One of New York City’s longest standing destinations for lovers of music, the legendary Colony Records, is set to close. Owner Richard Turk gives the usual reasons for its demise: the Internet, high rent and lack of CD sales.

Colony Records was one of the first places I visited when I moved to New York in 1977. This was before Virgin or Tower existed and Colony was an overwhelming experience for a record freak like myself. It was hip without being hipster, cool without being cold. It definitely had a Times Square vibe while still being an oasis in a neighborhood that could be rough and uninviting. The staff was old skool New Yorkers who knew their shit. They might not have looked like the record store employees we’ve grown accustomed to in recent years - no pale-skinned, bearded geeks spewing fan jizz on rare Lee Hazlewood albums - but they had deep knowledge and appreciation for whatever genre they specialized in. They could be gruff but the gruffness was tempered with a sweetness that came from being around objects they loved - rows and rows of vinyl and sheet music.

Webzine Capitol offers a brief history of Colony Records in an article on its closing:

Colony Records was founded in 1948 by Harold “Nappy” Grossbart and Richard Turk’s father, Sidney. The shop’s location and late hours—it stayed open til 3 a.m. seven days a week for decades—made it a popular destination for musicians, theatergoers and celebrities throughout Times Square’s multiple incarnations. Repeat patrons included Benny Goodman, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, and Michael Jackson, who in his later years took to scheduling after-hours appointments to drop by.”

The closing of Colony, Tower, Virgin and dozens of indie record stores in Manhattan has resulted in a huge void where music fans once gathered to share their passion. Richard Turk’s concern is shared by more than just a few Manhattanites -  “where New Yorkers will go to talk about music, now that all the “characters stores” like Colony have gone extinct.”
 

 

 
The following is a rough cut of scenes from Manhattan Lullaby, a documentary about Colony Records directed by Sara Cross. It’s a work in progress that now seems to have found its ending.