D-Biz: Independent music niche filled at Pearl's Music

In today's iPod era, a small independent music store is a bit of an anomaly. But Pearl's Music has found a way to make it work.

The shop is located in a corner storefront on Kercheval at Parker and is chock-full of hip-hop, jazz and blues CDs — as well as classical, country, reggae and pop.

Such a wide range of genres is prompted by Pearl's location, says owner Walter Esaw. "We're in a unique spot," he says. "All the chains in the area have closed down." The shop draws customers from Grosse Pointe to downtown.

Esaw says that the Internet has not affected his business too much, since most of his loyal patrons are "too busy to sit around and download," he says.

Pearl's has promotions that keep customers coming back, like movie nights at the Riverfront 4 Theater, bus trips to Cedar Point that feature live performances from local artists and summertime customer appreciation events. Esaw also takes Detroit artists to industry events across the country to promote local labels and talent.