Classic Record Store Bleecker Bob's Might Become a Starbucks

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Image via GVDP

Yesterday brought news of the demise of three old-school New York institutions: H&H Bagels, Holiday Cocktail Lounge, and Bleecker Bob's Records. We'll leave the H&H and Holiday stories to our sister site Eater, but let's talk about Bob's for a minute.

According to the Times, the shop opened under the name Village Oldies Records in 1968 and occupied three other locations before settling in on the corner of W. 3rd Street and MacDougal, just south of Washington Square Park. Over the years, Jimmy Page and Frank Zappa both worked there, and in the '70s the store became one of the first to sell albums by punk bands. A back room occupied by other tenants helped pay the rent, but the last business back there, a comic book store, closed in 2008.

Greenwich Village Daily Photo broke the news yesterday, initially reporting that Starbucks would be taking the space. Vanishing New York confirms the Starbucks rumor via the manager of nearby Cafe Reggio, and the Times also mentions Starbucks by way of Bleecker Bob's manager Chris Wiedener. But the mega-chain did not return the paper's call for comment.

The good news, though, is that it sounds like Bob's might not be disappearing entirely. A comment on Greenwich Village Daily Photo reads:

not sure who this reporter spoke to since he doesn't mention anyone by name, but Bleecker Bob's is currently looking at spaces in the east village. we are definitely NOT planning to close.

please email us at bleeckerbobs@yahoo.com with any leads on storefront.

thanks and stay tuned.

As Jeremiah points out, maybe they can take over the Holiday Cocktail Lounge.
· Two of the City’s Musical Mainstays Are Soon to Go Silent [NYT]
· Bleecker Bob's RIP [Greenwich Village Daily Photo]
· Bleecker Bob's [VNY]

Bleecker Bob's Records

118 W. Third Street New York NY