Long Ear Record Store, a Coeur d’Alene fixture for 41 years, shut its doors Friday evening, ending an era that shaped the musical tastes and memories of multiple generations across North Idaho. Terry and Deon Borchard, the store’s owners, closed the business on Government Way after their lease expired, capping a retail run that spanned five decades when combined with an earlier location in Bear Lake, California.
The final day of business, dubbed “Whamfest 2026,” drew family, friends, and loyal customers through the shop’s entrance one last time. The Borchards’ son, Victor, traveled from Oregon to mark the occasion—a particularly poignant return for someone who grew up immersed in the record industry. Victor began working at the store at just nine years old, an experience that would shape his entire life trajectory.
A Legacy Built on Community Support
Terry Borchard reflected on the store’s run with gratitude for the community that sustained the business through four decades. “It’s been such a great run. You could have the biggest and best store in the world, but if people don’t support you, you’ve got nothing,” Borchard said, acknowledging the role Coeur d’Alene residents played in keeping Long Ear viable through changing retail landscapes and technological shifts in how people consume music.
The store maintained a tight crew of longtime employees who became fixtures themselves in the Kootenai County community. Nic Fritze, Joel May, and Ben Schoelen worked alongside the Borchards, helping customers navigate vinyl collections and develop their musical identities. Even the store’s cat, Boots, became part of the Long Ear experience that regular visitors would miss.
Growing Up in a Record Store
Victor Borchard’s reflection on his childhood underscores what Long Ear meant to those who spent formative years there. “It’s hard to overstate the influence growing up in a record store had on my life,” he said, capturing the deeper role independent music retailers played in shaping cultural awareness and personal identity for young people in North Idaho.
The closure signals the end of an independent retail institution at a time when record stores nationwide continue to face pressure from streaming services and changing consumer behavior. Yet vinyl’s resurgence in recent years has kept some independent shops alive—a trend that apparently came too late or wasn’t enough to extend Long Ear’s run.
A Tradition of Holiday Music
In a nod to retail tradition and pop culture, the store’s closing week featured an unusual musical ritual: Wham’s “Last Christmas” played 115 times leading up to Friday’s final hours. The song, typically reserved for holiday season rotation, became a symbolic countdown to the store’s end. The track would normally air only on Christmas Eve, but for this farewell week, it became the unofficial anthem of closure.
The announcement of Long Ear’s closure came earlier in 2026, giving longtime customers and the Coeur d’Alene community time to process the loss and make final purchases. A feature story documenting the store’s history appeared in late April, preserving memories and reflecting on its cultural significance to the region.
What’s Next for the Borchards
Terry and Deon Borchard are stepping into retirement after decades of running the business. Their plans include spending time with family, traveling, and gardening—pursuits that a demanding retail operation left little room for across the years.
Long Ear’s closure leaves a gap in Coeur d’Alene’s downtown retail landscape and removes a gathering place where music enthusiasts, collectors, and curious browsers could discover new sounds and connect with others who shared their passion. For residents of Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, and across Kootenai County, the store represented more than a place to buy records—it was a cultural anchor that reflected the region’s commitment to independent business and community-driven retail.
The building on Government Way will find new tenants, but Long Ear’s 41-year presence in Coeur d’Alene and its total 53-year history will remain part of the area’s retail and cultural memory.