Editor,
Two weeks ago Bow Wow Records closed its doors for the last time. After 18 years of business, the once great staple of the Nob Hill had finally died.
The death of Bow Wow was very personal to me. My father, Andrew Horwitz, started the business when I was a baby. I grew up within the walls of Bow Wow. To me, it was life.
I can remember Nob Hill being the most incredible, fascinating part of town. To me it defined the college scene a decade before I actually went to UNM. Nob Hill housed shops that you wouldn't see in any other area, it was home to local stores painted in the greatest designs and colors. Nob Hill was unique and special.
With the death of Bow Wow I truly believe that the once great Nob Hill is rapidly fading away. Where toy stores and skate shops once roamed you'll now see abandoned buildings and chain restaurants, the mighty Lobo Theater, even, is now no more than an empty hole. This hurts me personally having known what it used to be, but also as a resident of Albuquerque, wondering where the uniqueness of our town went and when it was replaced with Wal-Marts and Starbucks.
Bow Wow's death wasn't a surprise to me. With the ever-increasing popularity of MP3's and CD burners it was only a matter of time before people realized how much easier it is to get their music for free rather than by actually having to purchase it. But I don't blame the technology for the demise. I can remember working during one summer, when Napster was in its heyday, to an ever-crowded store and an amazing financial year. I remember Rolling Stone saying that music sales had actually gone up that year, even with Napster's success. It wasn't until trading music actually became illegal that the music industry fell onto troubled times.
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I know that I'm biased, but for a long time Bow Wow represented everything that was right with a record store. It was independently owned and it was unique in every way.
Pretty soon, the Dalmatian-spotted store will be painted over, and then end of Bow Wow will have truly come. I hope that whatever replaces it will be even half as worthy of the greatness that used to occupy those walls.
R.I.P Bow Wow. You'll be missed.
Abel Horwitz
UNM Student
