Landlocked Music to move downtown

After just 2 1/2 years in business, the much-loved Landlocked Music is closing its doors Sunday.\nBut not because of lack of love. Instead, the record shop will open new doors next week in a more prominent, more visible location.\nThe store will be in the process, June 30 to July 7, of moving all merchandise from its current 314 S. Washington St. location to its new home at 202 N. Walnut St., according to Landlocked’s Web site.\nJason Nickey, Landlocked’s co-owner, said he’s anxious about the move, but he hopes the new location – downtown just off the Square – will attract a wider customer base.\n“It makes me a little nervous, but I think we’ll be fine,” he said. “More people will see us; whether they’ll come in is a different question.”\nThe Washington Street record shop has become a Bloomington favorite during its brief existence, but Bloomington Transit is in the process of buying their old building, Nickey said, leaving them no choice but to vacate by the end of the year.\n“We could stay here until we actually had to move, but I thought we would just do it when we found a space,” Nickey said.\nAlthough Nickey joked the new space’s main merit is that “it’ll exist and the old one won’t,” he said he was also happy with the new space’s landlords.\n“The people who run the building are actual people and not, like, strange lizard people,” he said.\nAccording to a press release from the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation, the building that encompasses 310 to 314 S. Washington St. is being bought as part of “an L-shaped site of six parcels” that also includes the old Royal Dog building, 301 S. Walnut St., and a few other currently vacant sites along South Walnut Street. \n“We’re excited to announce our plans to purchase and develop this site for a new \ndowntown passenger transit facility,” BPTC General Manager Lewis May said in the press release. “This site will give us the space we need to expand transit services in the future and will provide transit riders with greatly improved amenities.”\nBloomington Transit hopes to close on the property by Oct. 31, according to the press release, with construction slated to begin in spring 2009 and go until fall of that year.\nBut the owners of Landlocked’s new neighbors, which include the Bluebird and Plan Nine Film Emporium, said they’re thrilled to have Landlocked on their block.\nPlan Nine Owner Dave Walter said he’s eager about Landlocked adding to the block’s atmosphere as a quirky entertainment hub.\n“My take on it is - all the interesting, independent businesses we can get in the area, the better,” Walter said.\nThe Bluebird’s owner Dave Kubiak said he, too, is excited about Landlocked’s move.\n“There’s a lot of personality that goes along with Landlocked,” he said. “It will certainly add more daytime vibrancy to this neighborhood.”\nWalter and Kubiak said they are looking forward to the ways Landlocked’s proximity will allow them to collaborate with the store. \nWalter said he hoped Landlocked would play shows at their new space, which he said Plan Nine would support in any way possible.\nKubiak said he wasn’t sure how much influence Landlocked would have on the types of shows the Bluebird would bring in, but he is open to the idea of Landlocked wanting to hold shows at the Bluebird and is anticipating all the ways they can network.\n“Third Street is a weird barrier,” Kubiak said, “so we’re happy they’re downtown.”