I live just a few blocks away from the now-defunct NYCD.  It was indeed a great pop resource.  I recall they were always abreast of the stuff I liked: XTC, TFC, Del Amitri, etc.  And espcially anything Posies related - they had some connection with them.  Though of course their tastes and inventory were much wider than that.
   
  They were, however, usually unwilling to play requests, and certainly had a bit of the holier-than-though attitude at times.  The move to a basement location on a side street can't have helped their business.
   
  I'm probably typical of the customer base that faded away.  And the clear reason for me was internet purchasing.  I started shopping directly from Not Lame, Amazon, etc.  It was cheaper, simpler, I could listen to samples, etc.  It was - and is - a better buying experience.  (And I'm someone who used to relish spending hours in record stores.)
   
  While we can all lament the loss of the independent record store, it's not the product of some overarching evil.  Things just change.  Always have, always will.  No one guarantees us a lifetime livelihood of our choosing.
   
  Just my 2 cents.

		
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