Just in case you are wondering, here is how our Limited Edition Pint Glass and 45th Anniversary t-shirts will look!

Limited Edition Pint Glass Limited Edition Pint Glass

New Music Millennium 45th Anniversary t-shirt New Music Millennium 45th Anniversary t-shirt

Local Company, Portland Bottling, Pledges Support

The following is a letter written by the president of Portland Bottling. This is just one example of a local company going above and beyond to help us reach our goal and support the local music scene. If you have stories like this, please share them with us!

Portland Bottling Company believes in the power of music, how it enriches lives, empowers the conscience and let's generations communicate with each other. We believe Music Millennium is integral to keeping a vibrant music scene accessible to the citizens of Oregon and SW Washington. Nothing beats buying music live in a record store with others who love music. To that end Portland Bottling Company is providing a private live concert and party featuring great local musicians to all the team members and vendors of Portland Bottling that contribute to the Music Millennium Kickstarter campaign by March 25. We believe in supporting Music Millennium for their long term viability into the future and keeping Portland Weird.

Tom Keenan: President of Portland Bottling

Project

After 45 years of business, Music Millennium is once again pushing the boundaries of the music retail business. If successful, this Kickstarter will fund the addition of a coffee, beer, and wine bar into the store to enhance the personal shopping experience for everyone. For years our customers have wandered the aisles of music - parched without a beverage in site; this project is here to change that. We have already done all of the leg work including: identify possible locations for the coffee, beer, and wine bar in Millennium, bid out the renovation work through local contractors, research alcohol and beverage permits, begin discussions with local beverage and food suppliers, and rub the belly of our wish-luck-trolls. Currently we are scheduled to start working on the new coffee, beer, and wine bar (plus soft drinks) at the beginning of May with completion being by the end of the summer. The only thing we are missing is a little help from our friends. Won't you join us in bringing beverages, peace, and happiness to thousands of dedicated music fans!

Artist rendition of the Coffee, Beer, and Wine Bar. By Martha Ohlson

Another goal of this project is to make much needed repairs to our building's roof. The rains are relentless in Portland and we want all of our artists, no matter what genre, to have a safe, warm, dry home. The bidding process for repairing the roof has been completed by several local contractors - now all we need is a dry week and your assistance to get this done!

As a proud member of the Portland, Oregon business community, we will be employing local businesses to assist us with all of our ch-ch-ch-changes. Community is what makes us strong and we want the local community to benefit from our updating. An added bonus will be the new employment positions at our store to staff and operate the coffee, beer, and wine bar - this could mean you!

Millennium has lasted the consistent test of time and this project will help us to continue on in our pursuit of being the best place to shop music in the Northwest. We could use your help and appreciate any support!

The original Music Millennium

The Early Years

It was The Ides of March, March 15th of 1969, when Don MacLeod, his wife Loreen and brother in law Dan Lissy first opened an 800 square foot record store on the corner of 32nd & East Burnside. Specializing in mostly underground music not found in the department stores, drugstores or the couple of record stores which existed at the time, Music Millennium filled a niche for the Portland music community.

Titles by Fairport Convention, Frank Zappa, John Fahey, The Fugs and Holy Modal Rounders were stocked in the small store along with the sounds heard on the then three month old FM station, KINK- The Underground Link.

The store quickly grew in the first five years to its current size, including the addition of a classical store called The Musical Offering, later known as Classical Millennium. Throughout our history, we've stocked the ever-evolving gamut of formats including LP, 45, reel-to-reel, 8-track, cassette, DAT, compact disc, mini-disc, DCC and CD-ROM.

As people who know and love music, Music Millennium has hosted an array of in-store performances and autograph appearances over the years, including the likes of Richard Thompson, Luscious Jackson, Loreena McKennitt, Maureen McCormick (aka "Marcia Brady"), Steve Earl, Sparks, John Prine, Soundgarden, Mike Watt, Don Walser, Sheryl Crow, Randy Newman, Everclear, Jewel, Little Feat, and Cheap Trick to name a few.

The Legend

Music Millennium has become a place of music and cultural legend in the NW and nationally.

Terry takes on Garth!

A national music trade magazine dubbed Terry Currier and Music Millennium "modern day folk heroes" for their role in the brilliantly effective crusade against used CD policies. Discontent was already brewing in 1993 when Garth Brooks announced that his new album would not be released to stores that sold used discs. Currier immediately responded with a West coast "Bar-B-Q For Retail Freedom" tour - actually roasting Brooks' CDs to dramatize the retailers' plight. The protest captured the attention of TNN, CNN, Forbes, and People Magazine, and resulted in a repeal of the restrictive policies.

Terry and Steve Earle - Record Store Day 2013

Community

Since our founding in 1969, Music Millennium has worked hard to be a cornerstone of the NW arts community. We have been a key sponsor of several events and organizations including: the Cascade Blues Association, NXNW, the Portland Jazz Festival, the Waterfront Blues Festival, the NW Film Centers Reel Music Film Festival, Musicfest NW, the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, and many community based radio stations. We consistently welcome local and regional artists to perform their talents and or display their works at the store.

Midnight Grateful Dead Album Release Party

Local artists posing in front of their mural - back wall of Music Millennium

Window artwork by local artist

Since we started hosting live in-store performances, Millennium has provided over 4,000 of these shows that are free to the public and feature many local, regional, national, and international artists. Not to mention that over the years Music Millennium has brought artists like The Velvet Underground, John Fahey, George Thorogood, Dave Edmunds, Ray Davies, and Al Kooper to town when no promoter would.

Steve Earle In-store Performance

Steve grabs for another copy of his latest album: "The Low Highway"

Polyphonic Spree In-store performance

Ben Kweller In-store Performance. Picture by Nilina Mason- Campbell.

Connections & Recognition

Several regional and national music organizations have been founded/ staffed by current and former employees of Music Millennium including:

The Oregon Music Hall of Fame

The Cascade Blues Association

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores

All of this work has resulted in Music Millennium and Owner Terry Currier receiving many accolades and awards: