MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on the state of the indie record store in the age of digital.

After years of slumping CD sales and the illegal downloading of songs, the music retail industry is finally embracing the digital age. Online music sales through companies such as Apple Computer, Napster and even Walmart are growing, and several major record labels are converting their music catalogs to digital. Many industry observers say the shift to digital delivery of music spells doom for the independent record store. Yet, the few such stores that remain in the Twin Cities say reports of their impending death may be premature. Roberts interviews various people in the industry, including Steve Pearson, buyer at Electric Fetus; Ryan Cameron, owner of Let it Be Records; Paul Stark, co-founder of Twin/Tone Records; and Chris Wester, managing director of Down in the Valley.