By Sherry Parrini, Greenville native and pianist for the Voice Studio at the Fine Arts Center.
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After almost 40 years in business, BJ Music will be closing its doors. My father, Randall Coleman, bought this record store after selling records from the back of his covered pick-up truck. My mom, Mary Coleman Todd, did the books and all four kids worked there... even when they weren’t quite old enough. In the seventies it was a hopping business inside the old Belltower Mall where the city offices are now.
Mom and Dad bought the building on Augusta Road in 1981 and we saw record sales continue to thrive. Dad watched the record business go through many developments with the creation of 8-track tapes, cassette tapes, and the compact disc. Dad used to joke that the next new thing would be a device that would play whatever song we wanted by just thinking about it. He was close.
Dad could name a song from obscure lyrics customers would latch onto. “There’s this song on the radio...about love...”. He absolutely adored ‘oldies’ and our selection of 45s was immense. He could name the B side of most 45s. He was on a never-ending search for Shag tunes that had to have that certain beat. He also specialized in finding music that no one could get anymore.
Dad was an old-school boss and employed many teenagers teaching them how to work. “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.” One of his former employees, the wonderful Gene Berger, is the owner of Horizon Records. Over the years, we have enjoyed the friendships we have had with our employees and most of all, our loyal customers. Gospel music has been a constant seller even today and we will greatly miss those cheerful customers.
My brother, Randall Coleman, Jr., has been managing BJ Music since before our father passed in 2012. He is now an accountant and will move his office to White Horse Road. Empire Spirits will move into the space on Augusta Rd.
We are extremely grateful to all of our loyal music-loving customers who have supported our business for almost four decades.
The BJ Music location on Whitney Road in Spartanburg is open and still bustling under the management of my brother, Brett Z. Coleman.
