Friday, September 11, 2009
Music R.I.P. Pop Tunes
Posted by Andria Lisle on Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Yesterday morning, without any fanfare, hope for a miracle, or opportunity for a last-minute reprieve, the Nashville-based Music City Record Distributors unceremoniously pulled the plug on Memphis' final two Pop Tunes locations including the first Pop Tunes, located at 308 Poplar Ave., which was opened by Joe Cuoghi and John Novarese in the late 1940s as a retail record store, a jukebox supplier, and a wholesale operation.
Eight years ago, Music City Record Distributors, owners of the beleaguered Cats Music chain, purchased all seven area Pop Tunes stores. According to this June 2001 story, which originally ran in Billboard, retail VP Scott Perkins assured Pop Tunes fans that the stores would largely retain their unique identity in the Memphis market.
"Pop Tunes has too much history — that's where Elvis shopped," Perkins said.
In a similar interview published by the Memphis Business Journal, Music City Record Distributors president Bruce Carlock promised, ""We're putting the pop back in Pop Tunes."
Then the internet changed the retail music game. Some local independent record shops, such as Goner and Shangri-la Records have managed to flourish in these trying times, but the guys at Music City Record Distributors seemed to lose interest in music and instead shifted gears to sell head shop paraphernalia, tapestries, and t-shirts in their Memphis stores.
Carlock and Perkins shuttered the iconic Summer Avenue Pop Tunes location sometime in the past decade, leaving the gorgeous 40-foot tall neon sign — a huge vinyl record surrounded by flashing musical notes — to rot. The building's then-tenant painted over the sign two years ago, whitewashing the memories of thousands of Memphians who discovered the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, or, in my case, the Stooges' Raw Power album in the bins at Pop Tunes' classic eastern outlet.
They padlocked the Cat's Music on Union Avenue not long afterwards. I was surprised, but wasn't as saddened by that blow — although Cat's had a fantastic staff that once included current Stax Museum employee Steve Walker and musician Bret Krock of Good Luck Dark Star, the building didn't hold too many memories.
But the Pop Tunes on Poplar Ave?
Ever since the "Superman Dam Fool" graffiti was removed, Pop Tunes has provided the only bright spot on a dim stretch of Poplar that includes the city jail and bail bonds offices and pawnshops galore.
This city's history is fragmenting and disappearing overnight.
Comments (7)
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When I was about six years old my dad took me down to Pop Tunes to buy a new needle for my Mickey Mouse record player. This makes me sad.
The times...they are a changing. I saw this one coming years ago. All hail the internet!!!!!! But be encouraged, a new music legacy is about to emerge from Memphis. Mark my words: it will be revolutionary in scope and scale. And, Memphis will be glad to have birthed it!!!
Pop Tunes, Record Store or Historical Location?
I just heard about this on the 10 o clock news. I wasn't born until the late 80s, but I can udnerstand how this place is more of a historical location than just another record store. It had a helping hand in many artists careers. To me that makes it part of Music History.
I wrote up a post about it on my blog, if you would like to check it out. I also gave a linkback to your site. :)
http://all-notions.com/pop-tunes-record-st…
This should be a historic landmark. I worked there for 5 years, from 03-07 and I can tell you straight up that Bruce destroyed what should be a thriving business. The internet has hurt it for sure, but the community was still supporting it and they were still making a profit. He just flat out gave up.
I didnt kno anithing about popular tunes until my music teacher told me about it. The more he talks about it the more interesting it gets. Everyday i think about why they closed down popular tune. I think there is no going to be nothing lyk it!!!
At first I really didnt know anything about popular tunes, but my music teacher started to tell and explain the store's situation. I started to get really interested into the store's situation and their problems.
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