Japan’s Cisco Records close chain

Japan’s Cisco Records close chain

6 December, 2007 | 10.06AM

• Written by: Yuko Asanuma
• Filed under: Music News: cisco records

In yet more signs of the global demise of vinyl, one of the largest retail chains and distributors of imported dance records in Japan is closing.

Cisco Records is closing all their retail stores on December 10th 2007.

Even though the final decision was made and announced just a few weeks ago, all their stores are already almost empty after a massive closing sale (up to 70% off).

All means all - six existing stores are to close, five in Shibuya, Tokyo and one in Shinsaibashi, Osaka.

The shops specialised in hip hop and R & B, techno, house and reggae.

This is a great loss for the dance music scene in Japan, as many DJs here still prefer to use vinyl.

According to one of the staff, the main reason behind the decision to close is due to the success of their online vinyl store (www.cisco-records.co.jp), which has become more profitable for the company than retail sales.

“It doesn’t mean vinyls don’t sell any more. They still do,” one staff member told Beatportal.

Therefore, Cisco Records continues and focuses its business online.

Even so, it’s sad to see such an influential establishment vanish.

Udagawa-cho in the Shibuya area has been known as a “vinyl junkies’ paradise” for at least the past 15 years.

Cisco Record Stores were the leading force in this little vinyl village (the largest in the world) as specialists of imported new records.

The small uphill alley between the techno shop and hip hop/R&B shop is known as ‘Cisco Slope’ to many, which means this will not only impact the music scene, but also the city scape of Udagawa-cho.

Cisco Records made a huge contribution to the development of the dance music scene and DJ culture in Japan by providing these spaces to share music and learn about the music.

Let’s hope they continue to do so in the future in different ways.

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