New York-based record shop and gallery space Commend will close its doors next month in order to reflect on what they have created and to reinvent themselves in the near future.
Launched in 2016 by Matt Werth (Label founder of Rvng Intl.) and located at 172 Forsyth Street, Commend is revered internationally for its widescreen selection of cultural artefacts spanning records, cassettes, clothing, magazines, films, ceramics and live performances – gaining glowing reviews for its community minded approach and for supporting local artists.
Check out the official statement below:
“We’re closing Commend’s doors for awhile on Tuesday, March 1 to take a moment of reflection ahead of reinvention. This comes at the cusp of our seventh anniversary this summer (!), but at a time when small business brick and mortars are feeling the cumulative / residual effects of the pandemic, and have suffered due to the ongoing shift away from physical retail patronage to online convenience.
We were also dealt an absolutely insane hand a year-and-a-half ago when New York City decided to dig up the entire block of Forsyth, from Delancey to Houston, barricading our storefront from any surrounding street visibility. As most of you know from visiting Commend, we’re pretty tucked away to begin with, and this construction completely redirected that random foot traffic that kept our store going.
For the next couple weeks, we’ll keep our normal 12 – 8pm, Thursday through Sunday schedule, with two final days on Monday, February 28 and Tuesday, March 1. Our Strugglin’ Commend THERE cassette release show is still on for Friday, February 25, and we have another special closing day event to announce next week for Tuesday, March 1.
Starting today, Friday, February 18, all items at Commend will be on sale for 40%, with already discounted items on sale for 75%, until we close on Tuesday, March 1. Yes, that will include everything in the bins, on the shelves, and on the racks, excluding any Commend or RVNG, or RVNG related, product. A great opportunity for a deal, and to pick up a lovely new Commend sweatshirt or beanie that we recently put on sale.
There’s a lot (a lot!) going on around here, and we hope to share some of our favorite memories from the past seven years of Commend over the next couple weeks, but we’re more inclined to use this moment as an opportunity to celebrate the now and future. We are so fortunate to have had this special space for so long, and are so grateful for each and every one of you who helped keep Commend going.”