In the basement of Record Revolution, 817 W. Lincoln Highway, there are a half-dozen shelves filled with rolled posters next to perhaps hundreds of old displays and promotions dating back to the ’70s.

This year, Record Rev officially became 30 years old. The store will celebrate the achievement throughout November with what president and owner Mark Cerny called a “way to reach out and thank NIU students and townspeople.”

“From what everybody tells me,” Cerny said, “it’s a milestone for a small independent business, no matter what it is. About 50 percent of all small businesses fail in the first two years.”

To celebrate the milestone, Record Rev is planning a sale or promotion for every day in November as well as giveaways, including autographed posters from bands such as Deftones and Linkin Park.

“Record companies have really supported us,” Cerny said. “They recognize that independent record stores should be nourished and helped in any way they can be. Most of the record industry is shrinking, rather than expanding.”

With local competition from Target, Wal-Mart, Borders and, soon, Best Buy, small stores like Record Rev slowly are starting to fade. Add that to the competition from Internet companies and the growing problem of illicit copying and distribution of music, the gravity of Cerny’s accomplishment becomes evident, he said.

Cerny, who graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1973 with a degree in radio broadcasting, wanted to pursue a career in music, and by the time he graduated, he was in a position to open Record Rev.

“One of the best things you can do is turn your hobby into a profession,” Cerny said.

Since that time, several other stores have opened in the area. However, Record Rev always has seemed to emerge as the “survivor.”

Sycamore resident Robert Way said he purchases four to five CDs a week from Record Rev.

“They’ve always treated me with a lot of respect,” he said.

Record Rev has seen a lot of history over the years, but Cerny said, “It’s hard to predict the future of any business. We’re in survival mode. We’re in here to do the best we can with what we have.”