The Streetlight Records on 24th closed last month while I was away. There is still a video shop in Noe–Video Wave–tucked away on Castro St, but I haven’t been there in a few years (I think Lost Weekend on Valencia has a better shot at staying relevant, so I occasionally wander in there to rent something and make the place look inhabited–it’s still a great place to meet people who are passionate about movies).
I’m not happy or sad about it, really. In the last 10 years I’ve listened to a lot more new and indie music than I used to before Internet increased distribution and availability; and I’ve taken the recommendations of strangers and people close to me. There will always be music mavens, even if they aren’t employed at places like Streetlight. But it’s true, there isn’t a physical storefront to decorate and hold a place for music exploration anymore, and that’s something I’ll have to get used to.
