Yeah, "creative" is one way of putting it.

About 25 years ago, I started shopping at Dusty online,
but I'm probably more interested in buying books from them
these days I think. The guy who got the online gift for me
really knows my taste because he's sending me stuff all the time,
but I'm really trying to unload a lot of my physical stuff.
...and the last thing I need (or want) to do these days is to step
inside a record store. I've had too many years of
working/managing/owning them that I'd rather stay away.
Years and years and years of that was plenty.
(The Chicago store had some amazingly good and bad experiences especially).

Is this my future?

I haven't stepped in a record store since Hegewisch closed up in Cal City.

Possibly.
...and there's nothing inherently wrong with that.
You might reach a point where the stories of collectors
who think they have hot shit on a silver platter,
but actually have cold poop on a paper plate and other "events"
at the store may drive you into the hands of another "profession."

It’s not a conspiracy but it is a racket. And companies love them for the reasons I said. Especially if it’s straight even money: $20 for a $20 card. I wouldn’t be surprised if companies started charging $25 for $20 cards. It’s not a conspiracy that business owners universally want to make as much money as possible.

I practically lived in that store as a child. Also, I used to see Braxton pretty regularly in the Wabash Rose Records
with his German Shepherd. I think the murder of Hegewisch Joe has yet to be solved?

That's another incentive for leaving the record business. Exo needs to NEVER
meet up with anyone who claims to have a collection that he needs to "come by and see"
because he may never come back. They murdered my boss from Dr. Wax when he
went to meet up with someone with a stash of LPs. He went missing for many days and
his body was discovered after they saw a dog carrying his decayed head after it was dug up in a field.
(Yes, of course, I'm overstating this).

It is a conspiracy theory if you think that the main purpose for having gift cards is to ensnare people into something that's only a benefit to the company offering them. That idea would perfectly fit the definition of "conspiracy."

Yeahhhhh that's scary as f*ck. We did a buy earlier this year in a house with no electricity. Squatters nested in the house and found records and called us. We were sketched out with the call when the person didn't know what the hell they had so we both went and immediately looked at each other, the records, and said we couldn't buy them and left. I don't think they wanted to hurt us but they DEFINITELY wanted money. If we had stayed in there longer and started to haggle, they might have gotten desperate.

Live and learn. We mostly have people come to the store now. Don't want to carry them here? Well, too bad, call somebody else. Most people haul them over but we'll do house calls for old ladies and men when they SOUND old.

That place had an aura about it, but wow I don't remember anything about Hegewisch Joe. Whoa.

...and an even bigger whoa to your boss being axed. Holy crap.

My go-to for years was the Crows Nest in Joliet though, so going to Hegewisch was a treat that didn't happen too often. Pretty sure the reason I went there was because of Crows Nest closing down.

Hegewisch Joe Sotiros

Dr. Wax

Of course, back then I practically lived in record stores.
So between those and Saul Smaizys' "Triad Radio" (we still keep in touch) and Earl McGhee's "Transition",
these account for the beginnings of a long time love - as well as an utter devotion to those 12" thingys.