If you’re over the age of 30, you probably remember visiting a CD or record store and spending hours looking for music, checking out t-shirts or posters, and just enjoying the vibe. It wasn’t just about finding a physical piece of music to listen to – it was about just being in that place, surrounded by the stuff that made you happy, and being in an environment with other people who enjoyed the same kind of thing.
Alas, such a place hardly exists anymore. The proliferation of high speed Internet combined with the rise of streaming music services has all but eliminated the need to go into any kind of store to look for music. It’s all right there on your phone already. But for those of you who still love visiting a real music store and putting your hands on physical items, whether that be a CD, record, or a t-shirt of your favorite band – there is hope yet. It comes in the form of a tiny store located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, called the Rhythm Section.
Located in the Mountain Mall on Parkway in Gatlinburg, and an easy walk from the Historic Gatlinburg Inn, the Rhythm Section is an old school store that sells CDs, records, t-shirts, tapestries, stickers, collectible items and more. If it’s rare or unusual, and related to music, you might just find it there. Need a Motorhead coloring book for your kids? They’ve got it. Whatever you’re looking for, you are liable to find it somewhere on those shelves of CDs and records stacked to the ceiling.
The people who run the store are very nice and are incredibly knowledgeable about music. Got a question? Just ask. They probably know the answer. This small store has been in the same location for many years and continues to thrive in a world that has made this type of shop obsolete.
Browsing a store like this is infinitely more pleasing than just looking at the same items online. The place even smells old school – because it smells like a record shop!
So the next time you visit Gatlinburg, take a stroll down to the Rhythm Section inside the Mountain Mall. It’s easy to find, right on the ground level floor. From the Inn, walk out our front door and turn left. You don’t even have to cross a street to get to it.