Listening Materials to Close:
"Can't Compete with Free"

by Judy Silberstein

(September 26, 2002 ) The CD's are stacked in unruly piles on the counter, the bins are beginning to empty, and there are large "Going out of Business Signs" at Listening Materials, a long-time fixture at the corner of Larchmont Avenue and Post Road in Larchmont. "You can't compete with free," explained Frank Pondiccio, the owner operator of the CD store, "Larchmont's been good to me or I would have closed a long time ago like most of the CD stores throughout Westchester."

Frank's chalkboard, usually reserved for notices of the latest releases, tells the tale:

Technology, particularly file sharing over the internet, CD burners, and MP-3 recorders and players, have made it easy for music consumers to bypass commercial outlets and make their own CD's. From the point of view of musicians, recording companies and retailers, technology is enabling theft of copywritten material. However, the practice is widespread, especially among high school and college students who are the big consumers of CD's. Some musicians even encourage internet distribution (see Laura Tulchin's review of the Dave Matthews Band's latest release.)

For now, Listening Materials remains open, though with reduced store hours. How much longer it will stay depends on the landlord, the suppliers, and a number of other factors that are not under Pondiccio's control.

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