Alot of you know that retail in this industry has been suffering for several reasons including but not limited to high prices, bad locations, file sharing, and rampant bootlegging. The latest victim in this retail mess has been Wherehouse Music as you have seen many of them close over the last few months since they announced their bankruptcy.
Even in bankruptcy the industry hoped and prayed that Wherehouse would make it out of the re-organization process and once again be the player in West Coast rap that it was...well, this isn't going to happen. Retail conglomerate and corporate evil, TransWorld Corporation (based in Albany, NY) has purchased the remianing Wherehouse Stores and will change them all to FYE Stores like they did Camelot and others and make them even more lifeless, and cookie cutter style, over priced retailers.
This is an important event to hip-hop as a whole but specifically Bay Area and West Coast Rap because Wherehouse has always been the biggest supporter of our cause outside of Mom & Pop stores and certain Tower stores, largely due to the fact that Violet Brown is a true champion of hip-hop and music lover.
Violet Brown has also been a long time friend to me and Rob Nonies and has helped us in so many ways throughout the years. Violet is as much a brand name as Wherehouse was having forged so many important relationships in her 25 years at the Wherehouse includingbeing the Executive Producer of the GOLD selling Prioirty Records compilation "And Then There Was Rap..." as well as being on the Source's hip-hop elite lists for five years straight. Violet is a prtner in RapMap.com along with Vamps and myself and also has several major things in the works so watch for her to make a major dent in the game.
On September 23, the music management and buying staff were told that next Wednesday October 1 would be their last day. Sadly, this includes long-time staffers such as Kevin Milligan, Toni
Miller, Violet Brown, Bob Bell, Zane Plesk and Steve Mandel. While not confirmed, I have also heard that the advertising and marketing dept will be experiencing the same shortly.
There are approx 35 stores planned for liquidation in the next few weeks (or sooner). For those of us that have worked with Wherehouse in any capacity, today was truly a sad day and the end of an era.
Looking forward, Trans World will most likely treat this new addition to their family as a very precious flower that they will nurture and grow. Besides having invested $35,000,000 and assuming debt, this marks their first major entry into the west coast which has been a long term goal. One would anticipate that the remaining stores will be quickly restored and remodeled.
While it will take a little time to assess how we all best proceed with marketing our product in the new environment, make no mistake: California, the Pacific NW, Sotuthwest and surrounding states are strong, vibrant and growing markets where lots of music buyers continue to shop.
Support independent rap, god knows we need it...
TKO!! Where you at dog? You know what I'm going through you were there in the good old days.
Even in bankruptcy the industry hoped and prayed that Wherehouse would make it out of the re-organization process and once again be the player in West Coast rap that it was...well, this isn't going to happen. Retail conglomerate and corporate evil, TransWorld Corporation (based in Albany, NY) has purchased the remianing Wherehouse Stores and will change them all to FYE Stores like they did Camelot and others and make them even more lifeless, and cookie cutter style, over priced retailers.
This is an important event to hip-hop as a whole but specifically Bay Area and West Coast Rap because Wherehouse has always been the biggest supporter of our cause outside of Mom & Pop stores and certain Tower stores, largely due to the fact that Violet Brown is a true champion of hip-hop and music lover.
Violet Brown has also been a long time friend to me and Rob Nonies and has helped us in so many ways throughout the years. Violet is as much a brand name as Wherehouse was having forged so many important relationships in her 25 years at the Wherehouse includingbeing the Executive Producer of the GOLD selling Prioirty Records compilation "And Then There Was Rap..." as well as being on the Source's hip-hop elite lists for five years straight. Violet is a prtner in RapMap.com along with Vamps and myself and also has several major things in the works so watch for her to make a major dent in the game.
On September 23, the music management and buying staff were told that next Wednesday October 1 would be their last day. Sadly, this includes long-time staffers such as Kevin Milligan, Toni
Miller, Violet Brown, Bob Bell, Zane Plesk and Steve Mandel. While not confirmed, I have also heard that the advertising and marketing dept will be experiencing the same shortly.
There are approx 35 stores planned for liquidation in the next few weeks (or sooner). For those of us that have worked with Wherehouse in any capacity, today was truly a sad day and the end of an era.
Looking forward, Trans World will most likely treat this new addition to their family as a very precious flower that they will nurture and grow. Besides having invested $35,000,000 and assuming debt, this marks their first major entry into the west coast which has been a long term goal. One would anticipate that the remaining stores will be quickly restored and remodeled.
While it will take a little time to assess how we all best proceed with marketing our product in the new environment, make no mistake: California, the Pacific NW, Sotuthwest and surrounding states are strong, vibrant and growing markets where lots of music buyers continue to shop.
Support independent rap, god knows we need it...
TKO!! Where you at dog? You know what I'm going through you were there in the good old days.
