Cheapo Discs to close doors

Cheapo Discs, 409 Main Ave., Moorhead, is closing Sunday.

Store manager Chris Steidl said the store's lease was expiring, which was one factor in its closure.

"The lease came up; Sunday is our last day," he said.

Cheapo Discs' Moorhead location has four employees and opened five years ago. The store has offered music that isn't available elsewhere locally, Steidl said.

The company also owns stores in the Twin Cities.

A weak market for CDs nationwide probably contributed to the store's closing, too, he said.

Record stores saw a 27 percent drop in sales in 2006, following a 28 percent decline in 2005, according to Billboard, a prominent music industry magazine.

Album sales nationwide fell from 785.1 million in 2000 to 588.2 million (both CDs and downloaded albums) last year, according to Nielsen SoundScan, a music tracking company.

The decline reflects more people downloading individual songs from the Internet.

Stacey Anthony, manager of Discontent, 815 Main Ave., Moorhead, said her store phased out most of its CDs a year ago.

Slumping demand for CDs led the store to focus on products such as apparel.

"We still carry some music, but it isn't much," she said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jonathan Knutson at (701) 241-5530

Cheapo Discs to close doors Jon Knutson 20071121