POP/ROCK - July 7, 1988

Perestroika , part II: The Sacramento Bee reported Wednesday that the Berkeley-based Tower Records chain is negotiating to open the first American-owned record store in the Soviet Union. A Tower representative will travel to Moscow early next week to discuss opening a boutique and record store in a hotel, the paper reported. Tower has 50 stores worldwide, including a four-level store in Piccadilly Circus in London. Added Tower general counsel Mike Solomon: “We envision selling records and audio tapes--on a relatively small scale to start--to the Russian people. I personally think it is very exciting. It’s a form of communication with an Eastern Bloc country.”