By Kathy Chouteau
Down Home Music, a renowned Richmond record shop that’s shared its home with the Arhoolie Foundation and Les Blank Films on San Pablo Avenue for nearly 50 years, is struggling to keep the music alive amidst a move to sell its building.
Together, the business trio is appealing for community support via a GoFundMe campaign so as to purchase their shared complex or find new homes. The property’s cost exceeds what any of the organizations can afford alone or together and the GoFundMe donations will be disbursed by Les Blank Films among the three entities, according to their GoFundMe page.
“To uproot these three historic businesses would be a terrible loss for musicians, filmmakers, fans, the local community, and the nation as a whole. People come from across the world to visit this uniquely American music outpost,” said the trio. While the GoFundMe has generated some much-needed donations, it is still more than $20,000 short of its $50,000 goal.
The building that’s home to Down Home Music, the Arhoolie Foundation and Les Blank Films currently belongs to the heirs of Chris Strachwitz, the founder of Down Home Music and the then-Arhoolie Records, who passed away in May 2023. The business owners have been told by the heirs that they have until May 5, 2025 to keep operating in that venue, according to Down Home Records staffer John Pitts.
After 50 years sharing a location, Pitts said there’s “a comfort level there” among the business entities and losing their collective home would be “a huge loss.” He said amid a competitive real estate market, he’s uncertain about the future of Down Home Records if they are unable to stay in their current building. He added that “it’s important to find a way to keep history alive.”
The late Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records (now the Arhoolie Foundation) and Down Home Music, and the late Les Blank, founder of Flower Films which is now Les Blank Films and operated by his son Harrod Blank, originally moved into the historic building on San Pablo Avenue in Richmond in 1976.
Pitts, who has worked in some capacity for Down Home Records for six years, said that “It’s a place where you can go and hang out in a pretty relaxed atmosphere. We keep things going in the [present] and we keep things going from the past. And it can be a place of discovery,” he said about the business, which sells numerous vinyl records, cds, books and more.
“We’re keeping Chris’ legacy alive and growing it as well,” said Pitts.
Down Home Music, the Arhoolie Foundation and Les Blank Films are collectively located at 10341 San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito (actually Richmond) at a spot often mistaken for El Cerrito since it’s on the border of both cities. “Our building is in Richmond and the sidewalk is in El Cerrito,” said Pitts. Visit Down Home Music to peruse music offerings Wednesday through Sunday from 1-6 p.m.
Again, to support the trio’s collective effort, visit their GoFundMe campaign.
