Save The Record Lounge
Donation protected
SAVE THE RECORD LOUNGE
Earlier today, on March 28th, Heather from The Record Lounge announced on facebook that she was given until the end of the month (in just over 2 days), to move her store out of her space in Downtown East Lansing. She explained that she was on a month to month lease, which gives the landlord, The State News, the right to ask her to vacate. What is shocking however, is that they gave her such short notice to relocate her entire business.
Hi, my name is Ted Wilson, and I'm the owner of Replay Entertainment Exchange, another record store in town over 10 years running, and one of the three last independent record stores (along with F.B.C.) in Lansing. I know all too well the challenge of moving your own business, and the gut wrenching agony of going through a crisis like this. As someone who had to make the painful decision to move our business out of East Lansing, I can liken it to watching your first born go through a traumatic experience, and the feeling of desperation and not knowing if it will survive is unlike any pain I've ever felt. It's scary, it's traumatic, and the fact that Heather is being put through this in such a callous way is unconscionable. Heather needs our help, and I'm appealing to you to please help her, and her business.
To compound matters further, as if being told to move your business with basically 2 days of notice to get it done isn't enough, we are 3 weeks away from the annual Record Store Day. For those unfamiliar, Record Store Day is an annual release date that happens on the 3rd Saturday in April, where special releases are put out by all record labels, big and small. For those familiar, Heather orders and brings in more releases than any other record store in town. You are required to place your order over a month in advance, and once you commit to this order, you can't just cancel or back out of it. This means that Heather will likely be on the hook for between $7,000-$10,000 or more in orders that she will now not have a storefront to sell in, and not have 3 weeks to make sales to help pay bills and help pay for this order. Not only that, but moving a business is EXPENSIVE (trust me, I've done it over 8 times). You have deposit and first month rent on the new location, storage costs for when you're not in a store front, moving costs, time and energy and costs for moving utility accounts, the list goes on and on. Imagine being told that you need to move out of your apartment in 2 days, with no where to go. That's why it's illegal to do that in residential leases. Unfortunately commercial leases are not guaranteed such protections.
The bottom line, is that what The State News is doing is WRONG. Heather and her husband Bill are good people who don't deserve to be put through this. I have no issue with them being told to move, but had she had 30 days of notice, they would have been able to plan for this and find a new location, make an orderly move, and not had to go through such a horrible experience. This is why I'm asking you for your help.
What You Can Do:
1.) First off, Heather's business needs CASH to survive this transition. We have started a GoFundMe.com campaign to benefit Heather and The Record Lounge. Anything you can spare. $5 dollars, $10 or $20 bucks. It all adds up.
2.) For those who want something for a donation, and to show your love for Heather and The Record Lounge, and all that her business has added to our community, our sister company, Michigan Shirt Works, is selling I Heart The Record Lounge Men's and Ladies Tshirts on our website, with the proceeds to be donated to Heather. You can order by going to www.MichiganShirtWorks.com/collections/save-the-record-lounge
3.) Call The State News. Comment on the State News Facebook. Bomb their Twitter Feed. The State News is acting as a very poor community partner, and as someone who is a member of the Spartan family, I am ASHAMED and furious that they would act in this manner. This is not what Spartans do, and the management of The State News should do the responsible thing, and that is to give The Record Lounge a full 30 days to make proper arrangements before vacating the property.
The number to call during business hours and let your voice be heard is:
Business Office: [phone redacted]. You can tweet them @thesnews and comment on their facebook at facebook.com/thesnews
4.) Follow us on our facebook page by searching facebook for SaveTheRecordLounge and PLEASE SHARE IT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS! Check back for more information, and possible protests to The State News. Even if you can't donate anything to The Record Lounge, PLEASE SHARE THE PAGE!
Finally let me say this not as a Record Store Owner, but as kid who grew up going to record stores. Heather's store is one of the many things that makes our community what it is. It's where you go on a lazy Saturday to flip through vinyl, it's where you go to see a show, and discover music that makes your life worth living. If we don't fight to save the independent businesses that make our city unique, then our town isn't worth living in. Thank you in advance for your help, and let's keep Heather's shop in business.
Earlier today, on March 28th, Heather from The Record Lounge announced on facebook that she was given until the end of the month (in just over 2 days), to move her store out of her space in Downtown East Lansing. She explained that she was on a month to month lease, which gives the landlord, The State News, the right to ask her to vacate. What is shocking however, is that they gave her such short notice to relocate her entire business.
Hi, my name is Ted Wilson, and I'm the owner of Replay Entertainment Exchange, another record store in town over 10 years running, and one of the three last independent record stores (along with F.B.C.) in Lansing. I know all too well the challenge of moving your own business, and the gut wrenching agony of going through a crisis like this. As someone who had to make the painful decision to move our business out of East Lansing, I can liken it to watching your first born go through a traumatic experience, and the feeling of desperation and not knowing if it will survive is unlike any pain I've ever felt. It's scary, it's traumatic, and the fact that Heather is being put through this in such a callous way is unconscionable. Heather needs our help, and I'm appealing to you to please help her, and her business.
To compound matters further, as if being told to move your business with basically 2 days of notice to get it done isn't enough, we are 3 weeks away from the annual Record Store Day. For those unfamiliar, Record Store Day is an annual release date that happens on the 3rd Saturday in April, where special releases are put out by all record labels, big and small. For those familiar, Heather orders and brings in more releases than any other record store in town. You are required to place your order over a month in advance, and once you commit to this order, you can't just cancel or back out of it. This means that Heather will likely be on the hook for between $7,000-$10,000 or more in orders that she will now not have a storefront to sell in, and not have 3 weeks to make sales to help pay bills and help pay for this order. Not only that, but moving a business is EXPENSIVE (trust me, I've done it over 8 times). You have deposit and first month rent on the new location, storage costs for when you're not in a store front, moving costs, time and energy and costs for moving utility accounts, the list goes on and on. Imagine being told that you need to move out of your apartment in 2 days, with no where to go. That's why it's illegal to do that in residential leases. Unfortunately commercial leases are not guaranteed such protections.
The bottom line, is that what The State News is doing is WRONG. Heather and her husband Bill are good people who don't deserve to be put through this. I have no issue with them being told to move, but had she had 30 days of notice, they would have been able to plan for this and find a new location, make an orderly move, and not had to go through such a horrible experience. This is why I'm asking you for your help.
What You Can Do:
1.) First off, Heather's business needs CASH to survive this transition. We have started a GoFundMe.com campaign to benefit Heather and The Record Lounge. Anything you can spare. $5 dollars, $10 or $20 bucks. It all adds up.
2.) For those who want something for a donation, and to show your love for Heather and The Record Lounge, and all that her business has added to our community, our sister company, Michigan Shirt Works, is selling I Heart The Record Lounge Men's and Ladies Tshirts on our website, with the proceeds to be donated to Heather. You can order by going to www.MichiganShirtWorks.com/collections/save-the-record-lounge
3.) Call The State News. Comment on the State News Facebook. Bomb their Twitter Feed. The State News is acting as a very poor community partner, and as someone who is a member of the Spartan family, I am ASHAMED and furious that they would act in this manner. This is not what Spartans do, and the management of The State News should do the responsible thing, and that is to give The Record Lounge a full 30 days to make proper arrangements before vacating the property.
The number to call during business hours and let your voice be heard is:
Business Office: [phone redacted]. You can tweet them @thesnews and comment on their facebook at facebook.com/thesnews
4.) Follow us on our facebook page by searching facebook for SaveTheRecordLounge and PLEASE SHARE IT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS! Check back for more information, and possible protests to The State News. Even if you can't donate anything to The Record Lounge, PLEASE SHARE THE PAGE!
Finally let me say this not as a Record Store Owner, but as kid who grew up going to record stores. Heather's store is one of the many things that makes our community what it is. It's where you go on a lazy Saturday to flip through vinyl, it's where you go to see a show, and discover music that makes your life worth living. If we don't fight to save the independent businesses that make our city unique, then our town isn't worth living in. Thank you in advance for your help, and let's keep Heather's shop in business.
Organizer and beneficiary
Replay Ted Wilson
Organizer
East Lansing, MI
Heather Frarey
Beneficiary
