Abstract

The recent closure of many music retail outlets due to alternative supply routes of computer downloading leaves a potential shopping gap relating to what was previously a key retail 'magnet' destination for certain groups of consumers within the active (physically out in-the-world) retail environment. This study attempts to define the spatial attractions and pleasures of music shop visits for a group of highly involved 'baby boomer' customers who have also been converted to independent music retailers through their format interest from the 1950's through to the early 2000's. The music retail shop event elaborated by these individuals implies a form of socially and culturally relevant creative consumption/creative retail process. This involves an immersive personal interpretation and investigation of aspects of music store space design and merchandise relevant to the construction of meaningful, personal mythologies that forms a self-developmental, transactional event whilst being out 'in-the-world'. Supporting this event were deep levels of product-involvement and inter-personal communication in a supporting space relating to a set of 'shared secret' community values, particularly encoded around 12" vinyl artefacts and associated elements. Considering the foreseen imminent downfall or 'death' of the music retailing sector, the question is raised whether there is a potential opportunity for a maintenance or resurgence of these, or other similar creative retail spaces, to maintain or re-generate shopping motivational mental-maps to encourage 'steppin' out', active retail behaviours. This being opposed to the acceptance of growing numbers of consumers switching to 'stay-at-home', passive retail forms and thereby reducing the varieties of active retail experience. Key words: music, immersion, product life-cycle, creative consumption, creative retail, active retail, passive retail, mental-maps, steppin' out.