photo courtsey of Sean Hillegass

End of an Era
By Sean Hillegass, 03.29.05

In the early 90s I ventured decades into the past when I first entered Craig's Record Store in Palm Beach, Florida. I don't recall the exact time I first went to Craig's, but I know I felt at home immediately.

The record store dealt primarily in used albums. Craig's was decorated with album covers on the walls with lots of other memorabilia such as eight track tapes, posters and record players that looked like they were from the '50s and '60s. Every time I went there, until the last year, Craig, the owner, was always there along with another regular named Cleveland who doubled as employee, security guard and all around nice guy.

Since Craig's was about five minutes from the Port of Palm Beach, I stopped by there often. Craig was an avid surfer, who took Sunday and Monday off to surf in Coca Beach, Sebastian Inlet and anywhere else the surf might be. I think surfing and music were his biggest passions.

Craig's store had a laid back atmosphere. On Saturdays he would fire up his grill in front of the store and have a cook out for anybody who was there. There was something addictive about Craig's Records, because I found myself going there in search of old vinyl and to see who was there, and what was happening. Cleveland, Beatle Wayne and Dirty Dick were as colorful as their names.

People were given names at Craig's because of something musical they had done. Beatle Wayne got his name as a result of a Beatles collection he happened upon, Cleveland because he had been to the Rock Music Hall of Fame many times and Dirty Dick, well he was just filthy in the way he looked and spoke.

Craig was deciding on a name for me. I think we settled on Sean Deal, because of the connection I had with Bill Deal. There was something about this place that attracted an eclectic group of people from all walks of life. On any given day you would see doctors, lawyers, city council members, electricians, former pro athletes; you name it, they were there.

I recall one incident on a Saturday in July 2003; Craig threw a birthday party for Cleveland, who was visibly touched by the gesture. I have a gut feeling that he never had a birthday party before, because when he walked outside he was crying. You could see how much it meant to him. Craig served chocolate cake and strawberry ice cream, Cleveland's favorites, to the crowd.

The one constant about Cleveland was he was always seated out front of the store taking notes, so for a birthday present he received a snazzy clip board and a thick notebook. Something else that I recall was that the party was thrown by a bunch of middle age guys. Who says old guys don't have a heart.

Craig also helped me find Jimmie "Bo" Horne. "Bo" was a 1970s R&B/disco star that I had wanted to meet since I first heard him in 1979. Around 1996, Craig and I were talking about people who had made it big musically from the area, and Jimmie's name came up. Craig not only informed me that he knew Jimmie, but he also had his home and office phone numbers. This in itself was a huge break for me because I had a lead on how to contact Jimmie.

On Mother's Day 2002, after almost 24 years of waiting, I finally met Jimmie "Bo" Horne. In January 2003, Jimmy came by the store and hung out with the customers until closing. Craig, Bo, and myself had our picture taken together, which I have since blown up, and hung on my wall.

On Saturday March 5, 2005, I went by Craig's again. I noticed several of the stores in the area were showing damage from the four hurricanes South Florida experienced last year. When I got to Craig's I noticed a lot of roof damage, and the "Craig's Records" sign was missing. Upon pulling into the parking lot for one of the few times since going to Craig's, I noticed his van was not there.

In the last year and a half, Craig had been diagnosed with cancer and an aggravating hip, so on days when Craig had a doctor's appointment Cleveland and Beatle Wayne would run the store. When I walked in the album covers and other accessories that graced the walls of the record store were gone. I knew something was different. There was no Craig, Cleveland, Beatle Wayne or anyone else I recognized. I asked where Craig was, and I was informed that Craig sold the store due to health reasons. A short time later Cleveland showed up. He did not look like the Cleveland of old, looking older and disheveled.

I met the new owner and he was in the process of moving the store to a new location in Jupiter, with a new name, and new employees, and it saddened me because I knew an era was over. The new owner seemed like a decent enough person, but he was no Craig.

To know that Craig's record's were no more left me with an empty feeling, one that I hadn't experienced before. Never again could I go back and hang out with Craig, Cleveland or any of those neat people that made Craig's records what it was. Never again could I go by on a Saturday for the cookouts or talk music with people, who know as much about music as I did. Never again could Jimmie Bo Horne go by and meet with his fans - never again. Saturday, March 5, 2005 marked the end of an era.