New Hope, MN | New Hope record store specializes in vintage stereo equipment: Music is an elemental part of Shawn Smith’s life. “Music has always been a part of me, like it’s in my blood,” he said. “You just can’t shake it.” Nicknamed “Smitty,” he’s the owner of Twin City Smitty’s Vintage Audio in New Hope. “Tinkering with music and electronics is probably in my genes,” he said. “Music has driven a lot of decisions in my life, especially to open this business.” His shop is nestled in a small industrial building near Medicine Lake Road and Louisiana Avenue. It’s one of the few that still deals in the high-fidelity world of solid-state stereo receivers. There’s a room in the shop dedicated to repair, where a technician revamps the old stereo units that may remind you of your grandparent’s house. Once the stereos are repaired, they sell them in-person and on eBay. They also repair turntables and speaker cabinets. With the resurgence of vinyl records, a younger crowd is discovering the appeal of physical media.
Toledo, OH | Culture Clash launches GoFundMe to save downtown record store: Calling all vinyl enthusiasts, music lovers, and everyone who watched Empire Records on repeat in the ’90s … Culture Clash Records is in trouble. Not unlike the 1995 Liv Tyler movie, a combination of economic woes, building zoning headaches, attorney and architect fees, and other financial maladies have caused Culture Clash owner Tim Friedman to turn to crowdfunding to keep the store, which has operated since 2004, alive. Friedman launched a GoFundMe campaign on Monday, with a fund-raising goal of $30,000. As of Thursday afternoon, the campaign had raised more than $8,500. Friedman took over Culture Clash in 2017 following the death of founder Pat O’Connor, the beloved Toledo businessman who previously ran the legendary Boogie Records. Friedman moved the store from its former location on Secor Road to the former Paula Brown Shop and Gallery, at 912 Monroe St. in 2020.
Kansas City, MO | 7th Heaven announces closure after 50 years of business: ‘Bought my first album there.’ If you ride down Troost Avenue in KCMO, you’re bound to pass by historic Kansas City staples that, for some, will bring back the nostalgia. Go Chicken Go, The Landing Mall, Niecie’s Restaurant and more. Further down, off 76th Street, stands a historic record store that has been a part of the fabric of inner Kansas City. After 50 years, 7th Heaven, a popular music record store, will close its doors in November. The announcement was made recently online and has since received overwhelming support.
Wausau, WI | Business Spotlight: Norwegian Wood. This week we shine a spotlight on Norwegian Wood, a new addition to downtown Wausau, which offers a refreshing blend of casual, affordable fashion, candles and other home goods, and a treasure trove of vinyl records. This unique shop, located in the heart of the city’s River District at 525 N. Third St., carries a thoughtfully curated selection of clothing alongside thousands of new and used records, catering to music enthusiasts and style-conscious shoppers alike. From rare finds in the vinyl bins to comfortable, stylish attire, Norwegian Wood brings together a cozy, laid-back shopping experience for anyone looking to discover something special. Store owners Tristan and Gabrielle Shier describe themselves as a regular couple with a shared dream of opening a welcoming space where all types of people can enjoy a one-of-a-kind retail experience.
Karachi, PK | Have you seen treasure trove of rare vinyl records in Karachi: Muhammad Hussain has a personal collection of over 30,000 vinyl records. Karachi is home to a hidden treasure for music enthusiasts, featuring an extensive collection of vintage vinyl records. Muhammad Hussain is one of them. He boasts a personal stash of over 30,000 vinyl records, considered the “largest collection in Pakistan.” His collection includes rare records from renowned artists such as Noor Jahan, Mehdi Hassan, Ahmed Rushdi, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and Nazia Hassan. Hussain told Aaj News that the sound quality of vinyl records surpasses that of modern digital formats, attracting inquiries from around the world from people eager to obtain these rare finds. His collection has become a resource for preserving the music of the past.
Goldring’s first turntable in nearly 20 years marries hi-fi credentials with modern convenience: With built-in phono stage and Award-winning cartridge. Goldring hasn’t been in the turntable game in a long while. Its peak popularity was in the 50s and 60s (with collaborations with fellow turntable brand Lenco) but, as vinyl’s popularity faded, the 118-year-old brand continued specialising in cartridges rather than full decks. Until now. Goldring has decided that a comeback to the turntable market is the right course, nearly 20 years after its last effort (the GR2 in 2005). It is a crowded market these days—Pro-Ject unveiled three new affordable decks last week, while Audio-Technica launched a flagship AT-LP8X model—but Goldring aims to combine audiophile principles with modern convenience. To that end, the new Goldring GR3 turntable is a manual, belt-drive design with tonearm and cartridge included. It features a phenolic resin platter with enhanced flywheel effect—greater mass on the rim—that ensures consistent rotational speed, with 33 1/3 and 45 rpm speeds supported.
St. Catharines, ON | Editorial: How streaming services hinder our enjoyment: In the age of streaming services granting quick and nearly unlimited access to movies, music and television series, the cost of such instantaneous and ubiquitous access might be the desire to be entertained itself. By 2019 streaming services made up the majority of music revenue for the first time ever. It is somewhat surprising, then, that after three decades of the lowest sales ever for vinyl records, the number of purchases started to go back up in the last 10 years, reaching around the same figure in the late-90s in the United States (50 billion). Mind you, this slight bump in vinyl sales happened alongside the ascendency of streaming services to the throne of the most-used music medium. And this correlation isn’t confined to just music, even DVDs have seen a (very) marginal rise in purchases in the last few years, with whole communities being formed online with their community’s identifying feature being their shared preference of purchasing film in physical format.
As Cassettes Come Back, the Dilemma Is Finding a Tape Deck: Musicians and fans have developed a new taste for an old format, but manufacturers largely stopped making players. Listeners are finding creative (and vintage) solutions. When Taylor Swift released “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” in an array of physical formats last year, Cora Buel knew she had to get the cassette right away. Buel, a 48-year-old based in Daly City, Calif., is a fan of Swift’s music—an affinity she shares with her teenage daughter, who has since bought her mother more tapes as gifts. One main reason? Buel drives a 1998 BMW Z3, and has no other convenient options for on-the-road album playback. “Just get an old car that only plays cassettes,” Buel said, “and you’ll listen every day.” Although Buel might be an extreme proponent of retro design—she works as chief revenue officer at ThredUp, an online consignment store—the cassette’s return is by now almost as unmistakable as the format’s distinctive hiss and warble.
CD vs vinyl: Which sounds better and why it matters: When it comes to comparing digital bits and vinyl grooves there’s more to consider than initially meets the ear. It’s a debate that’s raged for decades. Which music format is best—CD or vinyl? Vinyl may have had a near death experience, but CD has never gone away—and now the two rivals are squaring up to one another all over again. According to the last set of figures released by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry), LP sales continue to grow at their fastest rate for more than a decade. In 2023, the music business saw sales rise 11.8% to 6.1 million units. Even in this age of streaming, it seems everyone loves getting their hands on a vinyl album. But the Compact Disc, introduced in 1982 as the digital successor to the analogue platter, is holding firm at 10.8m units annually. It may not be quite so fashionable, but the humble CD continues to shift units. If you’re a born again record buyer (or a new convert), is now the right time to once again turn to the CD?
