The origin of the jazz Record Mart can he traced back to Bob Koester’s
college dorm room. Koester sold 78’s and specialist LP’s to traditional jazz lovers. He moved operations to Chicago after opening a record store and Delmark Records, which was inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame last year. During the jazz music dry spell of the bopping 60’s, the store nourished the growing interest in the Blues. Big Joe Williams gave impromptu concerts after stepping up from his occasional basement apartment. The past employee file at the jazz Record Mart includes George Mitchell, Amy O’Neal (Living Blues, Rooster Blues), Michael Frank (Earwig), Bruce Iglauer (Alligator) and Steve Wagner (Delmark). At it’s present location at 44 N. Wabash, Jazz Record Mart has it all from videos, CD’s, LP’s, 45’s, books, magazines, t-shirts, art, photos, a live performance area and is currently building a reference library taking over 80,000 sq. feet.
