By Ruby Tuesday Romero

The last time I remember stepping foot inside Easy Street was on March 14th last year. I was looking forward to another great in-store, but Acid Tongue had decided not to play. Subsequently, the beehive that was the entire world, stopped buzzing.

Now, half-vaccinated and still masked, I stand here packed in between rows of records and shuffling bodies.

Chatter drowns out the vinyl soundtrack and all seems right with the world. This wasn’t a foreign feeling when I was growing up.

Back then, record stores were on every corner like Starbucks. Sadly, just like the artistic mess that is Seattle, they’ve disappeared. Even Easy Street ,closed their second location in Queen Anne in 2013, which is where I got to see The Killers perform just as ‘Somebody Told Me’ took fire. So after about 33 years, what does it take for a brick and mortar record distributer to stay open?

A Bar. Well, sorta.

There’s many reasons why Easy Street is voted one of the best record stores in the country and undisputed as the best in Seattle.

However, they are soon offering one more reason-cause nothing beats sifting for gold and enjoying a Vitamin R or locally crafted beer. And yes! They will let you sip and browse on both levels-just don’t spill your sippy cup!

The tradition of music-influenced names for dishes will live on with through drinks at The Bar. For instance the ‘Rusty Cage’ (a Soundgarden song from Badmotorfinger) will be their version of a NY Table Sour. The presentation on the bloody mary was all glamour and the tall boys of Rainier are cheap (3$), local brewers Elliot Bay and Mannys on tap (4$). The rustic-style, basement-bar-feel includes a shelf adorned ‘Locals Only’ where only the Seattle liquors hang out. And that’s how I know this collab is the supergroup to end all supergroups.

Grunge music favorites Gruntruck were there signing albums and more on June 12.

Record store day was the Bar at Easy Street’s soft opening. The hard open hasn’t been planned, it shouldn’t be too long as there will be another RSD on July 17th. 

Stay tuned.