Not even my cup of Cinnamon Hazelnut Cream coffee is able to console me right now. I just read this article - my beloved Cactus Music and Video will close its doors in March. Next month! That is way too soon; I am not prepared. I've been buying CDs at Cactus for at least 10 years. I started shopping there during my Folk-Only Phase because it was the only place where I could purchase CDs by artists such as The Indigo Girls, John Gorka, Nanci Griffith, Ellis Paul, Richard Shindell, Dar Williams, and Lucy Kaplansky. As my eclectic musical taste expanded I was guaranteed an equally diverse selection on Cactus's shelves. And I can't tell you how many times I would browse Cactus then hop next door to wander around Bookstop, take my literary and magazine findings upstairs, order a vanilla latte (they make excellent coffee), and sit at a table, preferably one under the round window overlooking S. Shepherd Rd. Or how many times I CD shopped with Kierstin or Holly, two of my faithful music-loving friends.
SIGH, the memories........ I used to work at Whole Earth Provisions Co. next door to Cactus. I ran the register on the Shepherd side of the store and on the other side of the wall was Cactus's register and their stage where many an in-store performance literally rocked our shared wall. My cool bosses would let me run over to such a concert and size up the band. I can hardly believe I will never be able to roam Cactus and see how many CDs I cannot afford! Since there is no other shop like Cactus in Houston, I take the last quote in the article to heart, "There's no way to replace Cactus and no place I can think of like it, short of driving to Waterloo Records in Austin." Since we frequent Austin fairly often Waterloo eases my pain somewhat but Cactus, I will miss you. I better head over there this month and drink a vanilla latte in your honor.
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