Albums on the Hill, longtime hub for music lovers, officially closes its doors in Boulder

Monday marked the end of an era for a staple of Boulder's University Hill. After more than four decades, Albums on the Hill, a longtime hub for music lovers, officially closed its doors.  

Amidst the turnover of a bustling college town, the record shop has remained a rare constant after Andy Shneidkraut bought it 35 years ago. With its wide offering of vinyl and CDs, the store was always a place music lovers can count on, but no longer.

On Monday, loyal customers packed the shop one last time before it closed for good.  It's a decision Schneidkraut made recently after a kidney transplant and other health issues.

"I'm probably past time that I should have made the decision," Schneidkraut said.

Still, moving on won't be easy for a man as passionate about people as music. While customers often came for a specific album, Schneidkraut ensured they left with more.

"Algorithms feed people the same thing they already love, and a human being has the potentiality to expand the scope of what they love," he said. "Music connects with people. If you give someone or direct someone to a musical experience that they love, you have touched them in a deeper way."

That deeper connection that kept many coming back repeatedly, including Geno Leage, a local chef.

"It's what makes this place so extra special," Leage said. "It's very completely different from the fact that, yeah you are a wanted person. It's not just a number in a book."

As the clock wound down Monday, regulars made their last purchases and said their final goodbyes, often thanking Schneikraut one last time.  

"I didn't realize that I mattered as much to as many people, but I do, I guess," Schneidkraut said.

After withstanding change for so long, it's time to embrace it, despite the unknowns ahead.

"I don't know what the next thing will be for music," he said. "I don't necessarily know what the next thing will be for the Hill."

At this point, Schneidkraut doesn't know the future of the storefront he leased for so long. For now, his focus will be on healing.