Holdings Business Business Archives Record Service Business Rec... Finding Aid Title: Record Service Business Records, 1971-2010
ID: 9/50/49
Primary Creator: Record Service (1969-2003)
Extent: 0.7 cubic feet
Arrangement: Unarranged.
Date Acquired: 04/11/2013
Subjects: Business Records, Campustown, Champaign, Illinois, Music -- Illinois - Business and Industry, Music business, Music stores, Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign, Retailing
Languages: English
Consists of financial reports and journals, promotional materials, advertisements, photographs, news clippings, and other records documenting the general operation of the Record Service independent record store based in Champaign, Illinois.
Record Service was founded in November 1969 as the Undergraduate Student Association Record Ordering Service, and located in the Illini Union basement. Students could order commercially released albums for $2.95, at a time when standard retail price for an LP was $4.99. The Record Service soon became too profitable to operate legally from a campus building, and vacated its location in the Union.
After a short stint in the basement of the campus YMCA, Record Service incorporated and moved to Green St. between 5th and 6th Street in May 1971. At the beginning, Record Service was operated as a worker-controlled collective, eventually having 18 employee-owners. Over time, partners were bought out as they left, eventually leaving co-founder Phil Strang as sole owner. Record Service moved to 621 E. Green St. in December 1981, and this was the final location of the Champaign store until it closed in 2003. At various times there were also stores in Normal, IL and Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana.
Business Records
Campustown
Champaign, Illinois
Music -- Illinois - Business and Industry
Music business
Music stores
Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign
Retailing