Mixtapes aims to turn downtown East Moline into a destination
Mixtapes was open for only about a month when the record store put on its first show with a guy, his guitar and about 10 people watching.
But word spread, the location caught on and area bands began asking whether they could play and then if their friends could open, and before they knew it, there were 200 to 300 people attending shows in a back room the size of a two-car garage that doubled as a recording studio.
But with growth came some problems.
“It just slowly snowballed,” said Jorge Tapia, who owns Mixtapes with his wife, Amber, and operates it with the help of his brother, Thomas. “It happened specifically at metal shows where concerned parents said that these kids were acting like buffoons, slam dancing and punching each other.”
The complaints culminated in an anonymous tip to City of East Moline building and fire inspectors and the cessation of all shows because Mixtapes did not meet the codes required for a performance venue.
“They were dancing, they were being kids, they were having fun, nothing that all three of us haven’t done at concerts. It really all boils down to perception,” Amber Tapia said. “But, in all actuality, if someone would have gotten hurt, we could have been sued, so realistically it was for our benefit.”
That was in March. In June, the Tapias purchased their location at 830 15th Ave. and the adjacent storefront at 832 15th Ave., East Moline, spent two months and $10,000 on renovations to convert the spaces into one, added spots for a tattoo parlor and a screen printing business, office space and, of course, a performance area that complies with city codes.
One change they didn’t make is that Mixtapes remains an all-ages venue which does not serve alcohol.
“Alcohol is something that immediately makes kids uncomfortable or people uncomfortable with sending their kids there,” Jorge Tapia said. “I want to make sure that we’re here with open arms to everybody.”
The response has been overwhelming. They began booking shows a month ago and already have them lined up every week through October. About 75 people — just less than half of the city-approved capacity of 200 — attended the first show Friday night.
The Tapia couple looked into moving from their downtown East Moline location to a more performance-friendly space, but the pair, who grew up and still live in East Moline, wanted to continue their efforts to create a destination in their hometown.
“This is where we grew up at and there’s never been anything to do here, and now there is,” Jorge Tapia said. “Who was going to come to East Moline before? They were going to go to Moline and check out John Deere and check out the i wireless Center.”
Amber Tapia added that they recommend other downtown businesses whenever possible to help generate business for East Moline stores and restaurants.
“This is downtown, this should be the place to go and the thing to do,” she said. “This could be so much more if people just had their focus in the right direction. That’s the council, that’s the board, that’s the whole city of East Moline as well as the residents and the business owners. It’s got to be a cumulative effort or it’s not going to work.”
The Tapias’ efforts seem to be working. Just last week, Thomas received telephone calls from bands in Denver and Boston that were looking to play at Mixtapes, and they previously have booked national and international touring bands such as The Dodos, AIDS Wolf and Jennifer Gentle.
“There are people who come from Iowa City now who say, ‘My friend told me that there was a store down here and I just drove up and down the block until I saw something,’ ” Amber Tapia said.
While they will continue to bring in regional, national and international bands, Jorge Tapia said Quad-City bands will always be a part of Mixtapes shows, and they plan to keep most cover charges to $5, which pays for the bands, the PA system and some utility costs.
“It’s a hard deal to put on just one show, especially when you’re 13 to 17 years old,” he said. “That’s a big deal to (promote or advertise), to get the bands, to get the venue, to hope that the venue is not a jerk to you, that you get the PA, to hope there is money made to pay for the venue. I grew up doing all this stuff, so I work with these kids hand in hand. I completely sympathize with their situation. That’s why we do this.”
IF YOU GO
All shows are $5 at Mixtapes, 830 15th Ave., East Moline. For more information, visit myspace.com/mixtapesrecordstore on the Web.
What: Irvyn Cytryn, Slow Horse, Kasey and Zealous Calamity
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8
What: Ancients, Beneath the Villa Bella
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9
What: Teeth Mountain, Eyes, Wet Hair, Gary War
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14
What: Harry South and the Northern Lights, This Could Be Dangerous, Deastro
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16
What: The National Rifle, Ancients, Los Cos Corrones
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20
What: Bee vs. Moth, X+X, Bob Bucko Jr.
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21
What: I Want To Kill Every Human, Jigsaw Rhetoric, Sinjo Thraw Mash, Motorcycle
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23
What: UGV, Be Cryptic, Rip Lack
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30
Stephanie De Pasquale can be contacted at (563) 333-2639 or sdepasquale@qctimes.com.
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