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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | DanAbnrml9@aol.com |
| Subject | Re: Audities record store workers |
| Date | Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:59:30 EDT |
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Well, it's apparently no surprise (given a good many of my recent posts)
that I work in a record store now. It's funny--working in a record store was
something I always wanted to do (my very first job selling frozen lemonade was
snagged because I asked for a job at my local indie record shop. They didn't
have any openings, but the manager also worked at another place...) though it
wasn't exactly the job I planned to do after college. I'm encouraged that it
seems at least a few others here spent a few years in record stores or
bookstores after school so I don't feel like an economic dropout, or like I'm
completely wasting my time.
But, yeah, I've been at Newbury Comics #13 (Peabody, about 20 mi NE of
Boston) since November of 2001. While we're technically an indie, we do walk the
line between indies and chains as we have 24 stores and a lot of decisions
(such as buying product) aren't made at the store level. But we (the employees)
do have tons of say, including on what to play in the store, how to
merchandise product, etc. We also go out of our way to help people who are digging for
stuff, and NEVER snicker at potentially "embarassing" purchases--the way I
feel, if you're a serious music fan trying to run a serious music store,
there's no such thing. Most of us (at my store anyway) are decidedly unpretentious
about music and are willing to appreciate--if not like--just about anything.
Frankly it's something of a mixed blessing to have a job like this, because
it pays me enough to pay my mortgage bill (which is really saying something
for a retail job in an expensive market like Boston) and gives me all the
benefits of a real" job and is of course often TONS OF FUN, while still also
making me feel like I should be working towards something more. It's just a
quarter-life crisis, I know.
<< From 93-95 I worked in a couple different Blockbuster Music's. I was in
my mid-20's then, working with a bunch of college and high school kids.
First place I began to feel old. But I did enjoy getting 15 year old kids to buy
the Figgs "Low-Fi At Society High".>>
That seems to be the story of my life all of a sudden! It really happens
fast... --Jason
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