It appears The Montrose townhome apocalypse marches ever onward. After 38 years in the neighborhood, Sound Exchange—the record shop located at Richmond and Hazard—announced Thursday that it's packing its bags and moving to the East End.

Swamplot reports a proposed replat is under review for the parcel, and the shop owners confirmed plans for the site's demolition and redevelopment. Wrecking crews have already felled apartments on adjacent lots.

“While we are sad to leave Montrose, our home for many years, we are looking forward to a new beginning in a beautiful neighborhood, and will continue to provide our customers with an eclectic choice of interesting music and performances,” co-owner Kevin Bakos said in a statement.

Record Exchange, as it was originally known, threw open its doors in Rice Village in 1979 before migrating to 1617 Westheimer (in the shopping center currently occupied by UB Preserv) a year later. Come January 16, you'll find Sound Exchange at 101 N. Milby St. over in the East End, where pretty much everything cool is moving these days. A series of performances will inaugurate the new location (lineup forthcoming).

The move is about rising rents, of course, but the owners say it also "represents a determination to remain close to Houston’s most adventurous cultural scene." 

In other words, let us declare, for the umpteenth time: The Montrose is dead, long live the Montrose.