Photo via Porchlight Books
In the final phase of his professional life, Jack Covert became a bookseller. He cofounded Porchlight Books with the late David Schwartz of Harry W. Schwartz, which evolved into an e-commerce site specializing in business and computer books. But for music fans of a certain age, Covert will be remembered as the owner of one of Milwaukee’s hippest record stores.
Courtesy of Dan Burr
Covert passed away on Aug, 13, surrounded by family. He was 77.
In the early through mid-‘70s, Covert ran Dirty Jack’s Record Rack on Farwell Avenue, a storefront now occupied by Comet Café. By decade’s end, he “cleaned up his act,” shortened the name to Jack’s Record Rack and moved the store to Prospect Mall, now rebuilt as the Overlook on Prospect. Covert’s store lasted into the early ‘80s.
Jack’s was the sort of record store celebrated in later years by Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity. The staff was mostly local musicians from bands such as Jetpack and The Red Ball Jets, forerunners of the punk scene. Jack’s was a community gathering place where fans and musicians lingered, stopped by on their way to the clubs to listen to new releases and talk about bands. Fanzines were distributed there and local 45s were sold on consignment. A large selection of cut-out LPs made owning music accessible to fans on low budgets.
Courtesy of Dan Burr
Despite the store’s links to the local underground music scene, Covert was more Count Basie than Iggy Pop, yet he presided over his realm like a benign if occasionally cranky uncle. His open-mindedness was a bright light on Milwaukee’s East Side.
