Friday, Jul. 31, 2009
Characters of Los Banos: The man with the music
By John Spevak
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ReprintAlthough he doesn't play an instrument or lead a band, many people know him as Los Banos' "Music Man."
John Pereira has owned, managed, and operated Fantasia Records and Tapes in downtown Los Baños for more than three decades. When he opened on Feb. 18, 1978, he was selling eight-track tapes and vinyl record albums, as well as cassettes. Compact discs were unknown.
John started when rock and disco were popular, and he has been through heavy metal, urban pop, hip hop, alternative rock, grunge, punk, and rap. Against long odds he has kept his one-man business going through the startup of the internet and the infusion of large retail stores in Los Baños.
Changes in the recording business in the last decade have knocked him down but not out, even as more people ordered CD's over the internet, then downloaded music directly into devices like iPods and MP3s.
But the recent downturn in the nation's economy, which has hit Los Baños particularly hard, was the knockout punch. Beginning today, John is going out of business.
"It's been a good time," John said. "I've had many loyal customers over the years and watched a lot of kids grow up, but there's a saying, 'Every well runs dry.' That's now true for me."
An owner at 23
John became the owner of Fantasia in 1978 when he was only 23. "The only music store in Los Baños, Newman's Music, was closing down after the owner, Mr. Newman, died," John said. "I talked with my uncle, Sam Pereira of Pereira's Jewelers, and he loaned me the $18,000 I needed to start my own business."
Born and raised in Los Baños, John attended Our Lady of Fatima School, then Los Baños High. In high school he already had an avid interest in music; he enjoyed listening to the Rolling Stones, The Who, the Allman Brothers, and the Jefferson Airplane.
After he graduated from high school in 1972, and before he started taking classes at the Los Baños Campus of Merced College, John landed a job as a DJ with KLBS, which at that time had a rock-and-roll format. "KLBS was then owned by John and Gloria McAdam," John said, "and I worked closely with Mike McAdam. Those were good times."
John had also worked for Ted and Dominic Falasco, beginning in high school. "Over the years I did just about every job they needed me to do," said John. "I was their jack of all trades, and master of none."
While he was attending college, the Viet Nam war was being fought, and John felt he would soon be drafted. One day when he was out with Ted Falasco setting out duck decoys, Ted said, "If you go into the army, when you get out, I'll have a job waiting for you."
"When the draft lottery was held," John said, "my number was 151. The government soon announced they would be drafting everyone with a number up to 150. That's when I knew I could continue plans to own a music store."
Ted and Dominic Falasco, along with his uncle Sam Pereira and Ben and Pat Patricio, were very supportive of John's pursuit of his own business. "They gave me a lot of advice and a lot of encouragement," John said. "And the three years I attended the Los Baños college campus helped prepare me to run a business.
Opening day
How did John feel on the day Fantasia opened? "Scared," he said. "Though this was something I wanted to do, I was petrified. I was married at the time, and this was a big risk. Many people told me they admired my courage.
"One of the things I had to learn was to listen closely to my customers," John said. "There were many evenings I spent getting caught up because of the conversations I had with the customers during the day."
But against the odds then and for the next 31½ years, John has kept the doors of his business open. "For the first 22 years, I was open six days a week, with no vacations," John said. "After my father died, I decided to take Mondays off to appreciate life just a little bit more."
Because it was a one-man business, many people thought--at the beginning and over the years--that John wouldn't make it. "If I went out of business every time there was a rumor I was going to," John said, "I would have shut down more than 300 times."
Thriller
Actually, business was pretty good early on. "I sold a lot of Van Halen, but the most popular recording artist for me then was Michael Jackson. In the 80s when his "Thriller" album was successful, I averaged selling 10 to 15 copies a day for three years. Over the years I sold more copies of his music than any other performers."
Fantasia was able to draw customers from all over the Westside. "People came from Dos Palos, Gustine, Patterson, Newman, even Merced," John said. "I had a broad customer base, with a lot of repeat business."
Business continued to be good into the 1990s. Then around 1997, John noticed things starting to change. "This was the start of downloading music from the Internet," John said, "although it didn't have a profound impact on me right away because the economy was good."
In 2001 John had some good luck, not related to his business. "I had come to know a fellow named Art Donato, who had moved here from Los Angeles," John said. "I helped him with his sprinkler systems, planted roses, and did a lot of jobs that needed to be done.
"After he died, Don Germino, the attorney who handled his estate, gave me a call and asked me to come down to his office," John said. "There Don told me that Mr. Donato had left me the homes in Los Baños he had purchased and rented. I was shocked, but I was grateful."
A downward trend
Meanwhile John's business wasn't as good as it had been. As the town expanded and large stores moved in, people started buying their CDs at other places. "That made it hard for a small mom-and-pop business," John said, "not just mine but others in town, too."
By 2005 things were going downhill faster. "My distributor told me, 'John, I don't know how you do it. You're one of the last small music stores still going.'"
Since then John has been thinking about closing down his business. But he kept opening his door five days a week, without any vacations. "After a while, a guy gets tired," John said. "And I feel tired now."
Good memories
As he looks back on the past three decades John has a lot of good memories. "Over the years I've enjoyed working with my fellow downtown merchants, like Gladys, Larry, Gloria, Rusty, and Norma. I had many good customers and many good friends. I've seen many families come through my door. I've seen a generation grow up in front of me.
"I've enjoyed finding the music that my customers wanted. People would tell me, 'If anyone can find it, Johnny can.' I especially liked the Christmas season when people would buy gift certificates which adults and kids would use to browse the store and find just the recording they wanted, or if they couldn't find it, I'd order it for them."
Last Christmas, however, was a tough one. "Of all the Christmases I've been in business," John said, "all 31 of them, last year's Christmas, in terms of sales, was my worst."
Feeling grateful
John doesn't have any regrets, however. "Overall, I feel very grateful, very blessed for the opportunity to do what I like to do and for all the kindness my customers have shown to me."
John is not quite sure what he wants to do with the rest of his life. About eight months ago he met Christy Nelson. "I'm lucky enough to have met a very nice woman who has listened to my ideas and given me good advice," John said. "I'm thinking about several different options, and I'll see which works out best for me."
John is also not sure what he'll do with his remaining inventory. "Maybe there's someone out there willing, like I was when Newman's Music closed its doors, to buy a music store.
"Meanwhile," John said, "I plan to have some sales where people can get good deals on the music I have in stock."
Faith in the future
John has been a man of faith all his life. Some people have asked him if he has gotten mad or discouraged. "I remind them about the Book of Job," John said. "When times are tough, you have to trust in God. My faith has sustained me for many years. I feel now that God has a better plan for me. I'm just not sure what that is."
Many people will be dropping by John's store in the days and weeks ahead to thank him for his service and congeniality. They will wish him well. And they will understand that now is the time for the town's music man to look for a new song in his life.
Comments on the Characters of Los Baños are encouraged and can be sent via email to spevak@telis.org