Needle Doctor going out of business

mhardy6647

TEAforONE wrote: »

What would happen if someone were to purchase something from their website??

It'd be like when you divide by zero.

displayname

Maybe they were planning on closing, but once the word got out someone came forward with an offer to purchase. Doesn't really explain why all the customer correspondence stopped, but it might explain why the phones are still on and the website is still up. I wonder what's happening at their storefront.

Emlyn

Someone posted on Google reviews yesterday that they visited the physical location and found it to be closed.

displayname

Emlyn wrote: »

Someone posted on Google reviews yesterday that they visited the physical location and found it to be closed.

Bummer.

pitdogg2

The intrigue continues

JayCee

Similar story with the original storefront for Core Power Technologies. Well, not completely but one day operating, the next closed. I read a very long thread that covered 2+ years only to find out the owner had serious health problems and wasn't always the best business man. Lots of thread drama w/customers, speculation, shock, anger, etc. My takeaway...in real time as everyone posted...it was all speculation. He indeed was very sick (allegedly). What I learned from reading the thread over a few days...speculation is exactly that...speculation and sometimes life events take over people. Looks like positive experiences from everyone on CP that dealt with Needle Doctor. Hopefully, the owner(s) are leaving because they want to. I'll bet the circumstances come out in due time.

arancano

I live in Palm Springs, CA but a snowbird who lives in our community has his main house in the Minneapolis area. It turns out it is about a mile and a half from Needle Doctor. He went by on my asking and indeed the store is closed.

What prompted the closure is one interesting case for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. It remains for me a sad event. It is also a cautionary tale teaching us to, as much as possible, ensure that a business we buy from is stable and/or the transaction is protected somehow in case an unpredictable going out of business happens.

If a company as well regarded as Needle Doctor, with as much longevity can close unexpectedly, well, it can happen to anyone at any time.

jdjohn

It is sad from an entrepreneurial standpoint (for whatever the reason of closure), but also from a competition standpoint (i.e., having choices is good). FWIW, I can recommend TurntableNeedles.com (out of Oregon) as an alternative. I've really only purchased a few belts from them, but have been very pleased.

LP Gear is my LAST resort...frustrating experience with their CS after asking a simple question.

SCompRacer

"Raskin, 62, said he was retiring to focus on making art. He recently underwent radiation treatments and chemotherapy for tongue cancer, which he described as “brutal.”"


https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2019/11/19/the-needle-doctor-is-out-turntable-specialist.html?fbclid=IwAR0tmPTIUYxUiZS0jeggHn4bQGXGUqIDNMlAkkIVBlpiUspR6YhsBmO603s

hochpt21

I would think if you were closing a business of that tenure, there would be an announcement of sorts, but after reading the article, he doesn't seem ready to let go. Maybe that explains it in part?

DaveHo

Sorry to see them go, but given his apparent health issues, I can understand. However, leaving the web site active, with no notice of the closure, when 90% of your business is online sales is only going to wiz off a bunch of people.

EndersShadow

DaveHo wrote: »

Sorry to see them go, but given his apparent health issues, I can understand. However, leaving the web site active, with no notice of the closure, when 90% of your business is online sales is only going to wiz off a bunch of people.

Yeah, although that article seemed to indicate he wasnt sure if he was going to sell the name/company or not.....

So why shutter it all when it "could" come back under new management if he decided to sell today.

nooshinjohn

You will never get them back Skip(old priorities)... I don’t say that to be snarky or mean, but to simply state that as time passes, we simply find a new “normal” and refine our priorities to fill that space.

ZLTFUL

Read an article in one of the local MSP papers about the closure. Sad times indeed but with vinyl growing the way it has been in the recent past, someone will step in to fill the void, whether it be a new internet direct company or an established company grabbing what they can.

miner

My uneducated guess is Music Direct will keep it alive

Polkitup2

Yep, I recently received the 2020 Music direct catalog and 56 pages are devoted to turntables, needles, and accessories.