How hard is for small independent record/cd stores to stay alive in todays age?

Question

I have a dream of eventually opening up my own record store but I'm wondering if it's a kind of guaranteed failure in todays age, with huge stores like virgin and JB and the rest plus the rise of itunes and mp3 and the like.

Answer 1

I hate bursting bubbles but I think that you would likely fail in this age with a small record store.  Now if you had some other service or product that would draw clients to your store you might be able to offer music as well. A complimentary kind of business of some kind.

Of course, if you have a job and could afford to run a small store as a hobby then go for it.