Bloglander

The Long Ear is closing its current Coeur d’Alene location this week, but thankfully for music fans, it will be reopening nearby next month. After more than 15 years on 4th Street, the music store known for its huge selection of CDs, vinyl and more is moving its business to Government Way, in what was formerly the Army-Navy Store.

“It’s only seven-tenths of a mile away, but this is still a big deal,” says Deon Borchard, who has owned the business with husband Terry since 1973, first in California and then Idaho starting in 1985.

The couple was forced to make moves this year after their current building’s owner put the space up for sale. But Borchard sees the change as a way to recharge and expand the Long Ear.

“We’ll be able to spread our wings,” Borchard says. “The new place is so much larger. There’s so much elbow room, people will be able to walk in and breathe better there.” 

The new layout includes 12-foot ceilings and a large rectangular floor plan and is about 1,500-square-feet larger. Borchard says they plan to further expand their lifestyle selections, which includes a lot of fair-trade clothing and accessories, along with their vinyl picks.

A resurgence in vinyl (as well as the popularity of Record Store Day) has certainly helped local music stores like 4,000 Holes and Recorded Memories stay open and give other music entrepreneurs the confidence to open shops like Garageland and Groove Merchants. And Borchard is glad to be able to up her in-store record supply, including a whole aisle of new titles.

“We’ve missed vinyl, it’s a different entity,” Borchard says. "Back in the 80s we were getting rid of so much of our vinyl supply. Now I of course wish we'd held on to it." 

With big changes on the way, Borchard says the only person who'll probably be upset by the move is their store cat, Boots, who’ll have to get used to the new territory. But keeping the rescued feline around is all part of making the store feel like home.

“The Long Ear strives to be the other room of your house,” she says. “When you walk in it feels comfortable. Like that magic door you open up at the back of your house, you come here to listen to music.”

Starting today, the entire store will be on sale until final close Saturday, Feb. 20. The current plan is to open in the new location March 1.