Local record store shuts its doors for last time
Local record store shuts its doors for last time
THINH NGUYEN/Photo Staff
Big Beat Records spent the last two of its four years on Magnolia Avenue.
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By Thinh Nguyen
Staff Writer
One music shop has been cut from Auburn CD shoppers' list of stores.
Big Beat Records, once located at 129 E. Magnolia Ave., had its last day of business on May 24 and owner Guy Goodman closed his store with no warning to the community.
Goodman was unavailable for comment.
Goodman has opened a music store in Athens, Ga., a spokesperson of the Clark County, Ga., Business License Department said. His new Turnabout Records has been in business since June 2, about a week after he left Auburn.
George Hall, revenue officer of Auburn, said, "Our records don't show that it's closed."
Hall said sometimes when a business closes, the revenue office doesn't know right away because of a delay in contacting the business if it leaves and doesn't tell them.
There is a delay because the business may only appear to be late on its tax payment, Hall said.
Across the street from the empty CD store is its former competitor, Silver Rocket Records. Manager Thomas Jones said, "It was Memorial Day weekend. In the a.m. hours between Saturday and Sunday, he just boxed up and left."
"He was out of touch with what Auburn wanted," Jones said.
Auburn student Keith Licursi, a junior in business and finance, said, "He wasn't customer oriented."
Goodman charged Licursi $24.95 on his credit card for a CD priced at $8.99. Goodman gave him the difference in cash without any apology, Licursi said.
"I thought he was trying to pull a fast one on me. I never went back," Licursi said.
Matthew Anzur, a senior in mathematics, went to Big Beat Records to buy the new U2 CD.
"He was sitting behind the counter, and he gave me this look like, 'Don't come into the store' Ð the evil eye," Anzur said.
"He was freaking me out, so I bought it across the street at Silver Rocket. No evil eye there," Anzur said.
But, all experiences were not bad at Big Beat.
Christopher Reder, a junior in electrical engineering, said, "I never really had a problem going there. It was an indifferent experience."
Skip Johnston, co-owner of Johnston and Malone Bookstore Inc., co-owns the building which Goodman leased for business.
He and Goodman parted well, and Goodman gave him a month's notice although he gave no notice to his customers, Johnston said.
Goodman was spending three to four nights a week in Atlanta where his wife is working, so he was commuting a lot, Johnston said.
"I could tell he wasn't happy with the way things were going business wise. He was a good guy. I liked him, but things didn't work out, and you've got to do what you've got to do. I think he was tired of business being average," Johnston said.
Big Beat Records had been in business since February 1993. It started at 121 N. College St. and moved to its location on Magnolia Avenue in the fall of 1995.
Pass Around Sound, a musical instrument dealer, will open soon at Big Beat Records' old location, Johnston said.
Batman finds new home at Six Flags
By Jeremy D. Campbell
Staff Writer
Riddle me this, Boy Wonder. What has Six Flags, a tribe of fast-pitching Tomahawk Choppers, all the Coca-Cola¨ you can drink and the Batmobile? Atlanta, Ga., of course.
The Olympic City, home of Six Flags Over Georgia¨, the Atlanta Braves and the Coca-Cola Co., has a new suburb.
On May 3, Six Flags unveiled the newly themed Gotham City section of the theme park.
Inspired by the legend of Batman and many of his comic book associates, the 8.6 acre lot showcases Batman The Ride¨ and the Batman Stunt Spectacular.
Guests enter the world of Batman as they pass through the main entrance of Bruce Wayne's landscaped park, complete with ornate stone sculptures reminiscent of the comic book decorum found in the Batman series.
From there, guests travel through the eerie, underground tunnels beneath Gotham City until they reach the Batcave where they are whisked away to Batman The Ride, the centerpiece of the Gotham City theme land.
In a press release, John Bement, president of Six Flags Over Georgia, said, "Batman The Ride combines the best ride elements with the most elaborate theming we've ever produced to provide a total thrill experience."
The coaster joins the list of favorites at Six Flags. Unlike The Great American Scream Machine¨, Mind Bender¨ and other park coasters, Batman The Ride is the first themed coaster of this magnitude at the park.
Hallie Moyer, a senior in fashion merchandising, loved the coaster. She said, "I've ridden Batman three times already and it's definitely the best!"
Each hour of operation, Batman The Ride carries up to 1,400 passengers across the 2,700 feet of inverted steel track.
With nothing but air dangling beneath their feet, riders encounter the gravity force of 4 Gs and speeds topping 73 feet per second.
After the two minute ride ends, the passengers will have traveled across two outside vertical loops, two outside corkscrew turns and a zero gravity roll. Holy Coasters, Batman!
For some individuals the excitement is too much. Amy Vaughn, a senior in international business, said, "Even if I rode roller coasters I wouldn't get on one where my feet are going to fly around in the air."
Computerized fail-safe air brakes and padded over-the-shoulder harnesses assure rider safety as well as comfort at all times.
Safety isn't a concern for every passenger. "I'm not scared of roller coasters at all," Jason Bonifay, a senior in electrical engineering, explained. "I saw Batman and Robin Friday night so now I want to see what's happening with Batman at Six Flags."
For the visitor who prefers dancing in the pale moonlight to thrill rides, Gotham City offers nightly performances by many popular characters from the Batman series.
The Batman Stunt Spectacular features mock crashes and explosions as Batman battles the evil Joker and his thugs to save both Vicki Vale and Gotham City.
Riddler, Catwoman, Penguin and Mr. Freeze will descend nightly upon Gotham City Plaza until Robin and Batgirl arrive to save the day.
Beginning June 28 guests will have a chance to meet the masked crusader and his enemies nightly at 8:30 p.m.
While in Gotham City, guests can also visit The Big Top, a new merchandise store.
The Big Top offers an assortment of Batman merchandise and official Batman The Ride souvenirs.
Gotham City, as well as the other eight theme lands and water adventures at Six Flags, is open daily through September 1 for the summer session.
One day student tickets priced at $23 and individual season passes priced at $46 can be purchased at the park entrance or in Auburn at the A.U. Bookstore.
Six Flags "one-price admission" allows visitors unlimited use of all rides, shows and attractions in the park.
Six Flags Over Georgia is located on Interstate 20 just west of Atlanta at the Six Flags exit.
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