Grand Rapids, MI | GRPL urges patrons to take new vinyl collection ‘for a spin.’ The Grand Rapids Public Library is launching vinyl record collections at two of its locations. If you walk into the West Side or Main Library of GRPL you may see a new sign that reads, “take our new vinyl collection for a spin.” The library district announced Tuesday that it will be adding vinyl records to its music collections. It will also be providing relaxing spots to enjoy the tunes. The records will be featured at the West Side and main libraries. “This is a great way to explore new music without investment,” said Jen VanderHeide, GRPL’s Collection Services Coordinator, in a statement. “These new spaces are relaxing spots to listen to vinyl, leisurely browse, and discuss great music.” Both the West Side and Main Branch locations will have listening stations set up where people can use library turntables to listen to albums. They can also borrow portable record players to use at home. You can check out up to five records at a time.
Baton Rouge, LA | Sifting through the records, CDs, video games and more at The Exchange in Mid City: Walking into The Exchange on Government Street is like walking into a treasure trove of tangible media of the past. No matter what you’re looking for—vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, video games—you’re sure to find some hidden gems in this store. It’s hard not to, considering they are stacked everywhere as high as the ceilings. Owner Victor Holiday says he’s been collecting merchandise for the store since he first opened the doors in 2005. He has acquired quite the spread by picking up other people’s old collections and hunting at different “buy, sell and trade” shops. The result is a music and media lover’s dream in a space no bigger than your average convenience store. “Being a small store, people assume you won’t have a variety, so I try to touch on a little of everything,” Holiday says. “I have all the big genres of music and movies, and I even carry those little niche subgenres, too.”
Dallas, TX | Break-ins at Top Ten Records and several more W. Jefferson businesses: Burglars or vandals smashed windows and glass doors at multiple businesses along the 300 block of W. Jefferson Wednesday morning. Police were on the scene at about 9 a.m. “They got a bunch of them,” one of them says. Top Ten Records, Atomic Home Supply, CBD American Shaman and Liberty Shoes were among the visibly affected. Top Ten, which in addition to being Dallas’ oldest record store also is a musical archive and nonprofit, only suffered damage to the front door. Top Ten store manager Leslie Vanravenswaay says it seems a/some hoodlum/s (my word, not hers) threw rocks through five or six different buildings. “That’s what it looked like—rock through the window and they didn’t take anything, and we got lucky” she says. “Because they did take some stuff from some other businesses.”
Warren, MI | Longtime Clawson staple Flipside Records moves to Berkley: New location open for curbside service. Nearly 40 years after opening its Clawson location in 1983, Flipside Records said goodbye to the “Little City with a Big Heart” and hello to Berkley. After losing the space due to a landlord dispute, owner Todd Fundaro is making the most of the change. The new operation is located inside a stand-alone building that used to house a dry cleaners at 3099 Coolidge Highway, south of 12 Mile Road. Fundaro said the Berkley location offers more parking and is more walkable. The move has included a number of challenges, he said, including moving nearly all the inventory from the Clawson strip mall to the Berkley store in a matter of days; difficulty finding reliable, licensed contractors; and the resulting delays in the permitting process. He hopes to open Flipside’s doors as soon as possible, but in the meantime, the store began offering curbside service Jan. 17.
Vinylly Dating App Featured in New TyDi and JES Music Video: Vinylly, the Dating App that Matches Users Based on Music Compatibility, is the Focal Point of the Latest EDM Music Video: Vinylly, the dating app that matches users based on music compatibility, was the focus for EDM duo TyDi and JES’ music video for their new song Just Believe, which was released on Jan. 14. The music video addresses the obstacles and pitfalls that many singles face as they stumble through the dating world. It follows six individuals who go on various failed dates, each time seeing signs that point them to downloading Vinylly. Eventually, they all end up at a record store and find their musical match while browsing through albums, ultimately building a true connection through their shared love for music. “When I first heard this song, it instantly transported me back to the reason why I created Vinylly in the first place,” said Rachel Van Nortwick, Vinylly’s CEO and founder.
