Press Coverage
Over the years, Hoodlums has been fortunate enough to get a fair amount of coverage from local, and in some cases national, media. In some cases, the coverage is a result of activity at the store, and in others it is due to our role as “activists” within our insane industry (our proudest moment is when the New York Times called us “low-price advocates”.
Below you will find links (for as long as they stay live) to various stories about Hoodlums, or in which a hoodlum is quoted, in various publications from Java and New Times to Forbes and United States Congressional Record.
New Times awards Hoodlums with 4th “Best of Phoenix”
Hoodlums is completely honored to receive our 4th New Times‘ “Best of Phoenix” award. This year, we received the award of “Best Music Festival for Kids” for our annual Hoodstock festival. Obviously, Hoodstock means a lot to us, and more importantly, our community, so we are very excited to see it get such cool recognition from such a prominent publication. From the mag:
Here’s a little secret: The guys who run the music store next to Changing Hands in Tempe call themselves hoodlums — and maybe they look like it, just a little — but really, they’re old softies. Just check them out each spring when they throw a weekend-long music festival, aptly named Hoodstock.
East Valley Tribune readers award Hoodlums “Best Record/Music Store”
The East Valley Tribune did its first-ever “Best of the East Valley” poll recently, and this weekend the special edition, which named the winners in 100 different categories, was delivered. The hoodlums at Hoodlums were thrilled to find out that the East Valley readers had named us “Best Record/Music Shop“. Obviously, we are honored and very thankful. We appreciate everyone who commented and voted. Read the comments here.
Hoodlums Wins a New Times’ “Best of Phoenix 2010″ Award!
We are very excited to learn that Phoenix New Times has named Hoodlums Music and Movies “Best Place to Buy CDs” in its annual Best of Phoenix issue. We work hard to be your favorite music store and this sort of recognition from this level of Valley institution means a lot to us. More importantly, the write-up acknowledges our presence in the community, which means we are moving closer to the goal of being what that header up there says: Your neighborhood record store.
You can read the write up by clicking this link… or if you want an “easier to read” recap, you can watch the video Record Store Geek talks New Times ‘Best of Phoenix 2010. P.S. I (Steve) did the recap before I was aware that New Times had also included my little Record Store Geek persona in the issue’s “Heroes and Villians” section (click here to see the profile). I’m beyond flattered to be included with such a group. Thanks, New Times!
Hoodstock raises a sweet donation for Broadmor Elementary!
Hoodlums is proud to announce that our little Hoodstock Festival raised $3,125 for Broadmor Elementary’s Intervention program!
Hoodstock had amazing community support, and we were able to sell a small truckload of Hoodstock t-shirts and posters, kid’s vinyl art, flowers, books, food, and music to more than double our total from last year’s event (which had an extra day, mind you).
In addition to the more than $2,600 donated by Hoodlums Music and Movies, $325 was raised by Hoodstock patrons enjoying Mac’s Broiler and Tap, and $198 was contributed as a result of Hoodstockers shopping at Changing Hands Bookstore.
Hoodlums would like to thank all of the musicians (12 cool Valley outfits) who donated their time, as well as all of our co-sponsors (in addition to Mac’s and CHB, we had great support from Moses Anshell, Here on the Corner, and Bobbie’s Flowers). We’d also like to thank the entire team at Broadmor, especially the students and teachers who created such fantastic art on the albums and 45s. Special thanks to Sari Philipps, who prepped the albums, set up all of the art classes, and helped us hang over 250 pieces of art, as well as Hilary Sutter, who helped guide us through a number of the art classes.
Most of all – we’d like to thank those of you that supported the event. We appreciate your attendance and your contributions, and the way you helped us spread the word. I assure you, your contributions will make a difference in a number of children’s lives.
Thanks for making the Ozzy Osbourne event so HUGE!
Wow. It was completely great. Approximately 4,000 people showed up, the kids at Changing Hands sold a truckload of books, and the gang at Hoodlums and Mac’s Broiler and Tap had a blast co-promoting. Read the whole story in the blog: Ozzy Observations of the Record Store Geek. Or, you can just look at pictures on the Facebook page. Either way, we wholeheartedly appreciate your support. Thanks!
Phoenix Magazine features Hoodlums in “Top Mom and Pops” Issue.
Speaking of local first, this cover story in this month’s issue of Phoenix Magazine is a guide to what the magazine feels are the Top 130 “Mom and Pop Shops” in the Valley of the Sun.
Along with 129 other funky little indies like ourselves… there was Hoodlums, including a nifty picture of Justin looking through albums when he was probably supposed to be working.
The write up talks about our special orders, our art exhibits, our monthly events… and it even mentions our new digital store. Most importantly, it says “you will be wowed by the service you receive”. Now that’s sweet.
We are very honored to be included in such a fine publication with so many other great shops that we have come to know and love as Valley residents.
Pick up a copy at your local newsstand now. Like the article says: “Save the Economy… Shop Local”
Hoodlums wins New Times’ Best Indie Spirit award!
Phoenix New Times “Best of Phoenix 2009″ issue came out in September. As you probably know, the issue is a highlight, a yearly event, their premier issue, and a hell of a good read.
For the second year in a row, Hoodlums has been named a Best of Phoenix winner. This year we were given the award for Best Indie Spirit and highlighted in the issue as a “Wonder” of Phoenix. Sweet, huh? The write up starts like this:
Out here in the West, the genes of independent spirit course through our dehydrated bloodlines. Our cuckoo-crazy relatives were so desperate for independence that they settled an inconvenient home on our spiky, dry land. Read the Story.
I’m very proud that the phrase “cuckoo-crazy relatives” (Lord knows I’ve got my share) appears in sentence two, and we’ll take being compared to renegades any ol’ time…
Thank you New Times! And thanks to all of you who voted in the Readers’ Poll (we didn’t win that one; but it was cool to be nominated).
Some Press about the New Store (opened in Sept. 2008)
October 2008: Amy at Java takes a look at three different indie record stores in the Phoenix area, and interviews Steve to get his take on how to deal with the digital era.
October 2008: A little more in-depth look at the new store for our old gang down at ASU. It’s nice to see that the kids still care.
October 2008: This article details how four of Tempe’s indie record stores are battling the chains, the economy, and all the other fun things that challenge us.
October 2008: A quick and insightful take from the Business Buzz. You have to love that headline.
October 2008: Our friends at State Press give us some love on the first day of ASU. We are happy about our new location, but that doesn’t mean we don’t miss the kids and staff and the campus itself.
September 2008: Five days after being open, we receive our first “Best of New Times” for “Best Addition to a Strip Center”. Wow, that’s cool.
September 2008: One of our best customers wrote this fine blog about our upcoming return. Richie, we thank you for the coverage!
September 2008: Even before we were open, we got mentioned as one of the reasons that our corner (Guadalupe and McClintock) is on “Neighborhood Watch” for the Lifestyle sections’ Things to Do area. It helps to have friends in powerful places… so thank you to Changing Hands.
Press from our various stories, rants, and events at our ASU Store
January 2008: This is an article about the ASU Memorial Union opening without Hoodlums.
January 2008: Article about our decision to close the ASU store.
June 2008: The online version of ASU’s newspaper covers the potential of our return on their online blog. I responded when I found it.
Arizona Republic
August 2007: Kristian and Marla star in “Campus Record Store Keeps Music Playing for 10 Years”. Unfortunately, I can’t find it online anywhere.
August 2006: The ASU Guide says we are the best indie record store for students. We’re pretty good with non-students too.
March 2006: Kristian explains that kids are smart enough to buy their share of classic music… and credits the iPod for helping spread the word.
September 2005: Kristian reassures the ASU paper that our store will indeed not suffer from Garth deciding to sell out.
September 2004: Steve comments on industry’s ridiculous prices and manipulative practices, again.
July 2004: Steve is quoted in response to Universal’s Jump Start program. For the record: We never did play by those rules, CDs still aren’t as cheap as they said they would be, and Universal has invented many, many new prices points since then. We thought it was a stunt then… we think it is a stunt now.
March 2004: Coverage of a panel that Steve was on called “The Death of the Record Store”. The comments are consistent with what we believe to this day.
March 2004: More coverage of “Death of the Record Store” panel at SXSW.
Coalition of Independent Music Stores/U.S. Senate
September 2003: This is a copy of the letter we wrote to the U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in response to their hearings on file-sharing and the music industry. As the lead-in suggests… we didn’t view the digital revolution the same as the major labels, and many of our comrades.
Note: Here is the official document – if you want to see how to set up a subcommittee.
January 2002: This is the Hoodlums profile for the Coalition of Independent Music Stores issue.
June 2000: This is a letter that we wrote to the Federal Trade Commission in regards to their “debate” about whether or not abolish the Minimum Advertised Price, which essentially prevented the corporations from loss-leading. Hmmm…. big corporations versus small ones in a government decision…. wonder how that one went? Oh well, we keep up the good fight.
September 1998: This is the very first article written about Hoodlums. We were very thankful that Gilbert did the article, it helped us turn the corner and start off with a bang.
Note: There are a bunch of articles missing, including the Forbes story (with Arnold the Guv on the cover). Eventually, I will scan them in. As it is, I assume no one actually reads any of this anyway.