Rhino Records Retail Store Returns -- At Least for a Bit

The record store gods have giveth and taketh in Los Angeles -- as Amoeba opened up in 2001, Aron's and Rhino shut down just a few years later.

I used to regularly attend Rhino's parking lot sale in the 1990s -- and discovered a lot of cool music while getting a sunburn behind Rhino's Westwood store. Now, Richard Foos -- who continued to own the store long after he sold the Rhino label to Warner Music -- is bringing the store back.

Sorta. The Rhino store, which closed in January 2006, will re-open for a few weeks next month as a "pop-up" store to benefit charity. Chris Morris writes:

Store founder Richard Foos, now chief executive officer at catalog label Shout! Factory, is reopening Rhino at 1740 Westwood Blvd., three doors down from its original location. One of the store's former managers, Sam Epstein, will oversee the temporary outlet.

Several special events, including an old-timers day, are planned. Foos said singer-songwriter Emitt Rhodes' 60s band the Merry-Go-Round will reunite for an in-store performance.

"It should be like the old Rhino," Foos said. "We're bringing back the spirit of the old store."

Proceeds from the pop-up shop will be donated to Chrysalis Enterprises, a local non-profit that provides employment for the homeless and economically disadvantaged, street maintenance and recycling services.

A Rhino Records store still exists in Claremont, but that one has operated independently since Foos sold it in 1981.