Strawberries 'R Not US....

With music and more, store bucks recession
By Andrew Perlot (Record-Journal staff)
MERIDEN — Despite an uncertain economy, Rafael Or­tiz is taking a chance and bringing music to downtown Meriden. The 30-year-old Waterbury resident saw an opportunity in the empty storefront at 89 W. Main St. and opened Platinum Connex in late August. More and more music sales are digital these days, he said, but there are still plenty of peoplewho aren’t interested in computers or want some feed­back on their purchases. “Some like dealing with a person,” he said. “I still sell a lot of albums.” Although hip-hop and rhythmand blues are hismain-s­tays, he said, he also sells rock, gospel and other musical genres and is willing to stock anything customers show an interest in.

“The basic thing I’m hearing is that people are upset with what they’re hearing on the ra­dio,” he said, noting that some say the music there lacks depth. Many of his customers are coming in to request classic rhythm and blues, so he has Luther Vandross CDs from the 1980s positioned next to more recent albums from singers such as Beyonce Knowles. Johnny Williams, 53, is a reg­ular customer. “Rafael’s got all the stuff people need,” Williams said, “from the oldies to the good­ies. I’man old school dude, so I try to get old school music.” He stops in for jazz and R&B, and said he likes that Or­tiz is well versed enough in music to be able to talk about albums and make recommen­dations.

Ortiz, who served in the Air Force from 1996 to 1999 and more recently worked as amu­sic promoter and record store manager, said he’s aware of the risks of opening a store with the economy in rough shape, but that he didn’t want to look back on his life with regret be­cause he was too timid to open the store. “I look at it as if I can survive now, when everyone else is closing, when can’t I make it?” Ortiz said. Across the state, new busi­ness starts are decreasing. According to the Secretary of the State’s Office, 20,494 new businesses had opened in the state this year as of Sep­tember, down from 21,688 through September last year. In 2007, before the rumblings of economic disaster began, 23,930 new businesses had opened by September. - complete article