What happened on May 29, 1993? The LA Kings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs as Janet Jackson's "That's the Way Love Goes" reigned supreme on the pop charts, and John Goodman and Rick Moranis starred in the weekend's biggest movie, The Flintstones, while President Bill Clinton appointed former Reagan staffer David Gergen as special communications advisor. And nationally, that's pretty much... it? Wow, they really were simpler times.
But here in Portland, something fantastic happened: Crossroads Music, a multi-vendor record store with a knee-weakening selection of secondhand vinyl and other media, opened its doors on Southeast Hawthorne. And now the recently relocated and renamed Crossroads Recordsâstill the same terrific place to spend hours worth of crate-digging for cool, rare used vinylâis about to mark its 25th anniversary, in a celebration that also's doubling as a sort of grand opening for its shiny-new and improved location at 8112 SE Foster.
In a press release, Crossroads articulates what set them apart:
The idea for a music seller's marketplace, modeled on the antique mall, was mostly the brainchild of David Clingan, who had recently closed his downtown record store, âBackbeat Musicâ (previously âRockport Recordsâ), to pursue a job with benefits.... [It] immediately became a place that record collectors couldn't ignore, with plenty for the casual buyer, too. Buyers from across North America, Europe and East Asia often leave with boxes full of records bought at Crossroads, touring musicians drop in, but the backbone of business at the store is provided by local customers. The inventory of mainly record albums, 45 rpm singles, cassette tapes and CDs continued to sell through the new challenges of the internet and new demographics, also selling concert posters, used stereo equipment, 8-track and reel tapes, and music memorabilia. There's even the odd 78 sale.Crossroads, now jointly owned by Eric Swedberg and Thomas Jones, will host its 25th anniversary this Saturday, May 26 with a daylong celebration including lots of discounted records, DJs, and free doughnuts and drinks. The discounts will carry over for an additional day, Sunday, May 27.
So be sure to hit Crossroads Records this weekend to help celebrate the quarter-century mark of what's truly one of the best places in Portland, and scoop up some nicely priced used music while you're at it. Crossroads Records, 8112 SE Foster, xro.com
Related: "Crossroads Music Has Found a New Home," Blogtown, June 20, 2017
Related: "Crossroads Music, Portland's Used-Vinyl Paradise, Is Looking for a New Home," May 16, 2017
