BLOG: Remember Mom and Pop Stores

If Circuit City and Virgin Megastores are going out of business, I can only imagine how mom and pop stores are doing.

There was a time where I purchased most of my CDs at mom and pop stores. A few years back I used to go to Beat Street on Fulton Ave in Brooklyn between classes. I wasn't a DJ or anything, but still sort of a digger at the time. Each visit, I spent at least 30 minutes just combing the store for the latest underground releases. I didn't bother with anything mainstream. BET, MTV and Hot 97 had that covered. At the time, I'd buy certain records blindly without hearing a note. I remember copping Phat Kat's J Dilla-produced single featuring "Dedication To The Suckers," "Don't Nobody Care About Us" and I think the third song was something like "Microphone Check" or something. If somebody has one of those tracks on MP3, holler at your boy. I still have my record somewhere but not player, so I can't even listen to it.

I guess Beat Street isn't the traditional mom and pop spot, but it wasn't a huge chain either. I'd also stop by Fat Beats every now and then. But usually if it wasn't Beat Street, I'd go to this little spot on Jamaica Ave on my way back home. I can't quite remember the name, though. Beat Street is long gone now and I don't go to the Ave much since I moved, so I'm not even sure if that store is still in business.

What about you guys? Tell me about the mom and pop stores in your city. Is it still around, or out of business. Do you still go there?