Tower Records: Going out of Business - Beyond Tiki

J JenTiki Grand Member (1 year) Home of the best rum collection in NC Joined: Jun 16, 2006 Posts: 2336	J JenTiki Posted posted on Tue, Nov 7, 2006 11:11 AM One more Tower memory to add to the list: In 1985 a San Francisco radio station (I don't remember which one) held a contest to win a 1960-something pink Cadillac convertible. The contest was built around Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love" record. If you were the right caller at the right time you would be awarded with a "key" to the car. The 20 "key holders" then convened in the parking lot at the Tower Records on Columbus and Bay at a certain time and date to see if their key would start the car. Oh, what a beautiful car it was! White vinyl soft-top in perfect condition and spotless white leather upholstery. Cool fins on the taillights, and everything you would expect from a classic cruiser glistening in the sunshine of a bright August morning. Only one key would start it, and the person holding that key would get the car. Well, I was one of the lucky 20 key holders. The way they handled the contest was, each key holder's name went into a big bowl. A DJ would draw a key holder's name, then the key holder would reach into a big bowl and choose an actual key. That person would then get into the car and try to start it with his/her key. After 18 other people had tried and failed to start the car, I was left standing with one other key holder who had not yet had a try. Suddenly I had a 50% chance of taking this car home with me. Another name was drawn from the bowl, it was the person standing next to me. As that person drew one of the last two keys from the bowl and walked over to the car, I hoped as hard as I've ever hoped for anything for that person to fail like the 18 before us. When that engine finally roared to life, with me still standing by waiting for my turn, I knew heartbreak. I still drive past that same Tower Records store at least a couple times a month, and although I'm now driving another convertible that I love (although it's 11 years old, a little beat up, and certainly not a classic), my heart still breaks a little for that classic pink Cadillac each and every time. After 21 years of picturing that August morning, I will miss the Tower Records store at Columbus and Bay.

One more Tower memory to add to the list:

In 1985 a San Francisco radio station (I don't remember which one) held a contest to win a 1960-something pink Cadillac convertible. The contest was built around Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love" record. If you were the right caller at the right time you would be awarded with a "key" to the car. The 20 "key holders" then convened in the parking lot at the Tower Records on Columbus and Bay at a certain time and date to see if their key would start the car.

Oh, what a beautiful car it was! White vinyl soft-top in perfect condition and spotless white leather upholstery. Cool fins on the taillights, and everything you would expect from a classic cruiser glistening in the sunshine of a bright August morning.

Only one key would start it, and the person holding that key would get the car. Well, I was one of the lucky 20 key holders. The way they handled the contest was, each key holder's name went into a big bowl. A DJ would draw a key holder's name, then the key holder would reach into a big bowl and choose an actual key. That person would then get into the car and try to start it with his/her key. After 18 other people had tried and failed to start the car, I was left standing with one other key holder who had not yet had a try. Suddenly I had a 50% chance of taking this car home with me. Another name was drawn from the bowl, it was the person standing next to me. As that person drew one of the last two keys from the bowl and walked over to the car, I hoped as hard as I've ever hoped for anything for that person to fail like the 18 before us. When that engine finally roared to life, with me still standing by waiting for my turn, I knew heartbreak.

I still drive past that same Tower Records store at least a couple times a month, and although I'm now driving another convertible that I love (although it's 11 years old, a little beat up, and certainly not a classic), my heart still breaks a little for that classic pink Cadillac each and every time. After 21 years of picturing that August morning, I will miss the Tower Records store at Columbus and Bay.

Post #265047 by JenTiki on Tue, Nov 7, 2006 11:11 AM