Andy Nichols

For countless Alberta music fans and musicians, independent record store Megatunes has long been a staple of Calgary and Edmonton’s cultural landscapes. Since its humble beginnings, the shop has made its mark with an emphasis on blues, roots, alternative and supporting homegrown talents. Sadly, 22 years after the opening of its flagship shop on 17th Avenue S.W. in Calgary, both cities’ locations are now set to close their doors on August 31, causing teary-eyed responses from shoppers and staffers alike.

September 23, 1988 marked the arrival of Megatunes, as original owner Mike Pleau, a music industry veteran who had previously worked for major labels such as RCA, BMG and Warner Music, launched the Calgary store with his wife Joni and then-business partner Kevin Roe. In an era dominated by chains such as A&A and Sam the Record Man, which could offer records, cassettes and CDs at much cheaper prices thanks to their bulk purchases, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Undeterred, the musical married couple remained extremely excited to spread the word about their shop.

“It was definitely low-key at first, and fairly tough,” current owner Joni Pleau explains. “We would always talk to people on the street, and whenever music was brought up, we would tell them that we owned Megatunes, then ask them if they knew what it was. For the first five years, most people wouldn’t have any idea. But it was Mike’s dream, and eventually it became a destination.”

(Video produced by Andy Nichols)

As Megatunes’s reputation developed, its battle against the so-called “big box stores” was staged on several fronts. First, it was willing to support local musicians. Rather than letting local releases collect dust at the back of the store (or even worse, not selling them at all), Megatunes had a prominently displayed rack for consigned self-released albums. Second, it began staging performances both in-store and in the alley next door, welcoming ’90 favourites such as the Dino Martinis and pop-punks Face to Face.

The knowledge held by the staff — which, for six months, included the author of this article — and well-stocked shelves of blues, roots and folk releases won over a large segment of listeners, while a long-running partnership with radio station CKUA also played its part. From the Sunday afternoon regulars perusing each week’s new releases to the common sounds of The Pixies, Sufjan Stevens, Cowsills or blues artist Popa Chubby wafting through the one-floor store’s wooden walls, the shop became as familiar as a home away from home.

“As far as I’m concerned, Megatunes has always been about the customer,” says David Gawdunyk, manager of Megatunes’s Edmonton location on Whyte Avenue and a staffer since September 2003. “Having come from a major chain background, I also know the corporate flip side. Coming here, it’s almost like I had to retrain myself and change everything I knew. Sometimes chains stores tell customers what they want or need, but we’ve always been interested in reacting to customers’ demands. What we carry separates us as well, as we’re definitely not very Top 40 oriented.”

In September 2008, 20 years to the month after Megatunes opened, the shop, its staff and shoppers felt a major loss when owner Mike Pleau passed away, suffering a heart attack at the age of 54. A business-savvy boss who was as quick to laugh as he was to pull his hair out when sales were slow, Pleau talked about music every second he wasn’t smoking solo on the store’s fire escape.

“Working with Mike was always about passion. He loved breaking music, turning people on,” says Allison Brock, a former Calgary employee who now hosts CKUA’s Wide Cut Country program. “He would get so excited about a new record and it was always so infectious.”

“One of the things that always struck me about Mike was his office,” continues Brock.

“It was a disaster — stuff everywhere. It used to drive me crazy, but that was just how Mike worked: to the beat of his own drum.”

Yet Pleau left behind a legacy bigger than his idiosyncrasies.

“[Mike’s passing] was devastating,” says Joni. “That’s the only word I can use. Yet for some reason, everyone was happy to be in the store, because it still felt like he was there. It’s a big family that he started, and he lives on with the store. That’s the main reason why closing is so hard, but we have to move on.”

“We have two big stores in Calgary and Edmonton, and I simply can’t afford to fill them anymore,” she continues. “You have to be realistic, because it’s like owning a mansion and only having a couch. I feel a bit defeated now because I had all of my ducks in a row, and now I just feel like a duck. I need to keep swimming so I don’t drown. Still, there’s no crying about the weather, you just have to deal with it.”

Metal expert Maxx Boudreau, who has worked at the Calgary location since August 2004, has noticed a definite drop in business. Still, she expects Megatunes’s closure to leave a huge loss in its wake.

“When I started, the store was always busy,” says Boudreau. “But for the last few years, it’s been so slow that it almost feels dead. What set us apart is that people used to come to Megatunes to find out about new bands, get suggestions and figure out who or what they should be listening to. I think that’s going to change drastically with big chain stores.”

“I’m pretty broken-hearted,” echoes Sarafina Kaine, manager of the Calgary location since Canada Day of 2006. “There’s going to be a really big hole, and I know quite a few people who are upset. The store has so many regulars, and it’s a great place for people to come and get information about local events and artists. Because we carry albums from many local artists who don’t have another outlet, they won’t have that any longer as well.”

On a positive note, shoppers can enjoy discounted rates on remaining inventory at both Megatunes locations until August 31. In Calgary, fellow independent record store Sloth has recently moved to 17th Avenue, making it a possible successor to the crown alongside the upper 17th Avenue shop Melodiya and Marda Loop’s Inner Sleeve. Edmonton has Blackyrd Myoozik located further down Whyte Avenue along with Listen Records on 124th Street. Still, Joni maintains a glimmer of hope to someday reopen the shop, no matter its incarnation.

“I don’t want to lose my credibility in case I have the chance to reopen in a small little place someday,” she says. “Whether we’ll have another store, an online store, or even a little camper van to travel around in and sell out the back, who knows? The Megatunes van could be coming around. Anything is possible.”

Famous faces

Whether consigning self-released albums, shopping, performing or working as staff members, Megatunes’s Calgary location has seen its fair share of hometown notables pass through. Here’s a quick-hit list of former and current employees.

Lisa Lobsinger

Before she became a member of Broken Social Scene, big-haired beauty Lisa Lobsinger began as the frontwoman of fledgling indie-pop troupe Reverie Sound Revue. These days you’ll likely find her gallivanting around the globe, but she also worked behind the counter from 1999 to 2005.

Bil Hetherington

As the singer of goofy garage rock group The Neckers and his latest project Bil Hetherington and the Asian Tigers, this happy-go-lucky local is renowned for his swaggering stage moves and his toothy smile. Just like Lobsinger, Hetherington’s tenure as a Megatunes employee lasted from 1999 to 2005.

Twyla Yacyshyn

As the resident illustrator for the Sled Island music festival, Twyla Yacyshyn’s brightly coloured bunny vikings are as crucial to Calgary as Harvey the Hound. She’s always been busy doodling when she should be working, but this Mötley Crüe-lovin’ lady did it at Megatunes from 2002 to 2006.

Herb Dowse

Known to many as the mustachioed face of Megatunes (and mistaken by equal numbers as the owner), the shop’s longest-running employee has been singing and selling the blues since 1992.