It’s thrive or die for Criminal Records, Earwax Records and Atlanta’s mom and pop shops

By Chad Radford

Just a few hours before the annual Halloween parade descended upon Little Five Points on Saturday, Oct. 18, independent record store owner Eric Levin stood on the sidewalk at 1154-A Euclid Ave., swaying from side-to-side, giddy with excitement. Overhead, local artist R. Land stood atop a tall ladder, drilling screws into a temporary sign with a primitive green and yellow lizard-monster spitting out the words "Criminal Records."

It was the day after opening day at Criminal's new location, one-tenth of a mile from its former digs between Junkman's Daughter and Aurora Coffee. Inside, employees scrambled between partially assembled shelves carrying stacks of CDs and working to make the place look presentable. An air of excitement filled the room, and in the periphery the first few intrepid customers cautiously checked things out.

Unless you've been living under a rock for several years, it's no secret that Criminal's move is a potential catastrophe. The economy is bad, unemployment is high and free music is just a mouse click away. But Levin, who also heads the Alliance of Independent Media Stores and founded the annual Record Store Day, doesn't show any signs of concern over the financial doom and gloom on everyone's mind.

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