Easy Street Records’ Queen Anne store closing; West Seattle to ‘carry on’

While announcing today that his Lower Queen Anne location is closing after 12 years, Easy Street Records owner Matt Vaughan reiterated that West Seattle is NOT going anywhere. The announcement about Queen Anne is on the Easy Street website, where Vaughan explained that the Queen Anne landlord wanted a longer-term lease than he was ready to commit to. However, as reported here in February of last year, Vaughan also noted in today’s announcement about Queen Anne that, here in West Seattle, he DID recently renew long-term:

We recently signed a new 15-year lease at our original store in West Seattle, where we will carry on the Easy Street tradition of great in-stores, yummy breakfasts, tasty vinyl, and overall, an excellent selection of music.

The Easy Street Queen Anne location’s last day of operation is January 18; Vaughan writes that a Chase Bank branch is moving in. (Before Easy Street, you might remember the Queen Anne storefront as having been home to Tower once upon a time – we do.)

Mightymoh January 2, 2013 (1:48 pm)

Actually, it was a Tower Books for a long time (Tower Records was at 5th North and Mercer).

WSB January 2, 2013 (2:12 pm)

My original impulse was to just write Tower, should have gone with that … In our first couple years here, we used to go to Queen Anne, with stops including Tower (guess it was just for reading materials), Larry’s, and Pagliacci (before the latter moved here). Early ’90s. Before the Web (which we jumped into in 1994, when it was still mostly text) … Thanks. – TR

John January 2, 2013 (2:24 pm)

At least Silver Platters is still in the neighborhood. They better watch out before a Wells Fargo or Walgreens stomps them out.

Jody Rodgers January 2, 2013 (3:12 pm)

I moved to West Seattle from Queen Anne five years ago. One of the reasons why I knew West Seattle was cool was because I knew you guys had an Easy Street here. In this day and age of Spotify and iTunes I believe the local record store still has an important role in an neighborhood and the community at large. I look forward to continuing to buy re-issues, imports, rare/out-of-print used CDs, and vinyl at our awesome West Seattle Easy Street for years to come!

vinyllover January 2, 2013 (3:34 pm)

Definitely unfortunate to hear about the QA store closing. However, am so happy that the West Seattle store is standing strong, it is my favorite place to go for breakfast and spend hours sifting through good music!!

fj January 2, 2013 (3:37 pm)

SO happy they are staying in West Seattle. Easy Street is an institution!

coffee January 2, 2013 (5:42 pm)

I say the landlord wanted a huge rent increase too.

West Seattle Hipster January 2, 2013 (5:58 pm)

And on top of this, the Alki Tavern is closing as well.

X.G. January 2, 2013 (6:01 pm)

Good to see the creeps who invest in Real Estate continue to destroy this city. So sad. Will City Council ever do anything to even the playing field for the little guy in his battle against the real estate a-holes and Chase banks that are turning Seattle into an urban mall?!

WSB January 2, 2013 (6:03 pm)

Thanks, Hipster. Announced there a short time ago: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=456510727743599&id=127543697306972

West Seattle Hipster January 2, 2013 (6:05 pm)

West Seattle is losing its soul, one day at a time.

Jeffrey January 2, 2013 (6:15 pm)

Sad to see Seattle turning into AnyCity, USA.

Val Vashon January 2, 2013 (7:32 pm)

I seem to remember that Easy Street also had a location in Kirkland at one time. They closed it before or to open the Queen Anne location if I remember correctly. Can anybody confirm or deny this?

Marcus M January 2, 2013 (8:14 pm)

Lord knows if Seattle needs more of anything, it’s Chase banks. Bellevue must be so proud of us.

East Coast Cynic January 3, 2013 (6:53 am)

Now that West Seattle will have I believe to be the only Easy Street in the area, will it get the cool free shows that only seemed to be available to the QA store, e.g., Lana Del Rey?, Earth? Not that we didn’t get some in the past, but we should get more of them now should we?