In 1992, Tim and Lisa Cretsinger founded a record store, Groovacious Platters, in Keizer, Oregon. In 2000, they moved to Cedar City, Utah, bringing their business with them (now Groovacious Records). Since then, Groovacious has been a community staple for Cedar City, providing entertainment and culture for college students, old-timers, teens and grown-ups alike. Groovacious sells everything from CDs and LPs to books, T-shirts and Ringo Starr action figures. Every June since 2001, Tim and Lisa have been the central organizers of the Groovefest Music & Art Festival hosted at Main Street Park in Cedar City. The annual festival includes a wide variety of events, including concerts and workshops.
My first Groovacious experience was sometime in 2011, during my first semester of college. The strong scent of incense inside nearly knocked my socks off and gave me a slight headache. The amount of CDs was overwhelming. As I browsed (it took a while), I noticed quite a few people coming and going. Their interactions with the man and woman (Tim and Lisa) behind the counter were so friendly I couldn't even believe it. As I purchased my Belle & Sebastian CD and left, I vowed to return as much as possible to this cultural gem in Cedar City, Utah. The incense grew on me with each subsequent visit.
In December 2013, Tim Cretsinger was diagnosed with a form of head and neck cancer. Around one year later, the Cretsingers announced Groovacious would be moving from their long-time location just off 200 North. On April 1, 2015, Groovacious opened its doors in a new location near the north end of Main Street--presumably because it would be a much more manageable space. In Feb. 2016, the Cretsingers reported that this year's Groovefest would be canceled due to Tim's condition, in order to focus on his health. They didn't want the entire burden of planning and organizing the event to fall on the shoulders of the Groove Crew volunteers.
On Mar. 14, 2016, Tim Cretsinger passed away. A memorial concert will be held on June 25, 2016, at Main Street Park in Cedar City in place of Groovefest and to honor Tim and his good life. On April 5, 2016, Lisa posted to the Groovacious Facebook page: "Groovacious is NOT OUT OF BUSINESS - !!!!" Bless that.
Though I've never known Tim or Lisa well, the positive impact they and their work have had on my life is something I'm forever grateful for. I wouldn't be able to thank them enough for the influence they've had on the community in Cedar City, providing safe spaces for music and creativity and the celebration of art. Whatever the fate of the business may be, its legacy won't be forgotten. Long live Groovacious!
