FYE To Move On From Crossgates Mall & Other Local Music Stores
FYE is selling off their retail locations to focus on their online business.
Even in this digitial age, there is still something about buying muisc on vinyl or on a CD. So at first glance this may seem like bad news and we may lose another opportunity to interact with other music fans, but thankfully there is more to the story.
The Times Union is reporting that Albany based Trans World Entertainment is working on a deal to sell their FYE music & entertainment stores to focus solely on their online business. The good news here is Trans World is selling to Canada based Sunrise Records and Entertainment, who the Times Union says plans to keep almost all the FYE employees. If this is the case, one would assume they will keep operating the retail locations as they currently stand under a new name.
It's funny how technology can change so much, whether those changes are welcome or unwelcome. In this case, it's nice to see these brick and mortar music stores will probably keep going. As great as streaming and downloading music is, music is still best when shared with others, like at a concert or while buying music in person. While dated, there is just something about holding a vinyl album or CD. Maybe in some way it makes it feel more tangible and real, opposed to just being file hiding on a random server somewhere.
FYE currently operates 4 stores in the Capital Region at Crossgates, Wilton Mall, Via Port Rotterdam and in Queensbury. Hopefully all 4 make it through this transition!