Justin Bailey 
Treehouse Records, a long time Minneapolis record store, will be closing its doors on December 31st of this year. Located at the corner of 26th Ave and Lyndale in Southern Minneapolis, Treehouse has been a staple in the underground music community since the 1970’s.
Mark Trehus, the owner of the store, states that it is time for him to retire, thus bringing Treehouse’s legacy to an end. Being the store’s owner since 2001, Trehus was a manager for the store when it was originally called Oarfolkjokeopus. Involved heavily in the punk rock scene throughout the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, the store was a popular hangout for local bands such as Hüsker Dü and the Replacements. When Trehus took over ownership in 2001, the name changed, but the legacy remained.
Local band, Suicide Commandos, played what ended up being Treehouse Records final in-store performance on Saturday when the news came of the records stores fate. Music fans will still have time to come and visit the store one last time, with the store not officially closing until the end of this year. Additionally, Treehouse shoppers who spend $25 or more between now and a soon to be specified future date, will be able to sign up for a special event that will be the final Treehouse-sponsored show.
Trehus has not said if the store has been sold or not, and didn’t give any indication to the fate of the space after Treehouse leaves. The general consensus of music fans is they hope someone else steps up and purchases the store so the legacy can continue on.
