Tag Archive for: #nitsnatsmusic

No Offers Made (So Far) on Nits Nats Music; 50 Year Business to Close Sat.

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Bill Harris, co-owner of Nits Nats Music in Henderson, has announced that the business that celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year will be closing its doors at the end of the day on Saturday, December 28, 2019.

Originally opened in downtown Oxford in 1969 by Phillip and Cheryl Hawkins, the business has called several locations in Oxford, Henderson and Louisburg home. For the past several years, Nits Nats has been located at 1680 Parham St. in Henderson, a part of the shopping center known as “Corbittville.”

Harris took to Nits Nats Facebook page on Sunday to offer the following statement:

It’s our last week. I want to wish all of our customers, past and present, a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Dec. 28th is our last day of operation.

So far, no one has stepped forward to buy the business and keep it going into its 51st year. If no one comes up this week, then that’s it.

It’s been a great run for the store. 50 years is a long time. My family has owned it for the last 14 years and it’s been fun. We were a true family business. I planned to run the place until the day I died but things change. John Lennon once sang “Life is what happens while you are making other plans,” and that has proven to be true. So ever onward.

We hope that we will get to see many of our friends, both old and new, during this last week of operation. My son will be handling the store for most of the week. I will be in and out as time permits. I will be in the store from 4 until 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve and all day on our last day, Saturday. We hope to see you!

And to quote Frank Zappa: “Music is the Best!”

Nits Nats Music to Close After 50 Years in Business

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Bill Harris, co-owner of Nits Nats Music in Henderson, has announced that the business that celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year will be closing its doors at the end of December.

Originally opened in downtown Oxford in 1969 by Phillip and Cheryl Hawkins, the business has called several locations in Oxford, Henderson and Louisburg home. For the past several years, Nits Nats has been located at 1680 Parham St. in Henderson, a part of the shopping center known as “Corbittville.” The people in the area, to this day, attribute the music centre for making them understand all about turntables and other musical instruments used in old school music.

Harris took to Nits Nats Music’s Facebook page on Sunday to offer the following statement:

It is with regret that I am announcing the closing of Nits Nats Music effective December 27. It’s a decision that has been difficult to come to but other opportunities have presented themselves and I feel that it is best for me and my family to pursue those opportunities.

It’s sad for us to close after 14 years as owners. It is also sad to see one of Henderson’s oldest businesses no longer be a part of the community. Fifty years is an amazing achievement for any business.

Cheryl and Phillip Hawkins were great owners until we purchased the store in 2005, and I and my family have kept it going since then. I would love for someone to come forward with a vision to carry Nits Nats Music into the future. Nothing would make me happier than to know that it continues. If anyone is interested in doing so, please contact me at (252) 430-8010, email me at nitsnatsmusic@gmail.com or stop by the store at 1680 Parham Street. If not, then December 27 will be our last day of operation.

Our customers have been terrific and without them, we would not have stayed in business. We will continue to take orders through December 18 for your Christmas gift-giving needs.

After November 30, I will not be at the store as much as I usually would as I prepare for my next chapter, but I will be there some. My son Alex Harris and wife Aileen will operate the store with our usual hours through Dec. 27 – 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. We will have a closing sale beginning on Nov. 29 and continuing through our closing date.

Once again, Nits Nats Music thanks all of our customers, former employees and everyone involved in our 50 years of business.

-Bill Harris

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Nits Nats Music Celebrates 50 Years in Business

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Bill Harris, co-owner of Nits Nats Music in Henderson, was on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the music stores recent 50th anniversary.

Originally opened in downtown Oxford in 1969 by Phillip and Cheryl Hawkins, the business has called several locations in Oxford, Henderson and Louisburg home during its 50 years in operation. For the past several years, Nits Nats has been located at 1680 Parham St. in Henderson, a part of the shopping center known as “Corbittville.”

Harris said he became a faithful customer of the store in 1977 as a young teenager. At that time, the business was located inside the Henderson Mall.

Bill Harris stands behind the counter of Nits Nats Music located at 1680 Parham St. in Henderson. Nits Nats, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, carries a wide variety of music genres including rock, country, pop, classical and gospel in formats ranging from new and used vinyl to CDs and cassette tapes.

Fifteen years ago, when the Hawkins decided to sell the business, Harris said it was Cheryl who pulled him aside to encourage him to pursue the opportunity. “She said, ‘you know music and you know how to talk to people, why don’t you buy it.’ I said, ‘I’m not going to buy this,’ but I kept thinking and listening and she kept talking and I here I am 15 years later.”

Nits Nats carries a wide variety of music genres including rock, country, pop, classical and gospel in formats ranging from new and used vinyl to CDs and cassette tapes. In the current age where people are developing their interest in music and performing their own scale search to gain more knowledge, having a place which has the music belonging to the golden ages is truly required.

“Anything I don’t carry in the store, I can find it and track it down for you,” said Harris.

The store also offers gift certificates with the same traditional black and white checkerboard logo that customers have come to recognize. “When the Hawkins opened the store in 1969, there was racial tension in Oxford. Her [Cheryl’s] idea was to make the store for everyone, hence the black and white checkerboard,” explained Harris. “I think it was a great idea then and is a great idea now; music is for everyone.”

In a world that is becoming more and more digital, Harris said it can be a struggle to promote a physical music format. Those that prefer the more traditional format of music, as well as a resurgence in the popularity of vinyl records, keep Nits Nats in business.

“There are still people who refuse to go digital, most are 40 and older, and the young kids have discovered vinyl,” said Harris. “We’ve sold more vinyl in the last 4-5 months than we have in the past 15 years.”

Of a collection of 700-800 records that Harris acquired in the past three weeks, he estimates 500 have already been sold. “There’s a romance about vinyl. There’s something about digging through crates of records, there’s something about the sound and about the covers. I think people feel disconnected from everything being digital; vinyl gives you that authentic listening experience.”

Looking ahead to the future, Harris said Nits Nats should be just fine as long as people still desire a physical music format and continue to support local small businesses.

“I realize you can buy music from Amazon, but that does nothing for our local economy,” Harris said. “If you come in here to buy something, well, I’m going to take that money and run to Roses to buy something or downtown to the office supply store to buy supplies. Local small businesses are what gives a community its feeling and its character. I like to think this place gives Henderson some character.”

WIZS sincerely hopes Harris and Nits Nats Music continue to add to the character of the community for the next 50 years.

Harris, in fact, has been an employee of WIZS for the last 30 years. According to WIZS’ own John Charles Rose, “Bill is a very knowledgeable and well-rounded person to have working at a radio station. He has worked at WIZS in several full and part-time positions, and can think on his feet, is never at a loss for words and absorbs content quickly. It would seem that many of these same qualities serve him well at Nits Nats. WIZS is very glad he remains a part of our staff.”

Harris invites the community to join Nits Nats Music on National Record Store Day, Saturday, April 13, 2019. The store will feature unique music releases, hot dogs, Harris’ wife’s “famous chili” and cold drinks. 

To hear the Town Talk interview with Bill Harris in its entirety, please click here.