One of the things that still makes independent record stores essential is the exposure to a lot of great music you’d never hear otherwise. Yes, there are plenty of internet radio stations playing terrific but obscure music, but when you have the physical ability to change the station, it does provide an “out” that you would otherwise not get when you’re listening to something and it’s awesomeness creeps up on you.

Case in point: Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis’s stoner metal project from the late 2000s: Witch. I first heard this at Boomerang Records in Lacey one afternoon and this cool mix of Black Sabbath and Hawkwind kicked my ass.