Record Rama collection headed back to eBay Thursday, March 13, 2008 By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Paul Mawhinney is ready to give eBay another shot.
The Record Rama archive of nearly 3 million records and CDs -- billed as the "World's Largest Music Collection" -- is going back up for auction on the site next Wednesday, this time with a starting bid of $100.
That's substantially lower than the $3 million it took to get into the bidding when it was on eBay last month. That auction ended on Feb. 21 with a fraudulent bid.
Since then, Mr. Mawhinney and agent J. Paul Henderson have entertained seven and eight prospective buyers at the Ross store/warehouse, which is currently closed.
"We didn't get an offer that was acceptable to us," Mr. Henderson said. "Some did not meet our minimum, some wanted payment terms we couldn't accept."
There will be a reserve on the eBay auction -- which means the bidder will have to meet an undeclared minimum set by the buyer -- and anyone bidding more than $1 million must be pre-approved. Those individuals also will have access to the database.
The auction will end March 29. Mr. Mawhinney is still hoping the buyer will preserve essential elements of the collection as an archive.
dollar_binI heartily endorse this product and/or event 2,326 Posts
Record-Rama owner Paul Mawhinney once again thinks he has a buyer for his nearly 3-million-record-album collection.
But he won't identify the bidder -- or the bid -- until it's official.
"I'm not going to say anything until I have something on paper," the 68-year-old Mawhinney said in a phone interview.
Forgive Mawhinney for being cautious about selling his 41-year-old business. A $3,002,150 bid on eBay turned out to be a "fraud," he said.
"The whole thing was a fraud. I think all six or eight bidders were frauds."
Mawhinney said the bidder visited his Ross Township store Monday afternoon and made an offer.
"They just left; they promised to call within an hour" (of leaving), Mawhinney said.
Asked if the offer was higher than the fraudulent $3 million-plus bid, Mawhinney said, "absolutely. Absolutely."
Mawhinney has already closed the business, but said he is still going to the location to conduct a mass of interviews.
Mawhinney also said the bidder plans to keep the location as storage and that the bidder planned to offer songs from the massive collection online for download.
"It's legal," he said, responding to whether the bidder had obtained a license to sell the songs for download. "It won't be (a fraud). He has a license."
Record-Rama owner Paul Mawhinney once again thinks he has a buyer for his nearly 3-million-record-album collection.
But he won't identify the bidder -- or the bid -- until it's official.
"I'm not going to say anything until I have something on paper," the 68-year-old Mawhinney said in a phone interview.
Forgive Mawhinney for being cautious about selling his 41-year-old business. A $3,002,150 bid on eBay turned out to be a "fraud," he said.
"The whole thing was a fraud. I think all six or eight bidders were frauds."
Mawhinney said the bidder visited his Ross Township store Monday afternoon and made an offer.
"They just left; they promised to call within an hour" (of leaving), Mawhinney said.
Asked if the offer was higher than the fraudulent $3 million-plus bid, Mawhinney said, "absolutely. Absolutely."
Mawhinney has already closed the business, but said he is still going to the location to conduct a mass of interviews.
Mawhinney also said the bidder plans to keep the location as storage and that the bidder planned to offer songs from the massive collection online for download.
"It's legal," he said, responding to whether the bidder had obtained a license to sell the songs for download. "It won't be (a fraud). He has a license."
Mawhinney also said the bidder plans to keep the location as storage and that the bidder planned to offer songs from the massive collection online for download.
"It's legal," he said, responding to whether the bidder had obtained a license to sell the songs for download. "It won't be (a fraud). He has a license."
What the fuck is that? Do you sit a test to sell other people's music, the only claim on which you have is buying the record? Or is it just a given right when you buy a collection of junk?
"It's legal," he said, responding to whether the bidder had obtained a license to sell the songs for download. "It won't be (a fraud). He has a license."
just thinking about Paul Mawhinney with those rinked ass Barbara Streisands, and those big ass icons on his computer... just makes me want to burn this motherfucker down.
ok. for sure, everything that's been implied in this thread about this situation is true. i have to cop to being a regular (if not frequent) customer of this person, though, and i actually now miss this place as an option. sure pricing and everything were absurd, and it was long-picked over, and sure i would get a smarmy feeling just walking in and forcing myself to bring my talk-game. But you never know what could STILL be found. kind of on some Moerer-shit, where a few things were actually a GOOD buy at the prices that they somehow arrived at, and you could find some nice stock copies etc. I'd been able to still get HEAT there on most visits, and be reasonably happy with the deal (making it easier for me was that i'm not really a 'trendy-record' guy). for example, anyone who may have gotten a S*lhouettes LP from me in the past couple years...
file under: how much are you willing to grit your teeth, grin, and put up with shit in order to get at records that you want?
Comments
It's the one with the nude gatefold, right? The one inspired by Mama Lion? What a deal! Sounds like you have the Second-Best Collection Ever.
Let the bungie bidding begin!
This self-serving prick has got some nerve.
Record-Rama owner Paul Mawhinney once again thinks he has a buyer for his nearly 3-million-record-album collection.
But he won't identify the bidder -- or the bid -- until it's official.
"I'm not going to say anything until I have something on paper," the 68-year-old Mawhinney said in a phone interview.
Forgive Mawhinney for being cautious about selling his 41-year-old business. A $3,002,150 bid on eBay turned out to be a "fraud," he said.
"The whole thing was a fraud. I think all six or eight bidders were frauds."
Mawhinney said the bidder visited his Ross Township store Monday afternoon and made an offer.
"They just left; they promised to call within an hour" (of leaving), Mawhinney said.
Asked if the offer was higher than the fraudulent $3 million-plus bid, Mawhinney said, "absolutely. Absolutely."
Mawhinney has already closed the business, but said he is still going to the location to conduct a mass of interviews.
Mawhinney also said the bidder plans to keep the location as storage and that the bidder planned to offer songs from the massive collection online for download.
"It's legal," he said, responding to whether the bidder had obtained a license to sell the songs for download. "It won't be (a fraud). He has a license."
Wow.
"My unprotected high-profile 3 million dollar minimum bid
auction had fraudulent bidders! I can hardly believe it!"
What the fuck is that? Do you sit a test to sell other people's music, the only claim on which you have is buying the record? Or is it just a given right when you buy a collection of junk?
....to ill?
This kills me. A license? The 'I can sell anyone's music I goddamned want to because I bought a warehouse full of terds' license?
So I guess all Steve Jobs had to do to get the Beatles' music on iTunes was to buy this asshole's record collection.
rumor has it that he did.
ok.
for sure, everything that's been implied in this thread about this situation is true.
i have to cop to being a regular (if not frequent) customer of this person, though, and i actually now miss this place as an option. sure pricing and everything were absurd, and it was long-picked over, and sure i would get a smarmy feeling just walking in and forcing myself to bring my talk-game. But you never know what could STILL be found. kind of on some Moerer-shit, where a few things were actually a GOOD buy at the prices that they somehow arrived at, and you could find some nice stock copies etc. I'd been able to still get HEAT there on most visits, and be reasonably happy with the deal (making it easier for me was that i'm not really a 'trendy-record' guy). for example, anyone who may have gotten a S*lhouettes LP from me in the past couple years...
file under: how much are you willing to grit your teeth, grin, and put up with shit in order to get at records that you want?
http://www.vh1.com/shows/for_what_its_worth/episode.jhtml?episodeID=205398