dccd

Okay. You're twentysomething and you love music. You really love music. You have two friends that feel the same as you do. One of them says, "Hey, let's open a CD store in a happening part of town." (You smile.) A CD store. Yeah. You can see it now. A cool little hole in the wall in a cool part of town with lots of cool music. You'll treat your customers well, and people will continue to come back and buy CDs. A lot. It'll be great. What kid hasn't had that thought cross his mind at least once in his lifetime?

Meet Bernie, Brian and Wolfgang.

And meet DC CD. A cool little store with three cool guys running it. Right on the main strip, right in the middle of Adams Morgan.

Located at 2423 18th St NW, DC CD is a great independent music store. It has pop, rock, top 40, spoken word, punk, ska, electronic, techno, international, rap, hip hop, jazz, classical, sound tracks, comedy, blues and show tunes. Some of the sections are still small, but they will get you whatever you want. There is also a growing used CD selection. They even have some vinyl. New vinyl.

Bernie Hackett is the younger of the three. He is always smiling, always relaxed. Bernie is the kind of salesman who knows the product, but won't bother you until you ask.

Brian Davis keeps everything running on the business end, and is their buyer. A former Marine, he is a little more serious, but his swaying dreads somehow comfort you.

Wolfgang is....well, Wolfgang. A frizzy mess of hair sits on this musician-turned-record store owner's head and moves around as he talks. He points around the store, "We're just trying to keep it real."

The one thing all three have in common: they love music. Love it.

Opening a new CD store is always a gamble. Not only do you have to compete with chain stores, but also with other local stores that have established themselves already. But DC CD thinks they have a system that is going to work. Service and attention.

Perhaps the coolest thing about the store is that you can listen to any CD you want. Bring it to the counter and they unwrap it, and let you take it back to one of two listening stations they have set up. Their rationale is they don't want anyone buying something if they aren't sure about it. Sounds like good rationale to me.

That practice harks back to their main message, as Brian told me three or four times over the course of two nights, "We aren't out to make a buck off of a customer." The store receives promos from record companies all the time; free CDs and music paraphanelia to entice them to buy their music. Most stores sell those things. Not DC CD. They put some of the posters up, might keep some of the CDs to play in the store, but they don't sell them. The GIVE THEM AWAY. Yes, you read that right, they pass along their freebies to the customers.

They are trying to help the community too. They want to become a part of Adams Morgan as well as the local music scene. One week after they opened they gave away Bob Dylan tickets for his sold-out 9:30 club show in a raffle. To enter, all you had to do was come in the store. When the drawing was held, there were about 25 or 30 people waiting expectantly in the store.

They also plan on putting in easy chairs and couches to sit in, as well as some video games. They want the place to feel comfortable for customers, a place that they can hang out in if they want and listen to music.

Also planned for the near future are live local bands on a stage in the back of the store. They are looking for local acts to play there now. (E-mail them). They also want as many local CDs as can be got to be in their store. (E-mail them already).

Open seven days a week (some weekend nights as late as 2:30am), they certainly are aiming to please. Go visit the store, walk in and feel at home (like a friend's basement), and listen to some music. Listen to all the music you want.