Tampa Record Stores Closing Down

This Tampa Bay Business Journal points out that record stores across Tampa are closing down. This has less to do with downloading than stores like Sam Goody's providing crap music. Vinyl Fever and Sound Exchhange have both grown and expanded. If you gear your selection to music fans then they will come back. If you're banking on top 40 music, you can not count on repeat customers.

On a side note: rumors have been circulating about USF buying the University Mall. The rumors have been going on for over a year. Glimcher Realty Trust have tried to dispel the gossip. People would be more convinced if stores didn't keep closing.

Update: Joel leaves an interesting comment about the rumors.

The rumors are just as strong on campus.

Even if they're not true right now they need to be. The mall has been a revolving door of one-off stores, while the big names keep leaving. Meanwhile USF's only option for expansion is filling in holes within the Fowler/Fletcher and 50th/30th boundaries. That usually means taking away parking space already at a premium.

And anyone concerned about the distance should remember that USF already holds classes at the movie theatre. The school has a pretty efficient shuttle system that services the mall.

All in all the move would make perfect sense.

The flip side is many gutter punk kids won't be able to take those ten dollar surveys at the mall. Items like cough syrup and Natural Ice cost money.