Harry “Chick” Veditz, owner and operator of Northwest Baltimore’s beloved Chick’s Legendary Records and a local music scene luminary, passed away on Friday, Oct. 31. The Mount Washington resident was 76.
A Northwest Baltimore native and 1966 graduate of Milford Mill High School known for his signature handlebar mustache, Veditz was the son of the late Harry A. and Anne Cohen Veditz.
Early in his life, he developed a passion for music and vinyl records. Chick’s Legendary Records was the manifestation of that love.
He opened the store on Sulgrave Avenue in Mount Washington Village in the late 1970s with partner Don Webb. After moving to locations at Greenspring Shopping Center on Smith Avenue and later on in the Reisterstown Road Plaza, the shop closed in May of 1992, a victim of the rise of compact discs and cassettes.
“I’ll argue with any CD lover that albums still sound better,” Veditz said in a 1992 interview with the Baltimore Sun. “And I like the packaging of albums, the art that comes with them. I know that albums scratch, skip and pop, but we have CDs that do the same thing.”
Chick’s specialized in obscure vinyl records and locally produced music.
“Back in the glory days of Chick’s Legendary Records, gangs of rock ‘n’ roll bands would hound owner Harry Veditz Jr. for the chance to play for free at his annual summer thank-you party for customers,” wrote Rafael Alvarez in a 1992 tribute in the Baltimore Sun. “That was in 1978, during the first flowering of the punk movement in America, when the record store was on Sulgrave Avenue.”
On the blog Baltimore Or Less, local musician, writer and scenester Tom DiVenti wrote in 2014, “Sure, there were other good record stores around at the time — Music Machine, Record & Tape Collector, Record & Tape Traders, Vinyl Discoveries, Record Theater (and Joe’s Record Paradise and Yesterday & Today Records in the DC suburbs) — but Chick’s was the most laid back and casual.”
A 31-year safety inspector for the State of Maryland, Veditz was also a private record collector — with at one time his collection exceeding 12,000 albums and 7,000 45’s — and a promoter of local live music and venues (particularly the Marble Bar, where he regularly deejayed on Thursday nights). In addition, he collected and sold baseball cards, toys, “Simpsons” memorabilia and pop culture artifacts at conventions and other gatherings.
“Chick loved his friends and cherished all the memories he made with them,” his family wrote on the website of Sol Levinson & Bros. “His love for his friends was second only to his love for his family and his three cats, Chico, Crash, and Looie. He had many favorite hobbies, including collecting cards and toys, listening to music, and following his favorite sports teams. … He was also a loyal fan of the Orioles and the Ravens, rarely missing a game.
“More than anything, Chick treasured time spent with his family and friends, especially his grandson Leo, who brought him endless happiness. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.”
Veditz is survived by his wife, Arlene Albom Veditz; his son, Jonathan (Gabriela Brandao) Veditz; and his grandson, Leonardo Brandao Veditz. He is also survived by many cousins and close friends.
Services will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 1:30 p.m. at Sol Levinson’s Chapel, 8900 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville. Interment will be Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery, Berrymans Lane in Reisterstown
Contributions in his memory may be sent to the charity of your choice. The family will be in mourning at 20 Judges Lane in Towson immediately following interment.
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