Lexington’s longest running record store, CD Central, is getting ready to say adieu. Owner Steve Baron announced via Facebook and Instagram on Tuesday that he is selling the business he opened in 1995 and retiring.
The store will close in early September, but will reopen later in the fall with a new name and new management.
“Financially, the store is doing fine,” Baron said. “We’ve had great community support. It’s not one of those situations where it’s being closed because of any kind of distress. It’s just my desire to let it go and retire and focus on retirement kinds of things in life.
“Of course, my main concern was we would leave a big gap in the community as far as having a record store in the (University of Kentucky) campus area. Fortunately, I do have some people who signed on to purchase the business and inventory and start their own store in the same location. The store will continue on under new management and under a different name. It will be a separate store, but it will look a lot like CD Central, at least initially.”
CD Central opened first in South Hill Station in Bolivar. Baron moved the store to its current location on South Limestone in 1999. While CD Central celebrated its 30th anniversary as a business in March, Baron said he has been considering retirement for several years…