A Lower Broadway music staple is closing for good.
The owners of Ernest Tubb Record Shop announced on Friday that the legendary music store will be put up for sale this spring.
“It’s with great sadness that we share the news that the Ernest Tubb Record Shop — building and business — will be sold.”
‘Real country music lives here’
That’s the motto of the all-country record shop, which has been in operation since 1947. Country star Ernest Tubb relocated the joint to the heart of Lower Broadway in 1951, where it has remained a destination for locals and tourists alike for generations.
Ernest Tubb is known for being a one-stop shop for country and bluegrass records, CDs, DVDs, books, and memorabilia — but there’s more to the story.
The record shop was once the site of the Midnite Jamboree, where country music artists would perform following the Grand Ole Opry. The show moved to the Texas Troubadour Theatre for 26 years before returning to Ernest Tubb Record Shop for a period in 2021.
What’s next for 417 Broadway?
In 2020, Robert’s Western World owner JesseLee Jones purchased the building and business from longtime owner David McCormick for a reported $4.75 million.
The statement announcing the closure — attributed to Honky Tonk Circus, LLC; ETRS, LLC; and David McCormick Company, Inc. — says the goal has always been to “protect, promote and preserve the great history of the record shop and building,” and that the best move forward is to sell the business and real estate. The property will be listed for sale soon.
The official closing date has not yet been announced. Ownership says it looks forward to undertaking new projects, so stay tuned for updates.