Indie music store finds new home
Rent, space issues led to Crow's Nest's closing

Theresa Scarbrough/The Chronicle Crow’s Nest has bought out Rock Records, 175 W. Washington St., leaving the former Crow’s Nest location in the Chicago Music Mart, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., vacant since early April. The now-empty Music Mart will be filled with DePaul classrooms and a cafeteria.

By Alicia Dorr
Staff Writer

After 10 years in the Chicago Music Mart at 1 E. Jackson Blvd., the Crow's Nest is gone, but not forgotten. The downtown location of the record store, known for its knowledgeable employees and specialized music selections, closed on April 2.

Depaul University, which owns the buildings, allowed the leases of six Music Mart businesses to expire in order to provide more classrooms and a cafeteria for its South Loop students. Robin Florzak, spokeswoman for DePaul, said this was done to cater to the school's growing student body, which she says is the school's No. 1 priority.

For Brandon Wetherbee, program director for DePaul's WRDP online radio station, the Crow's Nest will be missed. He said the store was the best place to get new music.

"They would special order anything for you, which is cheaper than going to another record store and buying imports," Wetherbee said.

Wetherbee did not know that Crow's Nest had bought out the Rock Records location at 175 W. Washington St. The move to the new location offers longtime customers an alternative to the other Crow's Nest location in Crest Hill, Ill.

According to the owner, Floyd Crow, April was a transition month for the store. The store kept many of its employees but the specialized music selections, such as an extensive classical music supply, had to go due to the lack of space.

"We had to be selective about what inventory to put in the smaller store," Crow said. He added that he is looking into buying another space for the specialized music.

When the dust in the new store settles, Rock Records is planning a grand re-opening, which Crow hopes will draw old customers.

The closing of the Crow's Nest and Rock Records, whose owner decided to retire, comes at a time when record stores are already few and far between, leaving some customers like Wetherbee wondering if this is a sign of things to come. Greg Kot, rock critic for the Chicago Tribune, said he doubts new record stores will replace the closed ones.

"Sadly, I think [record stores] are moving toward extinction because they're being under-priced by the big chain stores, who use CDs as loss leaders to bring customers into their stores to buy other products," said Kot.

Kot, who said much of his record collection comes from Rock Records and other now-defunct shops, said record stores would have to "diversify in order to survive."

According to Florzak, the Crow's Nest was looking to close the State Street location around the same time DePaul announced its plans back in January. Florzak said the store was experiencing economic difficulty at the time.

"There were some issues with back rent that [the owner] owed, which have since been negotiated. He decided to close the store, we didn't shut it down," Florzak said.

"We all fulfilled our obligations," Crow said.

As for the rent accusations, Crow said, "That's a difference of opinion."

Wetherbee said he would miss the South Loop location, which he said was the only real record store for anyone in the area. He is not sure whether he will go to Rock Records.

"It's out of the way, and it's too small," Wetherbee said.

As for other Crow's Nest customers curious about the new version of the store, they can see for themselves near the corner of Washington and Wells streets.

Rock Records is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.