Bull City Records will close after 20 years in downtown Durham. Owner Charles "Chaz" Martenstein announced the closure March 29 and is selling remaining inventory through April. The lease at 124 E. Main St. ends in early May.

Martenstein called it a "retirement" in his announcement and thanked customers for two decades of support, writing that Durham's music community "has been amazing from the start."

  • The shop has carried new and used vinyl across rock, indie, garage, punk, psych, jazz, electronic, hip hop, and experimental music.
  • The closure drew about 240 comments within days, including responses from Mac McCaughan of Superchunk, Sylvan Esso, and Rubies on Five Points.
  • Bull City Records has been one of the few dedicated physical music spaces on a stretch of Main Street that has shifted over the years toward bars, restaurants, and apartments.

The final sale runs through April at 124 E. Main St.