A question was asked about the genisis of the record store Importes ETC.
At the time I was working for Eddie Thomas, Curtis Mayfield’s partner in his record label Curtom at his separate company Dogs Of War.
Dogs Of War was one of the early dj record Pools in Chicago I did various things at the pool ,playlsts,shipping even ghost wrote for the Dogs Of War magazine. It was through Dogs I met Paul Weisberg the owner of a newer rival record pool, Independent Record Services. I had seen Paul before in some of the clubs in the dj booth with folks like Frankie Knuckles,Micheal Hearn, Ron Hardy…….we became close friends. I also had a day job at Sounds
Good Records (later Rose Records) as the buyer for their first exclusive 12 inch disco section. Paul would come in a get records from me as I had retail access to the new product coming from the labels.As I became closer in friendship and business respect with Paul I got lured away from the big record pool for a much smaller but more specialized record pool. Away from the more tradition mainstream r&B and dance into the more underground sound that later was called Garage and House. Paul a fan of European dance music would alway want to hear the imports that I found interesting and he turn me on to some as well.His djs often when hearing the new cuts would ask him to pick up a copy for them.. 1 record lead to 2 then 3 and one day he came to me and said.”What do you think about a small record shop exclusively dance music. I had the retail distribution experience his dad had a bldg.Thus Importes was born. My boyfriend at that time wasnt into the clubscene and we soon drifted apart and then I met Frank Sells…….more stories from the House later….Peace
brett
