| At 309
North Burdick, Flipside was an outpost for the vinyl connoisseur, from
hip-hop DJs to the pathological record collectors. When owner Neil
pulled the plug in 2001, channel 3 reported: "Victimized by competition from Internet sellers and giant
retailers, Kalamazoo’s Flipside Records closed its doors on Tuesday. The store had
been in business for 24 years." Actually the business had been
around for 24 years, but not this storefront. In the early 80s it
stood at the end of the Burdick pedestrian mall north of the old
Hilton. A satellite venture on Oakland drive flourished briefly in
the late 90s. Flipside downtown always had a mess of underground
fanzines on hand and vinyl surprises, often at garage-sale prices. I'll
miss the place. |
