Vinyl lovers and fans of left-of-center music in South Austin will soon have another haven and place to spend their hard earned cash, with beloved music store End Of An Ear moving to a new location off Ben White Boulevard as of Oct. 21.
The news comes as a relief of sorts following the news earlier this year that the store was being forced to vacate its location in the South First Street “Slackerville” retail center because that property was sold to World Class Capital Group. However, this does mean that the tradition of live performances at End Of An Ear will be coming to an end, at least for now.
Co-owner Dan Plunkett said he and business partner Blake Carlisle bought the former pawn shop retail property on Clawson Road to help ensure the store’s future. However, he added that hosting live performances like downtown music store Waterloo Records causes too much of a disruption to normal business activity.
An announcement about the move and temporary closure was made on the company’s Instagram account Saturday morning around 11:30.
They also sent out an email containing this helpful map.
Followers of their Facebook account might have also noticed a post earlier this month containing a “sneak peek” at the store’s interior as well.
The move puts End Of An Ear, which has been a go-to spot for music aficionados since it opened 11 years ago, close to Vulcan Video South, Radio Coffee & Beer and Casino South Side Lounge. Those businesses already serve as magnets for music fans and creatives, giving End Of An Ear’s loyal fans even more reason to visit the new location.
The new store space is comparable in size to the current End Of An Ear location, and Plunkett said longtime customers will see the same level of selection and service. Occasional listening parties and store events will still take place in their new space, even if live shows might not.
News of the move has been greeted warmly, and Plunkett said he and Carlisle tried to alleviate concerns over the store’s possible closure but couldn’t disclose their moving plans until the new property deal was complete.
“Right away the rumors were that we were closing, and it felt great to be loved when so many people were worried about what was going to happen,” he said. “Where we’re going is great because all of our customers feel like they’re right there already, and being close to the Vulcan location and Casino was definitely an added benefit.”
