TOLEDO, Ohio — Culture Clash Records is seeking support from the public after what it said has been its toughest year since opening 20 years ago.
In a Facebook post Tuesday, Culture Clash listed a number of ways the public can support its operations. In a linked GoFundMe, store owner Tim Friedman said the store faces mounting costs incurred from expenses related to a building zoning issue after the business moved downtown in 2020.
According to Friedman, who purchased Culture Clash in 2017 at its then-Secor Road location, the rezoning - between attorneys, engineers and building officials - cost the business "tens of thousands of dollars".
Additionally, Friedman said the store's conservative sales projections were not met in the last year. Though the costs of living and operating the business remain high, he said he hopes the business can remain open to serve the community.
"The future of Culture Clash has ignited a fire in me for years, and I still believe we are and will be a hub in Toledo’s community for live music, unique events, and the arts," he said in the video.
In the social media post, Culture Clash listed for supporters the ways they can help the business, including:
- Donations
- Buying records and Culture Clash shirts
- Attending events at the store
- Telling friends about Culture Clash
According to the GoFundMe page, funds donated will be used toward building utilities, property taxes, inspection fees, attorney fees, trade service provider fees, vendor balances and credit card balances.
Culture Clash, formerly known as Boogie Records, reopened on Secor Road in 2004 after a closure, made iconic by the vinyl records drilled to the roof by original owner Pat O'Connor.
Friedman bought Culture Clash in 2017 after O'Connor's death in 2016, and in 2020 it moved to Monroe Street in downtown Toledo where it exists today - and where Friedman said he hopes it will remain.
"I want to see our guests blown away by the unique experience of browsing our store," Friedman said in the video. "I want to see our employees, who I’ve known and loved now for the best years of my life, continue to connect with the community, making meaningful connections while sharing the best thing in the world – music."
