Sunnyvale's last record store, Compact Disc Warehouse at 470 E. El Camino Real--a city landmark for almost two decades--is closing its poster-covered doors, having fought a long and losing battle against declining sales and rising costs. The store will close when its inventory is gone, perhaps the middle of October.

"I would have fought for as long as I could, but I understand that the owner is tired of losing money and playing the games," manager Donald McGreal said.

For 18 years, the store served the music-buying needs of the general public and helped hardcore music lovers find the rare, unique and bizarre albums they were looking for.

"People appreciate coming into a place with people who actually know music and aren't afraid to suggest new things," McGreal said.

McGreal, 31, started working at the store nearly 10 years ago because he loved music, couldn't play an instrument and figured selling it would let him indulge that passion.

Although he said he's ready to move on to whatever the next step of his life may be--possibly baking, possibly pursuing a physical therapy degree--he's going to miss the niche that the store served.

"I'm going to miss this place, and having almost unlimited access to music," McGreal said. "And I'm going to miss the discovery; finding that one CD every three or four months that really means something, that I want to show people."

And with the end of Compact Disc Warehouse, the Sunnyvale music-buying community, unknown bands and record labels will have a harder time finding one another.

"It would have been better if they had just moved the store; now the closest music is in Campbell at Rasputin's Music and Streetlight Records," Justin Suszynsky said. Suszynsky is a regular customer. "I wish they weren't closing down because this just makes it harder to find the music I'm looking for."

In one of his final visits to the store, Suszynsky spent almost an hour browsing through unsorted cases of CDs, pulling out albums he had wanted to sample at one of the store's many listening stations. Those stations, which are CD players hooked up to headphones, were a major draw for customers in the store's heyday because the music could be sampled.

Suszynsky said Compact Disc Warehouse was the first place he was able to do that, although many music stores have since adopted the practice.

Johnny "Monster" Thomson, an artist development representative for music-giant EMI, said that he's been shopping at the store for more than 10 years.

"I like independent record stores; they have a much warmer feel, not stale or antiseptic like a Best Buy or a Borders," Thomson said.

He also worked with the employees there to promote new bands and unheard albums. "It certainly is a shame to see it go."

"No one goes to Best Buy to find out what's new and hip, so it's harder to find the kind of stores I used to use to launch new bands," Thomson said. "My list has been diminishing. I went from serving 45 independent stores to just three in six or seven years."

And in 10 years shopping there, Thomson managed to find one thing that most people don't find in record stores--a partner. He met his wife, Nickie Thomson, there--and she's still there.

While the Thomsons are true family, many of the employees and customers there say the close-knit community at the store has always felt like an extended family.

"I've always supported independent stores, especially record stores," McGreal said. "I'll always make the trek to smaller stores."

That devotion means driving to independent stores in Campbell, San Francisco or Santa Cruz for music.

And in the week since imminent closure was announced, a steady stream of regular customers and past and present employees has gathered at the store to share memories, lament the sad state of music stores today and browse the racks one final time.