It had been purgatory for unwanted goods and garbage, but it was twice the size of the shops floor space, and it would connect smoothly to the existing shop if they knocked down a wall. Six months of labor and many coats of citrus-colored paint later, the extension has been transformed into a multi-functional playground for all who come to browse, talk shop, or just to chillax between paychecks with a tiny glass bottle of Coca-Cola. There are squishy tan futons in a staged living room area in one corner and high-top chrome diner tables and stools where the coffee bar will be. Rows and rows of newly added records are already receiving grateful flips by customers. But most exciting of all is the stage. We want to start doing a lot of in-house shows, Ramirez says. A good record store has to be active within the community.
The timing couldnt be better. Fort Lauderdales recently lost several integral music venues, and musicians have found themselves displaced within their own town. This space could act as a unifier something that will be tried out during CD Collectors Grand Reopening Party. On Saturday bring all of your friends out to see the new digs, eat some free home-cooked food, down some sodas, and hang out while the bands Animals of the Arctic, Protoman, and the Harshmellows all test the durability of the new stage. In between bands, dance to live sets from DJ Matt Cash, Stravinsky, Plot, and loads more. Also unveiled is the stores new handle: Radio-Active Records. All the same people are still here; we arent going anywhere, Ramirez assures us, but we wanted a name that represented who we were growing into. Radio-Active Records grand reopening party is from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and its free bitches.