For the Record: As one of the...

For the Record: As one of the former owners of the Rainbow Records Doug Smith refers to in his story concerning Rockaway Records’ remarkable success (Glendale Section, July 19), I am obliged to clear up a few misconceptions.

In the six years we owned Rainbow, we increased business 700%, created a die-hard loyal customer base and built a reputation within the record community as a well-liked, honest business. Modest achievements perhaps. A “hole-in-the-wall” dead-end business as Mr. Smith characterizes it--I hardly think so. Our “unhip” location, store appearance and casual manner of doing business was a conscious effort on our part to provide customers with a pleasant alternative to the boring, cookie-cutter chains which were even then beginning to proliferate around the city.

The reason we did so well brings me to my other point. While it’s true the Johnson brothers were busy buying collectible records from us (and many others) at the Capitol swap meet, Mr. Smith’s portrait of Marty Levy is hilariously inaccurate. Far from being the sort of breezy hippie who “hung out in tie-dyed shirts” or “grooved on loud music,” he was and still is a bright, multitalented person who is as comfortable guest-lecturing on Shakespeare or Hardy at CSUN as he is running Rockaway Records for the Johnsons. Indeed, while Wayne Johnson busies himself with counting his success, he would do well to remember his biggest: Marty Levy. Receding hairline, yes, tie-dye shirt, never!

CYNTHIA E. HUMPHREYS

Monrovia