Music will stop when Kaz shuts up shop (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Music will stop when Kaz shuts up shop

9:00am Monday 28th January 2013 in News By Rhys Thomas, T&A Reporter

The last remaining independent music shop in Bradford is to close, its saddened owner has revealed.
Discovery Music Store is shutting at the end of March, after almost 30 years on Westgate.
Owner Kaz Lee, 65, is retiring and her son and co-worker Stephen is pursuing alternative ventures.
“It is a shame, the end of an era,” said Kaz. “But this has been my life for 30 years and I feel I want to do something else.
“I have had people in tears when I’ve told them. Some of our customers have been with us since they were kids.
“We still get customers coming from Scotland and Newcastle.”
When Kaz opened the shop in 1984, there were about five similar stores in the city. Originally it was on one floor selling just vinyls on 36 racks. In the early 1990s it was extended to two floors as CDs took off. A third floor was introduced in 1999.
At one point, Kaz was running it with daughter Wendy and son Stephen. “We all had one floor each,” said Kaz. “It was a lovely family business.”
Wendy moved on three years ago and the shop is now back to two floors, selling CDs, DVDs, vinyls, T-shirts, shoes, stereo equipment, magazines and books.
“We are quieter nowadays,” said Kaz.
“I blame the internet for that. A lot of my customers don’t have access to the internet.
“It is bad that these shops are disappearing because once they are gone, they are gone.”
Ian Turner, 42, of Otley Road, Bradford, started using the shop in 1987 and still pops in once a fortnight. He said: “I will be lost without it. It will be sad to see it go.”
Tom Bartlett, 64, of Wrose, has been visiting the shop since it opened. He was devastated to hear the news of its closure.
“It’s terrible” he said. “I will be sad to see it go – it is tragic.”
Dave Lee, 60, of Keighley, had just bought three albums. He said: “There are some cracking things in here – you can find some little gems. The beauty is having a root around.
“I’ve only ever bought one download album because I want to buy a CD and read the sleeve.”
Kaz hopes that maybe the shop can be saved. She said: “I want someone to come in and buy it out, someone who wants to keep it going.”
Anyone interested should pop into the shop or call (01274) 304207.