The windows are empty.
The neon lights are off.
And the inside is gutted.
And what's coming to replace those 60 years of history?
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Colony Gone
In August, we first learned that Colony Music would be vanishing after 60 years in Times Square. Their landlord hiked the rent to $5 million. Now Colony is gone. All the sheet music, the CDs, the memorabilia is gone. A reader sends in the following snapshots.
The windows are empty.
The neon lights are off.
And the inside is gutted.
And what's coming to replace those 60 years of history?
The windows are empty.
The neon lights are off.
And the inside is gutted.
And what's coming to replace those 60 years of history?
Five Million Dollars per month...to rent a space. That's $166,666.67 per day. Not surprised that this is the same company that uses "New Era, New York" on their scaffolding ads.
ReplyDeleteAsking $5M is absolutely sending a statement to everyone that New York is no longer for you, and that if you aren't rich, you are not welcome to live here: we've been given 2 options - leave on our own, or get priced out.
And I still think independent record shops, music stores, and book shops should partner up and share space/rent.
a fast food theme park?
ReplyDeleteWhoa, I was thinking the rent was $5 mil per year, which I found ridiculous. It's per month?? Christ.
ReplyDeleteEither the landlord is completely delusional or someone is actually willing to pay that price for space. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeletelook at all that advertising in a public space! yuk.
ReplyDeletestreet scene blight.
Stonehenge strikes again...:(
ReplyDeleteThey forgot to put Yunnie after Generation on the future rendition of that building and corner.
ReplyDeleteWhile the crazy-ass rent did Colony in, someone who worked there said another factor was the internet. He said between people downloading music and printing out free sheet music it really hurt their sales. Glad I got to experience that place.
ReplyDeleteHey Marty, I'm as guilty as the next guy...haven't bought any CDs or sheet-music in at least a decade, probably two. Things are changing...but I do remember Colony. Sorry for the people who lost their jobs. I always tell people about the glorious 70s - then they call me an old fart. They're absolutely correct. I do consider myself lucky to have experienced some of those great moments in NYC history, from Bleecker Street to Broadway and beyond.
ReplyDeletePer month??!?!!? I thought nothing could surprise me anymore, but that did.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Marty. I'm glad I got to go there, even though in my case it had been almost 20 years since the last visit.
All the old businesses up there are gone now...Sam Ash and the other musical instrument retailers are history too. A shame.
Finally! As I've said before, if the place makes you sneeze, puhleeze! Look, I'm nostalgic just like the next bro but if it's between sheet music (?? what is that even?) and a super-sized Aeropostle, well, give me the jeans baby. That or a Applebees would be fine by me.
ReplyDelete~Bryce Allen
Wow. I did a story on this place back in 2009 entitled "Walk Quickly," implying that one must hurry to get a glimpse of tradition and Old New York before it vanishes. Looks like it's too late. http://newyorkdailyphoto.com/nydppress/?p=949
ReplyDeleteI have quite a few stories on the end of an era, places which are closing or have closed. Very sad to hear about the music shops on 48th Street going out of business as well. Do we really need another Forever 21?
I used to shop there regularly in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Back then they carried the Hot 100 singles, Top 10 Soul and Top 10 Country singles, and would order anything in stock. Best selection of sheet music in NY. Then they stopped carrying the current popular music and concentrated on Broadway and Soundtracks and geared themselves just to tourists. There was no reason for regulars record collectors to go there anymore. Sadly they outlived their usefullness.
ReplyDelete