"This Is Heartbreaking For Us": Amoeba Music's Original Hollywood Location Permanently Closed

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All three of Amoeba's locations in California are in jeopardy.

Amoeba Music has launched a GoFundMe as its doors remain closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Co-founder Marc Weinstein created the GoFundMe page on Tuesday (April 21).

"We have weathered many storms-911, recessions, the Internet, downloading and streaming. But we don’t know that we can weather the COVID-19 storm," a statement on the fundraising page reads. "All three of our stores have been closed since mid-March and must remain closed indefinitely. With no way to generate income, our savings are running out, with bills and rent coming due, and with a primary commitment to our staff, who we are trying to keep as healthy and financially sound as possible."

"We're exploring every possible means of support, including federal and local grants and loans. But these funds are not guaranteed to come in, and they won’t meet the needs of our short-term future," the statement continues. "So, we most humbly ask for your help. We know that this is a very difficult and uncertain time for everyone, and we understand that there are many individuals and organizations in need."

The money received from the fundraiser "will contribute to the cash resources we need to deal with the immediate future, to take care of our staff of over 400 Amoebites, and to allow Amoeba to continue operations," as well as help Amoeba finance its move to a new Hollywood location, according to the founders.

So far, the GoFundMe has raised a little over $160,000 of its goal of $400,000.

The first Amoeba Music store opened in 1990 on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. The next Amoeba store saw its opening in San Francisco in 1997, and Amoeba's Hollywood location was opened shortly after in 2001.

Amoeba has since offered an update saying that the original store in Hollywood will not be reopening. The founders are instead focusing on a new store that will be opened in another part of Hollywood. However, the funds raised from the store's GoFundMe will "help cover health care for our employees at all three stores, and generally help Amoeba continue while we all must remain closed," according to the Amoeba website.

This story was published on April 23, 2020. It was updated on April 28, 2020.