The Business (record store)

The Business is an independent record store, music distribution company and concert venue located on Commercial Avenue in Anacortes, Skagit County, Washington, United States.[1][2] It formerly also housed a book store, a photography studio, a café-bistro, a recording studio and a record label.[3] From 1978 to 2008, The Business was located at 1717 Commercial Avenue; from 2008 to 2016 at 402 Commercial Avenue; and since March 2016 it has been located at 216 Commercial Avenue.

The Business
The Business at its second location at 402 Commercial Avenue in Anacortes
Address216 Commercial Avenue, Anacortes, Washington, 98221, United States
OwnerNick Rennis, Evie Opp
TypeRecord store
Opened1978

The store currently stocks new and used music releases on vinyl records, compact discs and audio cassettes, as well as music-oriented posters and original artworks.[3] It also frequently holds free, all-ages shows during store hours with locally and nationally known artists from a wide variety of genres.[4][5]

History and owners

1717 Commercial Avenue

Founded by Glen Des Jardins in 1978, The Business opened at 1717 Commercial Avenue in Anacortes, Washington. It was not a record store but actually a used book shop and photography studio where shoppers could even purchase bird seeds, stained glass and photography equipment.[3]

In 1988, local musician Bret Lunsford began working at The Business, part-time in between his band Beat Happening's tours. [3][6][7] By 1990, he had bought a share as a partner and in 1993, when Beat Happening broke up, he became a full-time employee.[8][9] Lunsford was responsible for starting to stock music releases in the store.[7] By 1998 he had become sole owner of the company, though the building itself was co-owned with his wife Denise Crowe.[8] Des Jardins went on to operate the Pacific Rim Used Books webstore.[10]

Under Lunsford's ownership, The Business (legally registered as The Business, A Retail Experiment, Inc.) narrowed its focus to music and became principally known as a record store, stocking new and used vinyl records, compact discs and audio cassettes.[11] But it also continued to sale a number of other items including used books, movies on VHS and laserdisc, video games, turntables, cameras, magazines, postcards and other vintage collectibles and ephemera.[12][13] Lunsford also started hosting local concerts at The Business, founded his own record label Knw-Yr-Own Records, built a small recording studio out of the back room, and even opened a café-bistro, Café Desjardins, named after the store's original owner.[7][14][15][16]

Lunsford befriend other local musicians Karl Blau and Phil Elverum who became involved in The Business.[3][6][7] Their bands The Microphones and D+ recorded their early releases at The Business' back room studio.[7] In 2001, Drea Killingsworth and Nicole Holbert, two The Business employees revamped the bistro into Café Adrift.[17] Café Adrift eventually became it's own restaurant at 510 Commercial Avenue.[18][19]

Lunsford sold The Business in April 2005 to husband-and-wife team Liz Lovelett and Jensen Lovelett.[20] Under the Lovelett's ownership, the store maintained the same scope: mainly selling music but also great deal of antiques and collectibles and even clothing.[21] Lunsford and Crowe put the 1717 Commercial Avenue building up for sale in September 2008, asking $420,000 USD, which forced the Lovelett's to seek out a new location for The Business.[8][20]

402 Commercial Avenue

The Business officially re-opened its doors at its second location on October 3, 2008.[20] Located at 402 Commercial Avenue in the John M. Platt Building, the historic brick structure had originally been built in 1890 for the Bank of Anacortes.[22] The Business took over the lease from the former The Red Snapper gift shop.[8] By this time, the Lovelett's had already stopped hosting concerts and focused on selling vintage and antique goods instead of music.[23]

On May 1, 2010, The Business' ownership changed hands to Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-native musician Nick Rennis.[5][24][25] The Lovelett's have since gone on to operate the antique shop Alley Cat Antiques. Rennis had been living in Chicago, Illinois up until July 2009, when he moved to Anacortes and became a partner in concert venue and recording studio Department of Safety. Department of Safety closed down in February 2010 and Rennis was looking for a new music-related business venture to operate.[26][27] Through connections with Phil Elverum and Karl Blau (both formerly owners of Department of Safety and prior employees of The Business), Rennis was introduced to the record store. Under Rennis' ownership, The Business returned its focus to the music industry, making it an actual record store.[28] Rennis also re-established the free all-ages in-store concerts.

In late 2011, Rennis met Evie Opp, another Illinois-native, a business major living in Anacortes. The two started dating and Opp started working at The Business. They eventually married and she became co-owner of The Business.[5] In November 2011, Rennis and Opp started a music distribution arm at The Business, unofficially referred to as The Business Distribution or The Business Distro-.[24]

216 Commercial Avenue

On March 1, 2016, The Business opened its doors at its third location, only a block and a half north from its second, at 216 Commercial Avenue in the Alfred Olson Building.[29][30][31][32] Built in 1902 the Alfred Olson Building is part of the National Register of Historic Places and had formerly been home to streaming radio station Anacortes Music Channel, and prior to that of art gallery Anchor Arts Space.[33][34][35] The move had been announced as early as November 2015 and was stated to be the result of problems with neighboring stores.[33][36]

On April 11, 2018, The Business was voted Best Record Store in Washington State by webzine Vinyl Me, Please.[1] The webzine editors, Amileah Sutliff and Andrew Winistorfer, later included The Business in their coffee table book The Best Record Stores In The United States, containing a foreword by Mark Farina and published in 2019 for Record Store Day.[37][38]

On 29 July 2020, The Business announced a direct partnership with The Criterion Collection, allowing The Business to sell The Criterion Collection's DVD and Blu-ray releases in their retail store.[39][40]

The Business distribution

The Business' distribution outfit, unofficially referred to as The Business Distribution or The Business Distro-, was started in November 2011 by Nick Rennis and Evie Opp.[27][41][42] It handles the distribution for a vast roster of independent record labels' global direct retail and wholesale. Some of its clients include BlueSanct Records, Dais Records, Gnar Tapes, Graveface Records, HoZac Records, K Records, Marriage Records, Oaken Palace Records, People in a Position to Know Recordings, Somewherecold Records, States Rights Records and Knw-Yr-Own Records.[43][44][45][46] It also offers mail-order fulfillment for independent bands.[5][30]

History

Most of the record labels that enter into a distribution deal with The Business are ones that have already had an established consignment deal with the record store, or prior to that with the Department of Safety.[47][21] The initial five record labels that The Business' distribution outfit began with in November 2011 were K Records, Knw-Yr-Own Records, Marriage Records, Modern Documents and P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd.[43] In July 2012, three additional record labels were added to the roster: Off Tempo Records, States Rights Records and Wil-Ru Records.[43] Gnome Life Records and Porchlight Records joined in November 2012.[43] The only record label to join in 2013 was Resurrection Records, in April.[43]

2014 saw four record labels sign distribution deals with The Business: Orindal Records in January, People in a Position to Know Recordings in May, Untide Records in October and Keeled Scales in November.[43] Jaz Records joined the team in January 2015, while Gnar Tapes came on board in February after buying out the already-distributed Marriage Records. 7 e.p. signed in July 2015.[43] 2016 greatly expanded the roster with the addition of ten more record labels: Lost Sound Tapes and Rumbletowne Records, both in April, Cosmic Dreamer Music in May, Orange Milk Records in September, Dais Records and Tall Pat Records, both in October, Life Like in November, HoZac Records in December, as well as Curly Cassettes and Three:Four Records.[43][48]

2017 was by far the most prolific year for The Business' distribution division, welcoming fourteen new record labels to the company. This included Guruguru Brain Records in January, Avant! Records, Dub Ditch Picnic, La Castanya, Sundowning Sound Recordings and Yerevan Tapes, all in February, Maple Death Records and Tenth Court Records in March, Hands in the Dark Records in July, Oaken Palace Records in September, Debacle Records, Moone Records and New Atlantis Records, all in November, and finally Bruit Direct Disques in December.[43] Five record labels were added throughout 2018: Sophomore Lounge in February, Whited Sepulchre Records in May, Sheep Chase Records in June, Artemisia Records in July and The Helen Scarsdale Agency in September.[43]

2019 was another highlight year for The Business, recruiting eleven record companies, including Bluesanct, Full Spectrum Records, Sleeping Giant Glossolalia and Textile Records, all in January, Drop Medium and SIGE Records in February, IFB Records and Sound of Cobra Records in March, Slowboy Records in August, Entr’acte in October and Alien Snatch! Records in December.[43] In 2020, distribution deals have been made with four record label: Chicago Research, Graveface Records, Somewherecold Records in March and Inner Islands in July.[43]

Concert venue

Since Lundsford's ownership in the mid 1990s, The Business has been home to local and touring performing artists. From 2008 to 2010, under the Lovelett's ownership, concerts were put on hold while they raised their family.[23] When Rennis took over The Business, the record store resumed hosting concerts and all shows became free and open to all-ages. Some of the bands that have performed at The Business over the years include Braid, Rainer Maria, Superdrag, D+, The Microphones, Karl Blau, Your Heart Breaks, Rose Melberg, The Finches, Ryley Walker, Daniel Bachman, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer, Mount Eerie, The Evaporators, Bent Knee, Teen Daze, Ralph White, The Shivers, Mamiffer, Jon Mueller, Frankie Cosmos, Lori Goldston and Kimya Dawson.[4]

References
  1. "The Business Is The Best Record Store In Washington". Vinyl Me Please. 2018-04-11. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  2. Lunsford, Bret (2009). Anacortes. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-7129-4.
  3. "About". The Business. 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  4. "The Business, Anacortes, WA, USA Concert Setlists". setlist.fm. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  5. Bylin, Emily (2019-09-10). "Iconic Anacortes Record Store, The Business, Creates Global Industry Impact with Small-Batch Distribution". SkagitTalk. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  6. "The Microphones Biography". Southern Records. 2008-07-19. Archived from the original on 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  7. "Anacortes Magazine (Issue 2, August 2012)". Issuu. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
  8. "The Business moves downtown". Anacortes Now. 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  9. "THE BUSINESS, A RETAIL EXPERIMENT, INC". OpenCorpData. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  10. "Pacific Rim Used Books, Anacortes, Washington". Pacific Rim Used Books. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  11. "The Business". Knw-Yr-Own Records. 2001-02-02. Archived from the original on 2001-02-02. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  12. "The Business - About". The Business. 2008-05-15. Archived from the original on 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  13. "The Business". Knw-Yr-Own Records. 2001-02-21. Archived from the original on 2001-02-21. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  14. "KNW-YR-OWN". Knw-Yr-Own Records. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  15. "K Records". K Records. 2011-05-25. Archived from the original on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  16. "Bret M Lunsford, age 57, address: 11493 O Ave, Anacortes, WA 98221 - PeopleBackgroundCheck". people-background-check.com. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
  17. "Adrift Restaurant". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  18. "ADRIFT - Unique Dining in Anacortes, Washington". Adrift Restaurant. 2006-04-29. Archived from the original on 2006-04-29. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  19. "Adrift: Swell food". Anacortes Now. 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  20. Jacobson, Kimberly (2008-09-24). "Anacortes They Mean Business". goSkagit. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  21. "The Business". The Business. 2008-05-15. Archived from the original on 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  22. "Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Anacortes". Anacortes Museum Foundation.
  23. "Events". The Business. 2008-05-15. Archived from the original on 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
  24. "The Business". Record Store Day.
  25. Rennis, Nick (2010-04-05). "The Business". The Drink Up, Honey. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  26. "Deluxe Issue Eighteen". Issuu. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  27. Ellinson, John (2019-06-09). "The Business: talking trash with Nick Rennis about selling new records today". Goat Palace. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  28. "Get To Know Your Local Indie Retailer Vol. 7 – The Business – Matablog". Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  29. "The Business settles in at new location". Anacortes American.
  30. Olsen, E. J. (2018-02-01). "The Business celebrates 40 years of cultivating community and culture in Anacortes". We Are Mirrors. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  31. Allison, Jacqueline. "Historic Olson building set for change in ownership". goSkagit. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  32. "WE DID IT". Facebook. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  33. "Anacortes Music Channel Makes Way For The Business". Anacortes~Music~Channel. 2015-11-13. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  34. Walker, Richard (2019-04-24). "Housing Authority plans for Olson Building will require renovations costing millions". goSkagit. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  35. "Olson Building". Anacortes Museum & Maritime Heritage Center.
  36. "Big news: WE'RE MOVING!". Facebook. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  37. "The Best Record Stores In The United States". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  38. "Cascadia Weekly: But wait, there's more:". www.cascadiaweekly.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  39. "We are thrilled to be partnering with the amazing Criterion Collection". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  40. Ross, Carey. "Cascadia Weekly: The Business meets Criterion". www.cascadiaweekly.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  41. "Distro | The Business". web.archive.org. 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  42. "Please welcome THE BUSINESS DISTRIBUTION". Facebook. 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  43. "The Business - Relationships - MusicBrainz". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  44. "Distro". The Business. 2011-11-11. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  45. "Distro | The Business". web.archive.org. 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  46. "Distro | The Business". web.archive.org. 2016-10-29. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  47. "Department of Safety - Music Venue - Art Gallery - Recording Studio - Creative Space | Anacortes, Washington: Friends & Links". web.archive.org. 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  48. "The Business Distro". The Business. 2011-11-11. Archived from the original on 2016-10-29. Retrieved 2020-08-14.

Further reading
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