Yesterday, Hollywood’s Amoeba Music spent its last day as the world’s largest independent record store, yet its most loyal and longtime fans never even got to give it a proper goodbye.

While all the vinyl collectors and music lovers across Los Angeles are happy looking forward to Amoeba’s newest Hollywood location opening sometime in the near future, the memories that live inside the current building are treasures you can’t physically take. It’s a beyond unfortunate time to be closing, because of all the things we’re technically allowed to do, listening to music has been at the extreme forefront of this all.

Looking through my vinyl collection and being able to pick up a record I purchased at Amoeba, it instantly transports me back to walking the aisles, flipping through the bins, and ultimately picking what I thought would be the best purchase of the day. The special thing about record stores is that if you’ve truly got nothing in mind that you need to buy, there’s always an employee or fellow music nerd that would be happy as a clam to give you their recommendation and have the open conversation about your tastes, interests, favorite genres, etc. I think the connection we unknowingly build with record store employees can potentially be tied to the way we feel about therapy. If you’re trying to invoke a mood or get out of one, chances are that employee has more than vast enough knowledge to point you in the right direction. Music is medicine for most.

I’m writing this piece and the more I reread it, the more it sounds like record stores as a whole aren’t going to be open ever again. The reason that I put so much focus on Amoeba specifically is that from someone who was originally not born in Los Angeles, but visited frequently, I would always see the building while visiting Hollywood and it never failed to make an impression on me. I’d look out the window and wonder what that cool building was with all the lights, people walking in and out, and so much more wonder that entered my mind. I’ll continue to support local record shops as often and as frequently as possible and I’ll without a doubt be at Amoeba’s opening day once it’s safe and sound to open.

If this Coronavirus situation has taught me anything, it’s to be calm and patient. It’s to enjoy the collection you’ve got knowing that there will always be more on the way. In this time though, it has never been more important, pending you have the extra income, to support your local artist, music venues, record stores, and anyone who has relationship within the entertainment industry. We’re seeing restaurants open back up, but it’s going to be quite a while until a legitimate concert happens again in Los Angeles.

Until then, love one another, be safe, and keep listening to the music that brought you to Amoeba in the first place.

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19 Years of What Hollywood's Amoeba Music Gave To Us