Record & Tape Center To Close After 42 Years

You’ve only got a few weeks left to pick up some tunes from the Fifth Avenue Record and Tape Center, which is set to close once its lease expires in August. Owner Tony Mignone, 77, who opened the shop in 1972, has decided to call it quits after decades in the business.

As he explained to DNAinfo, Tony opened his first shop, selling collectibles like stamps and coins, nearby this space in 1965, and started selling records not long after. A former postal employee, he told the Daily News that it’s not the shop he’ll miss, but the customers.

Though he came close to closing in 2009, this time around it’s not an eviction notice, but the price of the rent that seems to be the issue — he says the rent was $250 when he first moved in, and now it’s at $3,250. Which, if you take a look at some of the prices of commercial spaces on 7th Avenue, seems like a good deal — but maybe not if you’re selling cassettes on the cheap.

And they are especially cheap now, as he’s looking to unload everything. So be sure to stop by, wish Tony well on his next move, and grab a couple records while you can.