Austin, TX | Breakaway Records offers Austines a place to buy, sell used records: Breakaway Records co-owner Josh LaRue lived in the North Loop neighborhood in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s as a student at the University of Texas. Despite exponential growth that has changed the city in the decades since, to him, the neighborhood where he now operates Breakaway Records has remained much the same. “Change is inevitable, but this little pocket has not changed nearly as much as some of Austin,” LaRue said. The record store, adorned with a ‘60s-style sign and colored disks that create a stained glass look, shares a parking lot with a vintage clothing store and Epoch Coffee—an easily recognizable strip mall with the coffee shop’s large mascot donning the corner. The business’s location, in the vintage, artsy corridor, has been part of its long-term success and an even more essential component to the shop’s survival during the pandemic, LaRue said. “I’ve been a lifelong music fan and have been collecting records since I was a kid,” LaRue said.
Bristol, VA | New Bristol, Va., store to offer new and used vinyl record albums: One would think that an abundance of record stores would populate the Twin City that is branded the birthplace of country music. But no. It’s been nearly a decade since a store dedicated primarily to the sale of pre-recorded music existed in downtown Bristol. That one, Sessions 27, was on the Virginia side of State Street. Now comes another. Shane Church plans to open Ceremonial Sound on Euclid Avenue in Bristol, Virginia. Dedicated to the sale of new and used vinyl record albums, Church’s store will open at noon on Saturday, Oct. 23. “For our town to have such a rich history in music, it’s just a shame that we haven’t had any resource for buying music until now,” said Church, owner of Ceremonial Sound. …“We will sell only vinyl,” said Church, 45. “We will be offering other favorites and special editions, but we are in the business of selling vinyl because I love records so much.”
Atascadero, CA | Traffic Record Store: Local business owners share significance of Hispanic Heritage Month: The walls of Traffic Record Store are covered with music posters, vinyl records and cassette tapes. The music store, located at 5850 Traffic Way in Atascadero, is owned by Manuel Barba. As a Latino business owner on the Central Coast, he sees Hispanic Heritage Month as a way to recognize the community. “The significance is to shine a light on the Latino community,” Manuel Barba said, “and the contributions and successes the Latino community has had. The diversity and challenge and minority struggle.” Nate Santos, owner of Rancho Los Santos Entertainment in the Paso Robles area, says family is a key factor in what he does. “It’s a lot of pride, embracing our culture and our heritage,” Santos told KSBY. “From our parents, coming from Mexico, we’re here in pursuit of the American dream.”
Savannah, GA | Throwing bones to the wind: Graveface Records & Curiosities celebrates 10 years in Savannah: Graveface Records & Curiosities has been keeping Savannah creepy for ten years this month, and to celebrate they are hosting a block party in Starland with Two Tides Brewery on Oct. 16. Owner Ryan Graveface began his Graveface record label in 2002, but since moving to Savannah and opening a record store, he has been gradually building an empire of the macabre that includes other record labels (Never Not Goth, Terrorvision), an arcade, several bands, and the Graveface Museum – one of the most unique oddities museums in the country. “I moved here not knowing anyone,” Graveface said of opening his record store in 2011. “I didn’t have a wife or a girlfriend here. I was literally isolated. It was awesome. It’s weird to think that that worked. I opened it thinking there were no other record stores, and I figured there was a reason for that, meaning there is no interest.”
Missoula, MT | Do you love vinyl? Missoula’s rad new record store is now open: There I was, calmly cooking a pot of potato soup for my family on a chilly fall day when my buddy sends me a text saying that Missoula has a new record store. I had NO idea, hadn’t heard one peep about it, I even drive past the location literally every weekday, how did I miss it!? They must have gotten that Lou Reed picture up in the last 24 hours though, I swear there’s no way I could have missed that gem. In fact, when I got to their Facebook page they only had 13 “likes,” so they’re super new.The place is called Slant Street Records and it’s directly next to Great Harvest near the “Grizzly Grocery” roundabout on Higgins. It had to be the smell of Great Harvest’s cinnamon bread that distracted me from noticing the new shop before. Slant Street, obviously named after our infamous jaggedy mess of confusion between the University District and Russell Street, is owned by two locals, Mike Steinberg and Collin Pruitt.
