Another side to music business

My name is Elijah Dittersdorf and you used me in a large color picture for your article about Virgin Megastore and other music stores in L.A. (“Where do you buy?” Dec. 19). The caption read: “Elijah Dittersdorf, a Virgin employee who wears his love of music on his arm, arranges stock at the store.” You failed to mention that the majority of employees at these stores are paid minimum wage, are given no benefits and have one of the highest turnover rates in retail. These “super-size” companies do not like to keep employees very long, as the help then might want a slight wage increase and maybe a shot at some health care. It’s much more profitable to cycle someone through than move somebody up. Most of the plastic CDs on the shelf have been there longer then the human being helping you find it, pay for it, put it in the bag, return it, dust it, stock it or suggest it.

Elijah Dittersdorf

Los Angeles

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Overall, I enjoyed Dean Kuipers’ overview of the Big Three music stores in Los Angeles.

Deciding whether to go to Tower, Virgin or Amoeba is kind of like deciding which girl you want to take to the prom: They’ll all give you what you want, but how they deliver it is very different.

One negative: I would have appreciated a sidebar on trading in CDs, as this is obviously how Amoeba replenishes its stock.

Brendon Macaraeg

Manhattan Beach