F.y.e. has turned into a dump for scruffed up entertainment, defective electronic equipment and deceptive discount deals.
There was actually a time when music stores were the best shops in the area. The stores always kept some of the best stockpiles of pop, jazz and classical music. It actually was a place where entertainment geeks could relish themselves in peace with the music.
Of course, that was way back when stores such as Tower Records and The Wherehouse were at their prime. However, everybody hated the stores when they sold exclusive, copy-protected CDs in order to prevent people from copying solid music onto their computer. CDs such as the Foo Fighters' double-disc album suddenly became worthless artifacts of an ancient era.
The stores slowly dipped downhill from there. After Tower went out of business, f.y.e. took over the retail entertainment business with some truly deceptive discount deals. The store's backstage pass is a ripoff deal, in which consumers have to pay $10 every month. And now the store is keeping a whole collection of outdated mp3 and computer equipment that doesn't even work.
The store is desperately trying to regain ground in these awful economic times, but their unethical business practices are turning the music business into a corrupt world. Businesses are now searching for ways to cheat consumers out of their money.
I still believe in the value of the compact disc and the vinyl record. It's the most concrete way of keeping your own treasured copies of personal entertainment. Unfortunately, stores such as f.y.e. turned the retail business of CDs and DVDs into a cutthroat world of sucker punches and corruption.
However, maybe it's not fair to say that it's all f.y.e.'s fault. Retail stores just can't settle with selling only plain old entertainment anymore. They have to expand the variety of items in stock, but they can't win consumer confidence if they sell us defective items that are worthless.
As Nickelback once sang, they need a hero to save them, so that they can hold onto the wings of the eagle and watch as they all fly away. They need a miracle, but I don't think that'll ever happen for f.y.e.
