Why you'll be shopping at Key Food on Avenue A without hearing a random song from the 1980s

EVG archival photo 

Reporting and videos by Stacie Joy

Shopping at Key Food has changed this past week since The Day the Music Died on Aug. 12. 

The PA system at the grocery on Avenue A and Fourth Street is out of order. 

For shoppers, you won't hear the store's playlist heavy on fringe-y late 1980s alternative hits and some other 1990s chestnuts. (I hear you, Paula Cole — and I Don't Want to Wait!) 

Aside from the music, the in-house intercom system is also down. So, you won't be interrupted by commands from above for Richie to pick up line 2 or calls about a delivery for the meat department.

Co-manager Dennis Acuna explained that technicians came to fix the intercom and music box (one controller unit for both systems) and found they needed to order a part for the repair. They hope the replacement part arrives soon so the system can be pumping out Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue" and Stevie Nicks' "Rooms on Fire" SOON.

In the meantime, there is just deafening silence in the aisles.

   

"Imagine, you are [in the grocery] only for a little time," Acuna said. "We are here all the time — we miss it too." 

I spoke with a few staffers, some of whom were relieved the music was off temporarily, "It's kind of a relief; it's not as intense in here," said one cashier. Another employee said he missed stocking the shelves to music. 

For now, the only sounds are the moans of the Key Food ghosts, the relentless "please place the last scanned item on the scale" message at the self-checkouts, and the echoes of cases of White Claw being boosted.