Avalanche news

Really sad to have to say that I’ve decided to end our time at Cafe Voltaire at least for now. It is clear people and especially visitors come along for the “Avalanche experience” which I wasn’t able to recreate once we downsized to the current smaller curated space from the original space we occupied. It is certainly something I’d be happy to look at again in the future and I’ve learned a lot from our time there but for now I need to decide on how we move forward.

I’d always intended to look at the viability of a new shop and location after the Festival so I have just had to bring that discussion forward. And a discussion it is as things are by no means simple. What is clear from speaking to people and emails I’ve received is that people come to the shop to have a chat, hear about what is new and discuss what has been said on our social media platforms. Visitors had expressed disappointment in emails that I hadn’t been about ! 

Certainly our large stall at the Platform 2 market at Waverley station worked well with its focus on new vinyl and Scottish bands and there was still time to talk to everyone ! There was a young girl from Russia buying new vinyl and the Young Marble Giants CD I recommended on the back of The xx and a guy from Houston, Texas who remembered TV21 and I was able to tell him how good their new album is as well. After chatting he went on to buy two Twilight Sad CDs and the latest There Will Be Fireworks album. Sadly even adding in some second hand vinyl and poster sales this sort of business is not enough to sustain a high street shop something Edinburgh council have finally recognised

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/empty-council-building-could-become-music-venues-1-3457428

I’m open to all ideas and locations. It is by no means a given that we will stay in Edinburgh. Ideally we will have a shop and still be able to do things like Platform 2. More to come.