Twist & Shout

If Twist & Shout heralds the end of the record store as we know it, well, we feel fine. With the advent of digital music files, most record stores are vanishing from the commercial landscape. But rather than passively wait for its demise, Paul and Jill Epstein are raging against the dying of the light. The sprawling Twist & Shout -- relocated in 2006 from its former home on Alameda to the Lowenstein Center on East Colfax -- brings together CDs, DVDs, vinyl, books and rock-era paraphernalia of every description in an enormous yet wonderfully warm space that consumers won’t want to leave. It’s as fine a place to shop for music as any in America, not to mention a terrific venue in which to hear special shows by touring performers. And with a roster that changes monthly, the store's Local Listening Post is a smart way to keep up with the music being made by the people in your neighborhood.