Buffalo Rising Online

It's a damn shame when an era comes to an end. Ironic that Starbucks turned to selling CDs to bolster their bottom line - perhaps NWO could start selling overpriced coffee to rescue theirs...

The loss of this store has nothing to do with Buffalo's anemic economy and everything to do with the way music is sold and delivered these days.

BackInBuffalo - They could try selling coffee, but the only problem is, there is a Dunkin Donuts only about 50 feet away. Good idea though, it would sure be a good try to see if that helps them stay in business longer.

24 years is a great run. But sorry to see you go.

This is industry wide. Music, Video, ect. Hollywood Video is closing, Blockbuster has downsized, Media Play has closed, ect. ect. ect.

what a great run. I wish you continued success in your future endeavors.

It was a noble fight indeed. What I find shocking, is the fact that 2004 was their best year, and less than four years later they are closing their doors. It really shows how fast the music industry as we know it is eroding. For this music buff, walking through the doors of NWR, was like stepping into heaven. They'll be sadly missed.

Why did they even bother to move?

First and foremost as a longtime customer I am sad that NWR has to close their doors. I love indie record stores and am one of the few who will gladly pay a few bucks more to support a local buisiness. Too bad the industry is changing so rapidly and killing all of these great buisinesses.

I would like to point out that when NWR moved and I and others predicted on this site that NWR would close within 18 months because the move killed the only market strength they had, I apparently did have a clue as to what I was talking about. Perhaps it was actually a strong marketing background and buisiness accumen that led me to that conclusion and not they typical douchbaggery that permeates many of the posts on BRO. As it turns out "al lo" and others, it wasn't a Elmwood vs. Hertel blast or any other snobbish "village attitude", it was a realistic appraisal of the market and NWR target demo.

As I claimed then, it had everything to do with the synergy created by being located next door to a destination coffee house that literaly brought hundreds of their target market to their doorsteps every day. Flooding basements, high rents/ low profit margins, and most importantly a record industry that is being turned on its head screwed NWR. I wish the best to Govindan and Elizabeth and their staff. You all helped feed my music addiction for years and provided the community with a welcoming and curteous place to listen, hang out, talk and experience music. I am honestly sorry the new digs didn't work out for you. I stopped by a few times and it was pretty dead. Too bad.

Hate to say, I told you so. But, I told you so. The music industry is dying, and one of the only reasons I would ever walk in there, was because I was having a drink from Spot. Very sad to see them go, but it's an empty store unless it retained the character it had on Elmwood. That's what made it great.

Jefferson - I think the owner made a reasonable attempt at trying something different, before calling it quits. If your only child is given bad medical news, you and I would probably get a second opinion. In a way, I think that's what the owner did. Numbers aren't good, nationwide the business isn't doing well, but maybe this change in venue will buy us a few more years. During the course of 24 years, I'm sure they had to adapt and try different things. This last change in course was just a bit more visible for all to see, and apparently didn't have the desired outcome.

Bravo to all you grand marketeers of the obvious that are now saying "I told you so" to float your own boat. Remember, we are talking about the closing of someone's business and livelihood.

Do you not see that moving did not kill the shop. Moving to Hertel was never the issue and staying on precious Elmwood was not an option. The industry and their business declined while in their Spot location.

As Go said, moving was a "strategic retreat." "As the industry slipped, it was becoming harder to cover the rent obligation. The reasons we always cited about moving were true. The rent is cheaper, and we like this building. It’s bigger, and we don’t have a basement that floods. Those were very compelling reasons to move."

I will miss the store greatly. I will break out my old P.I.L 12" that I bought on my first time out in the Williamsville shop some 18 years ago. Too bad they couldn't keep their heads above water enough to see what new retail trends happen after anchors like Kohl's come to their new neighborhood.

cityindustry, I'm not trashing NWR, it sucks they closed. I think we all agree on that. I'm not floating anything either. I'm saying "I told you so" because of [deleted] comments like, "staying on precious Elmwood" and all the other vitriol that was spewed months ago when reasonable people like me made a logical observation.

cityindustry, I'm not trashing NWR, it sucks they closed. I think we all agree on that. I'm not floating anything either. I'm saying "I told you so" because of douchbag comments like, "staying on precious Elmwood" and all the other vitriol that was spewed months ago when reasonable people like me made a logical observation.

NewWorldMP3s.com? A coffeehouse music venue for indie artists? New World record label?

Sad days. I remember buying U2's Joshua Tree album at New World Records when it first came out.

As the storage capacities of our computers grow bigger, our need for buildings shrinks. In the future, will we even go to work in office buildings or will we all just stay home and meet in a virtual world? That really would be a New World.

ChocolateShake - you da man!

Well it used to have the coffee shop attached to it ;)

The old store front and Spot allowed a slower paced social atmopshere that on-line or best buy does not offer. I feel bad they had to make the last chance move, etc but in doing so it took away its last remaining strength. Too bad something else could not have been figured out to keep it next to Spot etc. Why drive to a plaza when you could drive to a best buy in Plaza? The only reason I could see would be for the atmopshere and social aspects.

Best of luck to all future endeavors.

As for the sex, of coarse it should be there, regulated and taxed. Procreation and Substinence is what we are hard wired for. To leave half of that off our tax base is just crazy. Why people get their granny panties in a bunch over a sex shop is beyond me.

I wouldn’t normally align my beliefs with someone named jerkface but he/or she is right about their move from Spot on Elmwood…their business was already quickly fading but at least having the spill over crowd from the coffee shop brought people in who’s intentions weren’t necessarily to browse in a record store that day….they did because it was right there and gave them something to do……apparently the owner of the record shop wanted to shorten his suffering by his odd business decision to remove his store from many of his (by chance)customers. Sign of the times…….there’s nothing good worth listening to today anyways…..

I'm from Buffalo so I usually tune in to 97 Rock and occasionaly the Lake.....what I'm I missing?

If your code name is any indication on your taste I think we can be friends.....love the 5 Man Acoustical Jam

The same thing happened in the photography business. Kodak was selling at record levels and then BANG. Business plans need to look 3-5 years out and I still think with some tweaking and a move to the more edgy parts of town this could be profitable again. It's amazing that as cd's are failing that sales of vinyl is huge again!!!

to the know-it-alls -

I bet none of you have seen NWR's financial statements or owned a retail store in such a fast moving industry for over two decades. I am amazed at the arrogance displayed by the grandiose statements trumpeting superior business acumen.

NWR clearly felt that the high rent that they were paying at the Elmwood location was not supported by the fabulous foot traffic from Spot Coffee. Would staying in a money losing location make good business sense? Clearly the owners, based on 20 years business experience and several location changes, felt that the move made sense. I'm inclined to think that they have a better handle on their business than the arm-chair captains of industry out there.

Buffalo Rox, you realize you sound like one of us with this speech?

BuffaloRox et al, speaking for my arrogant posts about grandiose buisiness acumen...

I am not shitting on NWR. I get why they moved, I appreciate that they know their buisiness better than me. I am not trumpting anything, I am railing against the pretentious douche bags who flipped out when I and others made a simple statement months ago about the NWR relocation and what the result would probably be. In today's article they even admited that it was a "strategic retreat". Al-alo and others claimed I was a "village snob" and started a ridiculous Hertel v. Elmwood pissing match.

I am here today to say that it played out as some of us predicted it would (unfortunatley) and that it seems pretty apparent that the precieved nieghborhood bashing was a figment of some of your imagination...much like your taking my posts today as an attack of any kind on the owners of NWR. Get your head out of the deepest recesses of your ass and stop reading what you want into our comments.

I think everyone can agree that it's a shame NWR record is closing and anyone with an ounce of intelligence blames the changing tides of the industry, not the owners buisiness decisions. As I stated months ago, they probably under estimated their previous location. The move didn't help keep them open. I never thought it would. How that makes me a snob, or a hater is beyond me. Now go ahead and reply that I kill kittens or hate jesus or whatever other inane nonsense you will read in this.

"As I stated months ago, they probably under estimated their previous location. The move didn't help keep them open. I never thought it would." - Jerkface

Do you have particular knowledge of NWR owners to support your inference that after 8 years in business at that particular location that they underestimated its value or did you simply pull it from the deepest recesses of your ass? Based on articles in the BfloNews it seems the NWR owners valued the location so much that they stayed on Elmwood despite unaffordable rent and dwindling revenues at that location. Perhaps if the Hertel location wasn't available they would've closed immediately rather than a couple of months later. Who knows. While you say on one had that you "appreciate that they know their business better than me" your comment above contradicts that claim and smacks of arrogance even if you didn't intend it that way.

I can agree with you that it is sad that NWR closed regardless of location.

BR

icecreamsub - I was being highly sarcastic when I referred to the fabulous foot traffic from Spot Coffee.

why not attempt to build a real internet presence?

Govindan Kartha,

Congratulations NWR founder, Govindan Kartha, for 24 years of success. That may not be a “world record” - but it’s a hell of a record for any private enterprise. That doesn’t happen without the right chops and a lot of hard work.

You may be leaving an expired industry but you certainly are not leaving behind the business experience and instincts that come from 24 years in the trenches.

My own specialty electronics e-commerce (mail-order before WWW) business happens to be 24 years old this year also. 10 years in, I started loosing money because the nature of the home and studio recording industry changed, just as the record store industry now has changed. I hung on until the end because I really didn’t think I knew how to do anything else, it was all I had ever done since college. I quickly learned that the experience easily transferred to new industries. In fact, I am convinced that the experience I gained during the tougher years was even more valuable than the experience gained during the successful years. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade that painful experience for anything.

You are battle hardened my friend. I hope that you decide to remain self-employed because you will be amazed at the resources that you discover within yourself. As in physical exercise, when talent is exercised one day at a time, over the years, you don’t realize or notice all of that development and power until you have the opportunity test your strength on something new.

Congratulations again, and may your next venture bring 24 years of success.

Howard Goldman

Roaminred: Lose the attitude. I put a hex on this site a couple of years ago forgot about it. It's nto about them, it's about me. Damn those manhattans are good

I remember when New World Records was located in Williamsville, back in the 80s. This is a sad end to what once was a great store.

It is happening everywhere: Two record stores in Harlem from the January 21 NYTimes.