Trouble 'round the corner

So this news came across my field of vision recently...


Luna Music, Indianapolis’s largest independent retailer of compact discs and records, has announced the opening of a third location at 5202 North College Avenue. The store will officially open Saturday, April 1. Saturday’s grand opening celebration will include an in-store performance by local favorite Vess Ruhtenberg, who has worked with such notable bands as the Zero Boys, United States Three, the Mysteries of Life, and the Pieces. Ruhtenberg’s performance will begin at 6:00 p.m.

According to Luna Music owner Todd Robinson, the new store puts Luna at the hub of the growing South Broad Ripple commercial district. "This is already a great neighborhood, and, with the expansion of the local restaurant and retail scene, it’s getting better all the time. We also think this location is going to be more convenient for a lot of our customers. We’re thrilled to be here," Robinson said.

So, not more than two soccer fields away from my porch swimg Luna Music is opening up their third Indianapolis store. There has been a sign in the window for a few weeks and I have known about it for a while, but the official press release still made me smile.

In high school, not more than two miles from my house was a fantastic record store called Tunes. I worked at a coffee shop in the same strip as Tunes the few summers I was home from college and halfway through my shift I would often use my tip money to walk over to Tunes and get a CD. During my time in college though, there wasn't really a good independent record store around me. About 90 minutes away in Buffalo, yeah. But not in Houghton, New York.

The first time I came to visit Indy, my friend actually took me to Luna. They only had one location, way up on 86th and Ditch or so. When I eventually moved out here in 1999, that was a 25 minute drive or so from where I was living, but I didn't care. I still made the trek up there all the time to get my cd's. I remember specifically one time going in there and hearing a CD from Cinerama over the speakers and knowing I had to get it. Since then I have bought every Cinerama CD I could get my hands on and delved into David Gedge's other band the Wedding Present as well. I remember seeing Mark Kozlek of Red House Painter's do an instore there as well.

I was thrilled when they opened up a store on Mass Avenue, since I was in that part of town more than I was up on the north side. But to have a store opening just a few hundred yards from my door, on April 1. That's trouble. My roomate and I have already joked about not paying rent when it opens up. I think we are joking. I hope. Truth told, I don't buy nearly as many CD's as I used to. But, come April 4, it will be nice to just step outside walk a few steps there, and then walk a few steps home with the new Morrissey in hand.

April 1, will be a ridiculous sports day. The Columbus Crew opens their soon to be Championship season vs Kansas City, the Formula 1 Austrailian Grand Prix, Final 4 games (hopefully Villanova makes it to Indy), but I know I will still be able to squeeze some time into the schedule to go to the Grand Opening.

Hear some mp3's of Vess Ruthenberg who will be playing the opening of the new store here at the treasure trove known as Musical Family Tree.