Everyday Musics eastside location, which had been Portland’s largest record store for over a quarter-century, will be closing permanently on May 7. It has sold six figures of vinyl, CDs, and DVDs. The building is expected to be demolished one week later.
A certain segment of the audience doesn’t need explanation for the sudden disappearance of a brick and mortar venue for old media. However, the Northeast Sandy Boulevard location had already been subject to the most severe COVID-related restrictions. It was adapted to the age streaming and has since become a streaming destination.
Sarah Hefte, co-founder of Everyday Music and self-titled boss, insists that their business has rebounded from the pandemic-borne doldrums and has been steady in recent months. Hefte asserts that the Pacific Northwest retail chain, once with five outposts scattered across Washington and Oregon, still has outposts in Bellingham, Portland, and she was not aware of her landlord’s plans for demolishment of the Sandy Boulevard location.
Oddly enough, although many factors contributed to Everyday Music Eastsides falling, the blame may lie on the lingering effects a more iconic symbol of Oldest Portland: Jantzen Swimwear.
The low-slung and graffiti-strewn building at 1931 NE Sandy Blvd has been through many incarnations in its 102 year history. These include a furniture showroom, photo processing lab, as well as the original manufacturing facility for Jantzen, the Portland company that made swimming possible a century ago.
Before the Jantzen Building, which featured the diving girl logo, was built as a global headquarters in 1929 by the swimsuit pioneers, seamstresses were already producing beachwear along the same Kerns that EM clerks now sell surf compilations.
The only traces of that glamorous past are the suspiciously high levels carbon tetrachloride found in indoor air samples.
Katie Daugherty, a project manager and hydrogeologist with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality explained that the property owner requested DEQs Voluntary Cleanup Program membership to address contamination discovered during environmental due diligence.
Hefte believes that the source of the contamination was swimsuit production. DEQs Daughtery declined confirmation or denial of this claim.
Hefte stated that the landlords had been trying to sell the property for several years. However, there was an issue with chemicals from Jantzens Swimwear. According to my understanding, the [DEQ]Some buyers became wary of abatement, driving up the price, and yadda, yadda, yadda! People would look at it and decide that it wasn’t worth the effort. It is unlikely that anyone will buy it as it is so they might just sell the land. It turns out that the best thing for the building is to be demolished.
Daugherty says there are technologies that can address the problem without causing damage to the surrounding structures. There are two options: drilling subsurface wells for soil vapour extraction, or installing a modified HVAC system that promotes fresh air exchange within tight-sealed interiors. However, demolition will allow you to access the fastest and most efficient alternative.
She said that soil excavation options are likely to be the most efficient and fastest way to remove contamination from the building.
Hefte acknowledged that the landlord’s intentions were clear when he replaced their old lease agreement with renewable extensions for shorter terms. (Since last January, the adjoining Oregon Childrens Theater stage-surfed between downtowns Brunish Newmark, Winningstad and Newmark while organizers searched for a permanent home.
Everyday Music didn’t even begin exploring other options. Even though Heftes’ husband and business partner signed a lease addition without realizing that the six-month guarantee had been reduced to three months, the shop owners were unaware of the imminent destruction until an exchange occurred earlier this week.
She continues with a funny story. The guy from TED Talks asked if he could replace that billboard with advertising for his series. So, I ran that through the landlord. He was, like: You do know were due for demolition May 15, right?
Scott Kuzma (EM co-owner) is in a worsening state of health and Hefte has decided to not land on a new spot.
She admits that sales weren’t falling, but she knew this would happen sooner or later. The buildings were pretty run-down. Our goal was to eventually downsize and retire. He is 63 years old and has heart problems. It was most likely time.
Hefte was moved by the outpourings of grief from the distraught clientele that followed the 2019 closing of Everyday Musics’ Beaverton outpost. However, he cautions against over-dramatizing economic realities.
This has been a great music city since before COVID. ParticularlyHefte explains that the CD boom of the 90s was a great time. There isn’t the same demand. Even though vinyl keeps us afloat financially, CDs aren’t a great way to make a lot of money. This is a labor-of-love, but why start a business to break even?
Sandy’s store will no more accept merchandise for sale or trade. It will also not be accepting material for next month’s National Record Store Day. All DVDs and CDs were marked down 25%. Discounts will increase until the end of the shift. Any inventory left over will be divided between warehouse and EMs West Burnside flagship. This flagship continues to thrive following a 2020 return of the single Hefte storefront originally leased in 1995.
She says people believe there are no record shops anymore. Portland still has plenty. They are just smaller in size. Everyone has their niche. It worked well.