. Marks Sounds for CDs, who knows for how long for both. Let's give them business while they're still around. Would be ideal for a cash mob.
I wish Gimme Gimme would hold out or find another location in the East Village....this is the time for vinyl and it's only getting better...vinyl sales are the highest they've been since the 80s, and increasing dramatically every year...
ReplyDelete"Still Gaining: Vinyl Sales Up 16.3 Percent In 2012..."
Digital Music News
http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2012/121004vinyl
Very sad news. This has been one of my favorite used record stores since the mid-90s. Kim's has no atmosphere and is run by morons, Good Records is overpriced, and A1 doesn't really have a well curated selection of 60s and 70s rock. Why do all of the cool places have to close?
ReplyDeleteWhat a loss! All the charm of the EV and the rest of the city is gone.
ReplyDeleteI love the vibe of the place. The fact that it's also full of pianos since it doubles as a piano teaching venue. The staff talking to a disembodied voice via video chat, listing off descriptions and conditions of stacks of new vinyl takes, classic or obscure. The gems found in the dollar bins on the floor. Great new wave and 80s selection. Best prices for the quality of the records. Actually friendly and unpretentious staff. The oddball collection of turntables and record players. On and on....
ReplyDeleteI am sure Dan appreciates all these nice comments..he worked hard to make this place a success and it was..Croman is possibly Satan I think. Or some kind of wendigo demon at least.
ReplyDeleteI don't cry easily, but this news brought a tear to my eye. Sayonara, Gimme Gimme!
ReplyDeletei believe change is good, when it is progress. what has happened to the east village, and much of the city (chelsea, ug), just crushes my radical spirit a little more each day . . .
ReplyDeleteIronically, "Gimme Gimme" is the mantra of these land lords.
ReplyDeleteUgh. Croman was my first landlord back in 1997 when I'd just come to NYC for college. I paid way too much for way too little space, and he'd bought out/kicked out a bunch of people in my building to gut as many apartments as he could. The people before me had paid only $110 a month, but it'd been a stable building. The new neighbors didn't know each other and eventually we had a cat burglar hit nearly every unit in the building. They stole my palm pilot! I know that's just the way things go, but it's still sad. I'm never shocked when I see his name pop up on something like this.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to the guys at Gimme Gimme!
Cromagnon is at it again- won't stop until they've stamped out any last vestige of culture, graciousness and individuality
ReplyDeleteSo sad to see it go but don't worry people. With more flooding coming our way and the ability to create weapons with 3d-printers NYC could do another 360, only time will tell.
ReplyDelete