Good bye, Anne Winter

Our dear friend died yesterday. If you were even peripherally connected to the music scene in this town from the late 1980s on, you probably knew her or her store, Recycled Sounds. She touched thousands of lives. I'm outta words for this one. Here's the piece we ran right before the store shut down. We've missed it since the doors closed. We're gonna miss her a lot more.

April 2006

By lunchtime Tuesday the inventory inside one of the city's most beloved record stores had been reduced to piles of old magazines, stacks of records that have already been scavenged a few dozen times and some cassette tapes that look pitifully obsolete.

One customer is visually scouring a copy of a Gentle Giant album, looking for scratches and other potential flaws. Up at the counter, a woman on a cell phone is buying two Richard Marx cassettes.

Recycled Sounds is disappearing, fading like the Beatles on "Hey, Jude," to paraphrase an ELO song.

For 18 years Anne Winter and Kurt von Schlemmer have owned and operated the record store on Main Street that has served a community of music fans who typically wanted to hear something more adventurous than what is played on most commercial radio stations and written about in mainstream music media.

At 4 p.m. Sunday the store will close and whatever is left on shelves and walls will be removed so the new tenant (and next-door neighbor), Clint's Books and Comics, can start moving in.

"I may turn the key for the last time," Winter said Tuesday, sounding absolutely confident in the difficult decision she made several months ago.

"My heart hadn't been in the business for four or five years," she said. "That's the primary reason.

"There were other factors. The retail landscape and how music is purchased and how people use music - it's all changed dramatically. It's sad to see the social aspect of music go away. Walking around and listening to music on headphones? I don't know, I think it's ridiculous.

"But I've known for a while it was time to do something else."

In the way a bar is more than the liquor on its shelves or the beer that flows from its taps, Recycled Sounds was much more than just the music that went out its door. It became a haven for people who wanted to know what was happening in the city's underground culture, for local bands and visual artists who needed a place to peddle their music or promote their shows and exhibits, for musicians who needed a stop-gap part-time job.

It was also a place where customers could hear about local shows and hear local bands perform and where patrons and employees could swap tips, trivia and recommendations.

"Such a large part of the store's personality was based on who was working," Winter said. "We hired so many exciting and interesting and fun folks."

Many of those folks were local musicians who appreciated getting paid to work in an environment that nurtured their hobby.

"One thing I'm going to miss is watching the kids come in and get excited about music," said Kasey Rausch, a local singer/songwriter who has worked at the store off and on for nearly 10 years. "Waiting on some kid who's buying his first Led Zeppelin album - that's what I'll carry with me. That and what I've learned about music from customers and other employees."

Rausch knows what her next step will be: She'll help out at Rausch House, her family's screenprinting business in Parkville. Frank Alvarez, a nine-year veteran at Recycled Sounds, hasn't decided yet, though he knows he'll be selling records somewhere.

"It's all I know how to do," he said, and he's not exaggerating. He has worked in music retail since 1985, at places like Penny Lane, Streetside Records, Alley Cat and Abba Zappa, the store he ran in Westport for a while in the mid-1990s.

Earlier this year Alvarez opened the Anchor, an all-ages live-music venue down in the West Bottoms, where he puts on shows every Sunday at 3 p.m. (Call 816-694-3685.) That's just a part-time concern, however; he most wants to get back in the record-selling business.

"I learned so much about records here," he said. "Like the time we got a 10,000-piece collection. It had been stored in caves out in Kansas, so we rented a truck and went out there and hauled it back here. Then when we got it here, it was like, `Now what?' We had this huge sale and moved thousands of records in a few days. It was really exciting.

"A lot of it was stuff I didn't know: easy-listening jazz and comedy, which I didn't know much about at the time. I do now."

Alvarez said the hardest part has been the uncertainty: "It's been hard, the roller-coaster ride: `We're gonna stay open, we're not, maybe we will, someone's gonna buy it. No he's not.'"

Winter said she had several potential buyers. The most recent deal fell through at the last minute. Instead of opening under a new owner, Recycled Sounds will be out of the space by April 30.

Friday night at RecordBar, a community of friends, former employees and music lovers will give the place an Irish wake: They'll "roast" Winter and von Schlemmer and express their appreciation for all their years of service. Among the organizers will be Billy Smith, the music booker at RecordBar and a former Recycled Sounds employee.

Winter laughed when she said, "If Billy's behind the roast, maybe I should be worried. I think I fired him."

She now has a full-time office job downtown; von Schlemmer has almost finished a massage therapy program. But the couple won't be completely out of the record business. They plan to conduct business in cyberspace.

"We pulled some of the store's high-quality inventory before we had our closing sale," she said. "We plan to sell it at Gemm.com or Amazon.com and maybe a little on eBay. Kurt just got back from the record convention in Austin - so we'll continue to go to those and maintain a presence on the Internet."

Winter hasn't spent much time at the store recently, she said, but she plans to be there Sunday for the finale. If she's feeling blue about it all, she doesn't show it. In fact, she said she's been feeling refreshed about music lately, now that she isn't required to keep up with what's new.

"I don't have to listen to bad music anymore," she said. "Now I can listen to what I want.

"The only bummer is not getting so many free CDs."

Comments

[Jim Kilroy]

Sad news.

[michael]

thank you, Tim.

[pellboy]

Very sad. Loved her shop.

[Denny]

RIP Anne. Loved your store and your Recordbar sales for charity.

[RIP Anne]

I am very sad to hear this, though it is good to see the Star repect her like this, Anne is a great person.

I became friends with her through the store and bought a lot of fun things at there. I was sad to see the store close, I am sadder today about this news.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

RIP Anne, you are one of the great ones, you will be missed.

[amici]

Thank you from our hearts, Finn.

Sweet, sweet friend to many. Good bye my lovely Anne Winter.

[xxx]

No trip to Recyc. Sounds was complete before hitting the used CD end cap. One fateful Saturday found my girlfriend(wife now) and I looking through the used CD's. My gf says, "check this out!" It was a copy of Joe's Garage. She told me her brothers used to make her listen to Zappa. I knew who Zappa was, but never checked him out. That album didn't leave my CD player for weeks. Needless to say, I listen to a lot of Zappa now. The internet has spoiled us with available music to check out. I miss the serendipity of scoring an album in a used bin. I'm sure Anne's investment in the music business lives on in the hearts of many music lovers. RIP.

[wadkc]

She helped keep vinyl alive, not only thru the store but at record conventions. I use to love chatting with her about music. Too sad.

[mubanduby]

A humbling reflection on the loss felt then and especially now.

My heart is feeling for her children, those who loved her and you, Tim.

I hope she has found peace.

[Kevin H]

I used to swing through Recycled Sounds about every other month or so. I always picked up a cool poster or two, perhaps a CD and visited with Anne about new bands on the horizon and/or The Beatles. It was such a great place. I just happened to pass by where the store used to be the other day and it made me sad it was gone. Now it’s really hard to believe Anne is gone. I am fortunate to have known her. My thoughts and condolences go out to her family.

[Scott]

This is sad news, the small record store is a thing of the past and will be missed. I guess you could say the internet is the new record store. It was nice being able to talk with someone face to face about music. Anyone notice how Best Buy and others have greatly decreased their music collection, the net is the only place left.

[TK]

Sad to hear...

[Kilby]

Anne was always so lovely to talk to at Recycled Sounds and the music scene in KC would not have been the same without her. Man, this is sad. My heart goes out to all of her friends and family at this time. This city has lost a gem of a person. Thanks for the wonderful memories, Anne.

[danny alexander]

Beautiful work, Tim. Then and now.

I'm glad she got this story, and I'm glad we all got our time with her.

Danny

[blee]

i miss her so much already it hurts. like most everyone who knew and loved anne, she helped me in more ways than i can say. i'm sure there are many local musicians who went out and started a band after being inspired by hearing her "orphan annie" show on kkfi. it was an honor to know and work with her and i'll always remember her with a smile on her face and a kind word (or deed) for everyone.

[Pandy Fackler]

RIP Annie. You will be missed.

[Dexter Morgan]

What a great store to fumble through racks of records, all those posters and eclectic music magazines, the glass case with the limited edition or boot cds, the box sets on the wall behind the counter, did I mention records upon records upon records, the front door area where you saw fliers and found out about bands coming to town (this was pre-internet), the always interesting staff manning the store, once in a while you might drop $2 on an old cassette tape you just had to have (Wes Montgomery)...what a great store Recycled Sounds was.

Thanks Anne.

[Bubba]

Sorry to hear about Anne Winter - I used to frequent Recycled Sounds all the time until maybe 2004.

[DiggityDawg]

Wow...she was always very nice & cool to me. Way too young. RIP.

[Ken Havlat]

Anne was a special one whether remembering the times I got to know Anne to making sure I made a stop at Recycled Sounds to see what was happening. Thank you for everything and Tim thank you for the article.

[Derek Donovan]

I'm shocked almost beyond belief. I can't count the ways she touched my life by introducing me to sounds that turned into my personal soundtrack. My deepest condolences to Kurt and the entire family.

[mankvill]

:( RIP

[Rod Perlmutter]

Tim, thank you for reposting this article. It says so much about Anne and her effect on people. But like a lot of parents whose kids attend Border Star Montessori in Brookside, I knew her primarily as an active parent who was always involved in school activities. In fact, I didn't know she owned the store until I had known her for a few years! She also had a wonderful sense of humor and was fun to be around.

[Betse Ellis]

I am among so so many people who loved Anne. I am grateful for the role she played in my life and it's shocking and sad to be writing about Anne in the past tense.

Dear, dear Anne. We already miss you.

[Rick]

This is not only sad, but downright jarring. I suppose now's not the appropriate time to inquire about a cause of death, but hope a follow-up to this will be posted soon.

Like everyone else, I had special memories of Dirt Cheap/Recycled Sounds. Always stayed way too long, left poorer in the wallet, but much richer in musical treasures. Wish nothing but peace and blessings for her family.

[Vickie W]

This is so sad. Before I moved to Chicago I had a show on KKFI called Suspended In Gaffa, and I lived just a block and a half from Dirt Cheap. I know I got hundreds of albums there, and she told me about so much good music. Her show on KKFI was fun to listen to and she was a guest on my show. Thanks for the music Anne. "Miss Vickie" (my reluctant handle on my show)

[Lauren]

what sad sad news. she was a friend to kansas city in a really special way. my heart goes out to her friends and family.

[Vandelay]

I became friends with Anne in the late 80s when we were both involved with the local chapter of Amnesty International. What a great spirit. She will be missed.

[victoria crowder payne]

Anne made us each our best selves... and always made a place at the (turn)table for everyone. She may be gone, but her community thrives in us all.

[Nancy J Rooks]

Ron and I knew Ann from the great days of used record stores, when Westport had many stores to choose from. Ann was the sweetest person and had a great knowledge of music. Her store was a wonderful place and has been missed. Her smile and laugh will be missed by many. May memories of her give her family some peace and solice.

[b]

http://www.anniewinter.org/

for her kids...

[Bubba]

I cherish those 'days' of the several used CD stores in Westport - before the Internet took over. Plus, I REMEMBER Recycled Sound's CD bootlegs for sale. Anne got some REAL good one if I remember correctly.

By the way, how did she die? Someone who knew her 15 years ago told me that she had a long running health issue. My thoughts + prayers go out to her family and close friends.

[robert moore]

if you feel inclined to help the family, please pass this on.

http://www.anniewinter.org

[Diana Thomas]

RIP Annie Winter, We are going to miss you.

[Penny]

Gone too soon...

[Jeff Brown]

This town was made so much better by Anne Winter and her cadre of mercurial musical merrymakers. Her store was more than just a place that sold music. That was just a front. Anne sold a community. A vibe. A way of life that we all aspired to. Anne Winter made it all special when you enterd into her establishment with a simple and heartfelt smile, a sly nod of her knowing head, or by passing you something special that had just come into the store and had reminded her of you. Her in-stores were always folksy organic parties that made the band performances usually better than whatever club show they were in town to play.

The store itself was a second home to many of us who wanted people who understood us. Anne Winter did. She got us, nurtured us, and made everyone who met her that much better in the process.

My heart just hurts at this latest news. Please, if you ever had one of those celestial planets-align musical moments in Recycled Sonds, reach out and help Anne's kids. Help them realize how special she made all of our lives every day, and how much we too will miss her.

[Rick in PV]

Anne Winter was a social network long before the term was invented ...

[Bewlay]

Listening to KKFI's celebration of Recycled Sounds. Wish there was a record store like them still but the digital/mp3 age has made it antiquated. Wish I had known Anne, Kurt, etc. Tip to all of them.