Last October, I called up my old boss Allison Wasilewski at Carrot Top Distribution with a brilliant idea: “You guys should open your own record store!”

After reading an article in the New York Times about small music distribution companies selling direct to fans, I immediately thought of Carrot Top. The small label/distribution company had recently relocated to a beautiful new building in Logan Square.

With offices upstairs and a warehouse in the back, the building still had an amazing storefront that was going completely unused.

Well, that’s all over now because it seems my suggestion was taken seriously! Over Memorial Day weekend, Allison and Carrot Top founder Patrick Monaghan opened up an amazing new record store, saki, in West Logan Square.

Carrot Top Distribution created the space to not only sell vinyl and CDs but to also showcase local musicians and fine artists. Having interned at CTD, I can tell you: These are great people, they love music, and they have a very deep collection.

The Grand Opening continues all week with bands, special guest artists, DJs, etc. For more info, check out http://sakistore.blogspot.com/

You can also hear Allison and Patrick talk about the new store in an interview on Chicago Public Radio’s Eight Forty-Eight, which aired June 1st (about 38 minutes into the show).

Congrats to everyone at Carrot Top & saki for the interview and the incredible new store!

Oh yeah…. and our professor’s band, Poison Arrows, rocked the house!!!!!