Saying goodbye to Dave Kuzenko's X-Ray Records
CBC
After years of spinning vinyls, X-Ray Records is having one last go round with a closing sale following the unexpected death of owner and Regina legend Dave Kuzenko.
The beloved music lover died on May 25 in hospital surrounded by his family.
Friends and longtime customers have been flooding the downtown shop to pay their respects and pick up records from the extensive inventory.
"It means the world," Dave's daughter Ivy Kuzenko told CBC.
"Dad was such a big part of the community and the music community in Regina. It's been so nice. We've had such a warm embrace from the community in general ... It's really kind of a testament to the person he is and the person he was."
Kuzenko described her father as a kind, warm and gentle person who made people feel at home when they walked through the doors of X-Ray Records.
"He always remembered everybody's names, remembered what type of music you were interested in ... your family members were interested in," she said.
Kuzenko said that when people came into X-Ray Records, Dave would often change the music to what he thought they would be interested in.
"He just had such a great memory and really made everybody feel seen. We really are missing his presence and we really do feel his absence here this weekend," she said.
Listen to customers and friends talk about Dave Kuzenko's affect on the Regina music scene on CBC's arts and culture column 'Queen City Scene Setter' on The Morning Edition:
Adam Shill said he's been shopping at X-Ray Records for eight years, and needed to go to the store one last time in honour of Dave.
"Walking through the door and just hearing him say, 'Hey Adam.' It's like, awwww man, this guy knows my name. That's awesome," said Shill, who would spend as much time as he could hanging out talking to Dave about music.
Jesse Robson said he has found really wonderful albums at X-Ray Records, mostly because of Dave's expertise.
"There was old jazz records that I would talk to him about and heavy metal records that I would talk to him about. He was enthusiastic across the board for all musical genres. So it's a place of importance for diversity and music and people," Robson said.