Picked up many, many great CDs and albums over the decades at Vinyl Fever. A very sad day for all of us who shop weekly or when vistors are in the Tampa Bay area.

Thanks to all my friends who worked there over the years, Gabe, Carl, Kelly, Chris and Lee and many others too countless to remember. You guys provided a major chapter of joy in my life.

Rick A.

VINYL FEVER ANNOUNCES CLOSING
Everything for sale, including that Rolling Stones autographed guitar

TAMPA, FLA. - December 27, 2010 - The end of an era. After serving the Tampa Bay area for almost 30 years, Vinyl Fever, located at 4110 Henderson Blvd. in South Tampa, will close its doors at the end of February. Known for its knowledgeable staff and extensive, eclectic selection of new and used CDs, vinyl records and related merchandise, Vinyl Fever has drawn customers from across the state and beyond. Recently named one of the Top 25 record stores in the country by Rolling Stone magazine, Vinyl Fever endured in no small part because its crew lives and breathes music, passionately providing customers with information and an experience they cannot get at other stores.

"It has been a great run!" says Owner/Manager Lee Wolfson. "We feel honored and fortunate to have lived such a long business life doing what we love. We would have liked to make it to 33 and 1/3 [years], but the combination of industry changes, a difficult economy, and the upcoming expiration of our lease has forced our hand."

A CELEBRATION BEGINS
"We plan to celebrate and commemorate our 30 rocking years in Tampa. We'll thank our customers and the community with blowout sales and special events, and hopefully leave everyone with great memories."

Everything in the store will be sold, including the famous guitar autographed by the Rolling Stones that's had a "Not for Sale" sign on it for years. For now, most items will be 30%-50% off.

THE BALLAD OF VINYL FEVER
As the independent music scene grew in the late 1970's, two idealistic bohemians named Sam and Dave pooled their personal record collections, music knowledge, and a few hundred bucks to open Singing Dog Records in Columbus, Ohio. Through their store they met Mike, who managed a similar store in Cleveland. Mike had lived in Tampa, was eager to return, and helped open Vinyl Fever in 1981. A Tallahassee store soon followed.

Dave's brother Lee followed in Dave's footsteps. Starting out at Singing Dog, Lee transferred to Tallahassee in 1984 and took charge of all of the stores in 1987. Over time, Vinyl Fever Tampa split from its sister stores, still managed by Lee and an amazing crew of music aficionados.

very sad, and it seems to be a re-occurring thing of late.

I feel your pain, Rick.

I grew up in Tampa and lived there until late 2009. I remember visiting the original Vinyl Fever store at Fletcher and 15th Street, and being instantly hooked. For better or worse, that store turned me from a music fan into the music obsessive that I still am (more or less) today. Over the years I followed them across town to South Dale Mabry and then Henderson Avenue. A good chunk of my collection was bought there, usually at bargain prices. It was the kind of store us dedicated browsers loved because you never knew what you were going to find, especially in the used bins.

Vinyl Fever was one of the places I was planning to visit whenever I could get down to Tampa again. I'll reluctantly have to cross that off my list now.

Wow--is this the last independant store in Tampa/St. Pete?

As far as I know (not having been around for over a year) Bananas and Asylum are still in St. Pete and Sound Exchange has locations in Tampa and Brandon. Maybe someone can verify this

Earlier this year, I found out about, and visited, a vinyl music store still in operation, um, let's just say somewhere along the Gulf Coast. I've since been informed that the store's biggest revenue stream comes, not from the sales of used records and CD's, but from the, um, contraband substance that is supposedly marketed out of the back door of the establishment to local, um, connoisseurs of that particular weed-like substance.

I should have known. It was one of the few independant record stores I've visited in my life that DIDN'T sell any rolling papers, water bongs, pipes, Bob Marley posters, or insense sticks.

Things just haven't been same around these parts since our Tower Records location closed down for good. No more running out to the store after dinner and browsing through the stacks.

So I also feel your pain.

HI Glenn, your right. Only "Sound Exchange" is significant for its discounts and inventory.
I know the owners of both stores (VF & Sound Xchg) (since I both help pay their mortgages ) and I know it was very tough for Vinyl Fever the last few years.. They had sold their other locations and Tampa was the last one. I'm very bummed but not surprise. The tell-tale signs were there.

Didn't know you lived in Tampa, we probably stood next to each other many of a time without knowning.

Thanks all for your posting, it's like losing a very good friend here. I am just glad I went as often as I did especially knowning the outcome.

Rick A.

No doubt! I was the big guy with glasses.

I hope you at least get some good buys in the last days of the store. There was another store on S Dale Mabry in the mid-2000s that had an adjoining cafe/performance space. I can't for the life of me remember their name, but I picked up several things when they had what turned out to be their going out of business sale. At the time the owner said they would be moving but I don't think they ever re-opened.

It's good to know Sound Exchange is still going. I was there just a few days before we moved and picked up a few items that I was afraid I might not run across so easily again. They may be slightly less "hip" than Vinyl Fever (not necessarily a bad thing) but they have a great selection and know their stuff.

Crap, now I'm getting homesick!

Now that I have a GPS, maybe I should head up there. Do they have, as their name implies, a significant stock of vinyl? I would come up from Venice--should I come up through St. Pete on 275, or take 75 to I-4? (I'm, frankly, not a big fan of driving Tampa interstate.)

Don't read too much into their name. Vinyl Fever started in the pre-CD era and like most stores they moved more towards CDs in the late 80s and beyond. However, they always kept several bins of vinyl, and I believe they added a few in recent years thanks to vinyl becoming hip again. Of course, someone who has been there more recently can answer better than me.

As for how to get there, I imagine taking 275 through St. Pete would work best in this case, especially if you want to avoid Tampa interstate driving.

I wonder if Rob would have closed Championship Vinyl by now.

Nah - remember, he could sell three copies of anything at will.

Alan

AMW, Glenn does provide a good option or you can take I-75 and then take the Crosstown Expressway to the Bay to Bay exit. From there its only 10 to 15 minutes.

Glenn is also right about the vinyl availability. I do not believe their will be much left as word is now official that many of us regulars surmised. If you do come up AMW, add the Sound Exchange location(s) since your up this way. Their inventory is probably the best not only Tampa but in Florida.

If you are coming up PM me and maybe we can hook up.

Rick A.

I might have some time next week. My only thing is that I just made a road trip to Tampa and I'm not sure I'm in the mood to return just yet--it was a zoo. Still, the best thing about going to Tampa for an afternoon is that on the way home I can stop at Mr. Tequila in Bradenton for dinner--awesome Mexican food.

If you were ever in the Pittsburgh area, you just haven't lived until you visit Jerry's Records in Squirrel Hill. His selection of used vinyl is beyond mind boggling.

http://www.jerrysrecords.com

Go to his site, click on the video link and take the tour. You'll be amazed.

Jerry's is very cool - I pop in every time I go to Mineo's for pizza. They've recently added a section that is ALL 78 RPM records - some in unbelievably good shape. I should pull out the old turntable that was left at the first house we bought and take it up to see how much to repair it (needs a cartridge and probably more - and it plays 78s). Tons of stuff in there, and good prices. The only drawback for me is that there's not a lot of turnover for some artists (Zappa). And strangely, I've never found a Flaming Lips record in there. But I did pick up a vinyl copy of Head East's live album a month or so ago.

Earlier this year, on a visit, Jerry was playing a live Johnny Cash album (I love Johnny Cash - he's why I started playing guitar). About halfway through the first song I heard, it struck me that this seemed to be an album I'd never heard before. A couple more songs while I browsed confirmed it. So I asked him about it. He said it was a Czech (I think) import that someone had given him as a gift, and it was the only copy of it he'd ever seen, and it wasn't for sale. I assured him that I wasn't trying to take it off him, but it sounded different than anything I'd heard and that explained why. I need to ask him sometime what the title is so I can see if it's available anywhere is some form.

There are other stores that have used vinyl in the area, but nothing on the order of Jerry's. And one month a year (I think it's a full month), he gives albums away - you have to show up on Saturday and he'll give you a box of 100 albums. But the deal is you take the box as is - no browsing, no mixing and matching, one box per customer. I'm tempted to do it, but I haven't. Yet.

Alan

I just went to Vinyl Fever tonight. There's not much left (your mileage may vary, though). I picked up 3 CD's @30% off. There's probably less than 500 new CD's left and about the same for used discs. Quite a bit of vinyl left, as well as the autographed RS guitar. Mostly empty bins.. really sad. If you want to pick up something before they close, I wouldn't wait much longer.