{"id":413074,"date":"2026-07-26T18:59:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T18:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/413074\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T18:59:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T18:59:09","slug":"dick-vivian-rooky-ricardos-record-store-owner-dies-at-78","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/413074\/","title":{"rendered":"Dick Vivian, Rooky Ricardo\u2019s Record Store Owner, Dies at 78"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Lower Haight shop owner with a contagious love for music had been diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n

Jul 26, 2026<\/p>\n

Updated 11:34 am PT<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dick Vivian with copies of a 45rpm single by Rooky Ricardo\u2019s employee Nick Waterhouse. \u00a0(Rooky Ricardo’s\/Facebook)<\/p>\n

Dick Vivian<\/a>, the widely loved proprietor of Rooky Ricardo\u2019s record shop in San Francisco, died on Friday, July 24. He was 78.<\/p>\n

In a statement<\/a>, Rooky Ricardo\u2019s said that Vivian \u201cpassed peacefully in his beautiful home, right about the time he would have been leaving to open the shop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since 1987, Vivian owned and operated Rooky Ricardo\u2019s, a used vinyl store that specialized in 45 RPM singles and was prized by casual fans and serious collectors alike. The store obtained official legacy status<\/a> from the City of San Francisco in 2007.<\/p>\n

\"\"Dick Vivian (center), the owner of Rooky Ricardo\u2019s vinyl record shop in San Francisco, Ca., pictured helping Kurt Andre in 2013. A well loved member of the Bay ARea music community, particularly with soul and R&B fans and DJs, Vivian is currently battling Stage 3 pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n

Vivian was diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer<\/a> in March of last year. By last Friday, a GoFundMe to assist with medical bills had raised more than $40,000 from all corners of the local music community, including donations by musicians, record collectors, DJs and other record store owners.<\/p>\n

Chris Veltri, who owns nearby record store Groove Merchant, told KQED last year<\/a> that Vivian himself was the spirit of the Lower Haight record shop.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis store is kind of a dying breed; it\u2019s 100% him. You\u2019re kind of walking into a different era, a space that\u2019s unique into itself,\u201d Veltri said, adding that \u201cHe\u2019s always sitting at his table, cleaning 45s, pricing 45s. You walk in and a relaxation sets in. You don\u2019t get that in a lot of stores.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 2013 profile in GQ magazine<\/a> described Vivian in near-Biblical terms as \u201cthe man who will save your musical soul.\u201d<\/p>\n