Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

#1

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:04am

http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2012/08/colony-music.html

A true Broadway Institution.

---

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

#2

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:09am

They had great things, but their prices were out of sight.

Still, it was always fun going in there back in the day.

#3

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:10am

It was an interesting store to poke around in. But the prices were CRAZY!

---

"I hope your Fanny is bigger than my Peter." Mary Martin to Ezio Pinza opening night of Fanny.

#4

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:17am

I would go in there in the 80's and 90's to look at their museum pieces and collectibles but never would buy anything because Tower and Virgin Megastore had stuff for half the price.
Sheet music was worth it. But for the last 10 years, sheet music is affordable ( or free) online.

Their memorabilia stuff was hawked on eBay the last few years and truthfully. It was cheaper online as well

That store was crazy expensive and it never went with the times.
Thanks for the memories Colony. But. Really. You were a ripoff.

#5

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:20am

That's too bad. Yes, their prices for cds have always been outrageous! They would have the the cast cd for "Jersey Boys" at $25.99, and right down the street Virgin Records would have it for $9.99.

Their sheet music inventory is incredible! It was always a fun place to go in there and look around before or after a show.

#6

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:23am

I used to wander back and forth 49th Street from the Colony to the Sam Goody's outlet near 8th Avenue, looking at the full-price records at Colony, hoping to find a bargain at Sam Goody's.

RIP Colony.

RIP Sam Goody's.

RIP records.

RIP my youth.

---

#7

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:25am

I read somewhere that this year digital sales were higher than cd sales.

RIP CD's

Goodbye youth indeed!

Updated On: 8/23/12 at 10:25 AM

#8

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:26am

I went in there a few times. Never bought anything. It was cool to look through everything, but there was never anything I needed that was worth the prices they set. I just am curious to what will end up in there.

---

"I don't want the pretty lights to come and get me."-Homecoming 2005 "You can't pray away the gay."-Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy. Ignored Users: suestorm, N2N Nate., Owen22, master bates

#9

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:34am

They were always expensive, and the staff not always the friendliest in the world- but at least they were there! I was so upset when Tower closed, and that left Colony as the only game in the area- its too bad.

#10

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:35am

I just hope they don't turn it into another ridiculous store like they did to the Virgin Megastore.

---

A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.

#11

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:39am

I totally agree with Pal Joey. I'll be joining the RIP crowd shortly.

---

BroadwayEd

#12

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 10:57am

I just hope they don't turn it into another ridiculous store like they did to the Virgin Megastore.

You can betcha bottom dollar they will, Sally.

---

#13

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:00am

Expensive but I always seemed to walk out with some sheet music. RIP, Colony. Makes me feel really old.

#14

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:01am

One of the things that bothered me the most about the Virgin Megastore decision what that Disney was all anxious to move their old location to Times Square. My wife and I used to shop at the previous location- on 5th maybe? That Disney store was beautiful and so nice to shop in- the new one that partially took the place of Virgin is not nearly as big and not half as nice. It really is such a shame. The only thing Disney gained by moving was location.

#15

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:05am

I've never bought a CD there in my 19 years of coming to NYC, but I've certainly bought a fair amount of sheet music there. I won't miss it as a record store (though it was always a good browse to see what I should buy at a cheaper store, since they would at least have some interesting rarities to go along with the high prices) but as a sheet music store, particularly for theatre stuff, it's the best place in town.

Perhaps Drama Books or Theater Circle on 45th could pick up some of the sheet music slack, or Sam Ash. I'll miss having a place to browse that more than I will the CDs or records.

Yet another piece of the NYC I grew to love gone. Now there will be absolutely no music stores in Times Square. I never could have imagined such a thing.

#16

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:05am

A nail salon or Duane Reade would work well there...

#17

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:07am

There's a Duane Reade literally four doors down

#18

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:08am

That's so far...

#19

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:11am

^ It can't be Duane Reade because there is one at the end of that block already. Maybe it could be another H&M? Okay, I don't hate that store. But, they are too damn crowded in NYC.

---

"I don't want the pretty lights to come and get me."-Homecoming 2005 "You can't pray away the gay."-Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy. Ignored Users: suestorm, N2N Nate., Owen22, master bates

#20

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:16am

In all my years of going to the theatre, I think I may have bought something, once there. My father is a big fan of the Grateful Dead, and they had an old vintage Dead concert poster there that I got for him as a gift. Price wise, it wasn't too bad at all.

However, I do remember there was one day a couple of years ago where the weather was crazy outside. Myself and a random group of other people all had the same idea to browse around there to take shelter from the storm. Needless to say, the staff there didn't seem to like that we were there without buying anything. They didn't kick us out or anything, but they sure went out of their way to make us feel rather uncomfortable during our time there.

---

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#21

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:30am

There cds were a rip off, true. But they did have an amazing amount of sheet music. I, too, feel old but can't imagine that store not being there. That's really too bad.

---

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” ``oscar wilde``

#22

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:31am

I only bought music there out of desperation when I needed something for an audition at the last minute. I could never afford anything there. They were always between $3-$5 above suggested retail. I could never justify it when I knew there were less expensive options out there.

Updated On: 8/23/12 at 11:31 AM

#23

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:38am

It's the perfect size for a Bank of America.

#24

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:41am

it'll likely be a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.

---

A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.

#25

Colony Music to close after 60 years of business

Posted: 8/23/12 at 11:45am

Maybe a KFC/DD/BaskinRobbins triple combo!