Sikora’s Classical Records preparing for its final spin
Sikora’s Classical Records has been a favourite haunt of local music lovers since it opened in 1979.
“It was almost a community drop-in centre for (people with a common) musical interest with some profit on the side,” Ed Savenye, who started off as a customer and became a co-owner, said with a laugh.
“And not so much profit in recent years.”
Against the odds, the specialty store survived while waves of larger record stores closed. But Friday, Sikora’s announced it will be closing, too, on Feb. 28.
Sikora’s was the last classical record store in Western Canada and one of only two classical stores in Canada. But Savenye said it was done in by the changing times and what he calls the “five dirty Ds.”
The big D is digitization, “downloads, MP3s, streaming.”
Another is downsizing. “People are moving into smaller places and are limited by space and can’t collect the way they used to,” he said.
The third is distribution; “getting hold of good reliable sources for import stock has been challenging.”
No. 4 is the desertion of some customers to online retailers like Amazon. The last D is “the demise of a generation that supported us for 20-30 years. We’re getting phone calls from their kids saying ‘My dad died, what do I do with all of his CDs?’ ”
It was those people that Dick and Dorothy Sikora bonded with when they opened the store in a handsome heritage building at 425 West Hastings St.
The Sikoras are now 91 and 88 years old, respectively, and no longer work at the store.
But they remain partners with Savenye and Roger Scobie, who bought into the business when another partner, Rod Horsley, died in 2001.
While the Sikoras no longer work there, it was their spirit and vision that kept the store going.
“They are what you could call believers in the sense that they wanted Vancouver to have a place like this,” said Savenye.
“It’s been a great 40 years. There’s a huge extended family that has been part of this place. People have literally been with us for the entire 40 years. It’s more of a friendship and family feel than it is a customer base.”
One of the most loyal customers was Dr. Gabor Mate, who discussed his “classical music shopping addiction” in his book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts.
“Sikora’s was the scene of the crime,” said Mate.
“I’ll tell you, it was the greatest classical music store in the world. I’ve been all over Europe and North America and there was nothing like it.
“The knowledge they have about the music, the selection they have of all the different recordings and works … It’s a real loss.”
Sikora’s does have an extensive selection.
Savenye thinks the current inventory is about 15,000 albums and 5,000 CDs.
There are 16 bins of Bach CDs, for example, 13 bins of Beethoven CDs and eight bins of Mozart.
“We’ve never had a digital Excel spreadsheet database,” said Savenye.
“We’ve never had anything other than a manual inventory. Data entry is me entering by hand with a fine-point sharpie the ordering code information on a little plastic slip that fits over a CD in a security box.
“We are classically old school in that way and damn proud of it.”
The bestseller in the store is a recording of Beethoven’s Fifth and Seventh symphonies by Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic. At Christmas time, they do brisk business with Arvo Part’s Alina.
“I call it our Christmas therapy CD,” said Savenye.
“It’s very minimalist, sublime music. Literally music to chill to, to meditate to. I’ve given it to yoga instructors, massage therapists and they use it in the sessions in the classes. It’s really meditative, mellow music.”
The price of new CDs and records has been slashed 20 per cent and used product is 50 per cent off. But some expensive items aren’t on sale, such as a 222-CD Bach collection that’s selling for $699.
“It’s the most expensive thing I have right now,” said Savenye
“And I actually just sold that Bach box just before you came in. Last year (the most expensive item) was the big, big, big Herbert von Karajan box, which was $1,300.
“That’s a tough call, (but) I always bring one in to represent. But it sold.”
There was nothing like it ... The knowledge they have about the music, the selection they have of all the different recordings and works … It’s a real loss.