When Chaz Martinstein moved east to Durham in November 2005, he thought about searching for the average 9-to-5 job.
Instead, he decided to max out all of his credit cards and open a record store.
The result is Chaz's Bull City Records on Perry Street near East Campus. Now, the first thing that comes to mind when I think about record shops is of course the 2000 film High Fidelity. So it makes a lot of sense that it's one of Martinstein's favorites (maybe even... top five?).
Before he moved here, Martinstein said, he was working in a record store in Colorado alongside his very own Dick and Barry, emo haircuts and all-yikes.
"I think is very true to form," he said. "I definitely worked with those people."
But Martinstein has brought something much more important to Durham than John Cusack ever brought to Chicago. Through the store and his other venture-Bull City Headquarters-he's basically dedicated his life to providing independent music with an outlet in the Triangle, a cultural alternative in the face of a narrow, prepackaged musical oligarchy. Or, as he describes his work on the two projects, it's "the business of people who just love the music."
At Bull City Records, you're going to find a lot of the stuff that the owner likes-and that's a good thing. But there's more to it than just good musical taste (still, bonus points for the prominent display of TV on the Radio's Dear Science, as you walk in).
"I don't stock stuff I don't like," he explained. "It makes it easier to make suggestions for people that are looking for something new."
This philosophy, in addition to the cozy second-floor setup, complete with couches in the corner, gives Bull City Records a welcoming feel you just can't find in an FYE-further enhanced by the fact that Chaz isn't the eccentric Barry of the store (as in, "Don't tell anyone you don't own Blonde on Blonde. It's gonna be okay.")
His own taste favors garage rock and indie CDs. Fugazi's always been close to his heart, but he admits he was excited when new records from the Walkmen and experimental folk rockers Blitzen Trapper came out. In terms of what you'll find playing in the store, well, that all depends on the day. If it's dark and raining, you'll probably hear some Neil Young, but when the sun's shining, be ready for Superchunk.
Martinstein's dedication to the mission has not been without its rough patches though.
"I love Durham, it's a great community for music, but owning a record store can be stressful at times," he said. "Big release dates only come around every three months or so. The regulars are really what keep you going."
It's not just record fanatics that Bull City Records has had an impact on. Harrison Haynes, the drummer in Les Savy Fav and a Durham resident, said the store makes an important contribution to the local scene, but he acknowledged his own failure to support Martinstein's work.
"The guy is, like, living in the space that he has a record shop in, and I don't think really that many people know about it," Haynes said in June. "And I went in today to talk to him and I was like, 'God I got to go over there more.' It's sort of right in front of me."
Bull City Headquarters, also near campus on Mangum Street, is a relatively new addition to the Chaz franchise, showcasing concerts and art projects along with hosting bike co-ops and the like.
"BCHQ was started by me and a handful of friends," Martinstein said. "We used to have shows up here, but ultimately we decided a wooden second floor was probably a bad idea [for a venue]."
He admits to some bias in his booking style, which tends more toward the punk and indie scenes, but added that having multiple people inviting bands creates a wide variety in the types of acts you can find on any given day.
"We don't usually book Local 506 bands; those guys have guaranteed gigs," Martinstein said, referring to the Chapel Hill venue. "We usually get the DIY, pass-the-hat tours, looking to earn 50 to 100 bucks to make it to the next town. We're really trying to open it up more to the community to take it off our hands and do what they want with it."
Like the bands that play BCHQ, Martinstein isn't in this to reap the financial gains; he says he makes "money in a different form."
Andrew Hibbard contributed reporting.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.