“If communities around the world can see what’s transpiring here, … that’s going to be cool” said Criminal Records owner Eric Levin.
In the past few months, the Atlanta landmark has been on the brink of closure only to see the city’s music community rally around it in an effort to save the store. The term “store” is used loosely because, while it does sell music and other goods, the phrase “community center” is commonly used when anyone close to the situation is asked to describe Criminal. In addition, Levin makes a point to note that the story is not so much about the closing of record stores and chains (i.e. Tower, Virgin) around the country, but also about questionable government practices pertaining to local businesses.
“I’ve been a few times, and I [went] back again on Nov. 2 to testify before Congress and meet with the super committee about a national sales tax solution.” Levin said. “I’m a very big advocate for local-first initiative. Companies like Amazon and iTunes not collecting sales tax, everyone else is required to collect. It is taking money away from our communities. It’s the customer’s prerogative to find the lowest price, but they don’t and we do and that’s patently unfair.
Amazon has said that they couldn’t be profitable if they couldn’t charge sales tax, … well f***—us, too.
Atlanta has sold parking rights and schools keep dropping programs, yet we keep putting money into corporations that don’t support our community from a pure taxation standpoint all the way down to things like local baseball teams. This is where local businesses, like us, have such great value.”
Twenty years ago this past August, Levin followed his late brother to Atlanta and brought his newly attained record store with him, settling in the upstart community of Little Five Points. As it’s expanded and moved down the street from the once 800-to-1000-square-foot space of where Levin once slept in the back, Criminal helped the area be successful from the start, focusing on giving Atlanta what it lacked by gauging what it needed.
Levin sought out to complement other stores such as Wax N’ Facts and provide what they didn’t—alternative press, ‘zines and books. They were the first store in Atlanta to carry DVDs. It also provided a spot for bands to promote and sell their music and a home for a new generation in which to grow. After the first in-store performance by Mary’s Danish, artists such as Pearl Jam and Beck would come through, and local bands such as Smoke would have a spot to rehearse. Levin said Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra was one of those who grew up in the store, one Levin didn’t even know he was affecting, and one who is giving back now.
“In September of 2006 our band released our first album independently by means of printing up 2000 copies.” Hull said in a quote on SaveCriminal.com. “Anyone that wanted to purchase it would have to see us live; until [Levin] came around. Criminal Records essentially became our retailer. It was the first record store to not only carry our record but also served as our CD warehouse, sending albums everywhere from Australia to Florida. When [Levin] would run out of records, we would drive another box of 30 up to Criminal. All of this to say, Criminal Records was not just a records store; it was a launching pad not just for us but for so many bands across the country.”
Hull and the band have also teamed up to provide 500 limited-edition hand-silkscreened LPs with Thrice to be sold in the store to benefit the Save Criminal Records movement. They also worked with design team Favorite Gentlemen on designing the Save Criminal logo, of which the T-shirt has sold out in store.
Promoter Malissa Sole of 4th Ward Heroes has also played a prominent role in the push to save the store. Anointed as “supporter of all things local” by the Atlanta Music Guide, Sole has been at the forefront of a number of benefit shows during the past few months organized to support the ongoing effort to save the store.
“Since 2009, I have organized benefits under the series title Heroic Efforts for organizations like The Marcus Institute, International Rescue Committee, Covenant House, Atlanta Food Bank, you name it,” Sole said. “Even though Criminal Records is a business, it is also a community center for so many, so a benefit show seemed like a logical response.”
From arranging for the Black Lips to shoot a television appearance to teaming with photographer Zach Wolfe at the Little Five Festival to put together the Faces of Criminal project, Sole’s tireless efforts have been a glowing example of the outpouring of love from Atlantans.
“It’s been a little troubling reading some of the reporting,” Levin said. “’Oh, he owes the IRS.’ Well, no, I don’t. I owe Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, the Department of Revenue; I owe, but I wasn’t evading taxes. I didn’t have the money at that moment to stay in business for another day or pay that debt. … I don’t want to pat myself on the back, but I do work on behalf of others for tax purposes. … I’m a democrat, I think we all should pay a lot of taxes. … That all kind of got really weird and disappointing because it’s just not true; … it’s not like this is something I can spin and say, ‘No really I’m a good guy, but also, I don’t care if some guy on the Internet thinks I’m a jerk,’ I’m doing my best.”
Levin maintains that the business model is not what fails—his numbers show that if he didn’t have to dig up money to pay off debt, Criminal Records would be flourishing as a business.
“We are going to survive, I’m confident of that, and I’m going to do everything I can to pay back these bands,” Levin said. The goal is $100,000 by Nov. 1 to start paying back his creditors, but the ultimate goal is $150,000. Levin’s ultimate goal is to “give it back to the staff.” Once the debt is reconciled, the ownership of the store will be distributed to the faces of Criminal.
“It’s a little weird because in the press, it’s all Eric, Eric, Eric, and Criminal Records is so much more than me,” Levin said. “It’s Lillian, it’s Shannan, it’s Eddy, it’s Zano, etc. … I work up here, they sell stuff. … Even [in the] early days, I hid in back because it’s their store, too. I think that’s why we’re seeing such great outpouring because we have affected a lot of people over the years, and … it’s nice to see. You think you do a good job, you’re trying to put forth good in the world, and it’s nice to see it come back a little bit.”
He insists there’s work to be done—they are still a good ways away from the goals—but there is an overwhelming feeling of love and hope surrounding Criminal Records these days.
“Everything’s going cool today. I can’t pay all my bills today, but the staff being enthusiastic about continuing on an ownership level, the benefit by all the bands and people in the community, how could you make any other decision except to keep going forward?”
