Amoeba Music closes iconic Hollywood location in wake of COVID-19

Shortly after launching a GoFundMe campaign in a bid to lessen the financial distress induced by the coronavirus pandemic, Amoeba Music has announced that its iconic original site in Hollywood will shutter for good. Amoeba Music has occupied the corner of Sunset and Cahuenga since 2001, and in the 19 years that have ensued, the record store swiftly became a cultural landmark in the local community that attracted starlets like Lana Del Rey and casual vinyl perusers alike. A press statement from the shop reads,

“The massive impact from the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the closure of our iconic Hollywood location at 6400 Sunset Blvd. With no reasonably foreseeable opportunity to re-open in our current location, we are instead focusing on hopefully opening in the fall in our previously announced new home at 6200 Hollywood Blvd.

This situation has been forced on all of us, and we feel this decision is the most responsible and practical one.”

Although Amoeba’s central location is closing, Amoeba Music nevertheless will move forward with its plans to open a new location in Los Angeles, with construction on the new store slated to begin “within the next few weeks,” according to Amoeba co-owner, Jim Henderson.

Amoeba Music initially shared details about its move to 6200 Hollywood Boulevard in February. At the time, the vinyl purveyor indicated that the alternative location would likely open in the fall of 2020. Amoeba Music had originally obtained permission to remain at 6400 Sunset Boulevard until the move to 6200.

“There are so many unknowns and uncertainties for a business like ours. The only thing we do know for certain is that we want to survive. We want to be there for our amazing customers and our incredible staff long after this pandemic disappears. The only way we can keep Amoeba Hollywood alive in the long run is to make this difficult decision now.”

In a newly disseminated statement about the store closure, Amoeba Music confirmed that it will continue to work towards a fall opening at its new location. The 6200 Hollywood Boulevard address will join Amoeba’s two other stores, located in Berkeley and San Francisco, respectively.

Featured image: Grant Henderson/Alamy Stock Photo