The stereotypically flickering fluorescent lights, the green and off white walls worn down in places that are inexplicably nowhere near any sort of regular physical contact, the pathetic, but diverse for this part of Texas, music collection. Yes, if you’ve been to Hastings in Tyler and didn’t subconsciously block the experience from your memory already you will recognize the picture I’m painting for you. As one of the only places in Tyler you can get dirty, dirty porno magazines and almost every Tool album, you can be sure that Hastings is attracting just enough disgusting rednecks to keep it’s vital signs moving.

Now I don’t want to be too hard on them, I mean on occasion they do have a blue ray copy of Labyrinth that no one else has. How am I supposed to role play with David Bowie without the power of gentle blue ocean birds? But as we all have come to learn, staying just above the level of tolerance in any venture, life or business, is a sure fire way to leave you trapped in east Texas evangelical hell forever… or in a dying and vulnerable business. This attitude will poison your entire business, for example, if employees are paid exactly minimum wage until the government forces you to pay them more, then you shouldn’t wonder why they aren’t mopping the walls or neon lights, those aren’t even things you should mop, but God knows you demand it of them.

Look Hastings, it’s not too late to redeem yourself. I realize I was a little critical of your appearance earlier and that I essentially called you redneck bait. But it could all go away with the help of just one person; one simple hiring of someone with a decent taste in music and movies, or even a current taste in music and movies would be the completely obvious initiative needed to keep you afloat a little longer. Like meth to your white trash excuse for an entertainment business. Try the teenagers they seem pretty hip.