Kansas City, MO | Beloved Missouri Record Store Closing forever after 50 years: There are few record stores in Missouri that are better known than this one and truth be told, it has been much more than a place to find your favorite vinyl. Sadly, it will now be closing its doors forever in November. I saw the Kansas City Star report this week that 7th Heaven which has been a part of the lifestyle of that area for five decades. 7th Heaven has always been a combination of many things—music, smoke shop and really a community that embraced it and made it the special place that it is for many. KSHB in Kansas City spoke with owner Jan Fichman about the decision to close and he seemed to infer that the passing years and friends who have had medical problems and even passed on played a role in his decision to close the doors. Both stories say that 7th Heaven plans to close sometime in November, but no exact date has been decided upon just yet. A lot will depend on how quickly their current inventory can be sold and there is even talk of a big party to celebrate its last day.
Chicago, IL | Music Community Rallies Around Gramaphone Records Owner Michael Serafini After Fall: In less than a week, the Chicago music community has raised over $47,000 to help pay for Serafini’s medical bills. The Chicago music scene is rallying behind Gramaphone Records owner and DJ Michael Serafini after he fell and sustained serious injuries. Serafini was helping his partner move into a new home that was being partially remodeled when he fell through a hole in the floor and landed on concrete in the basement. He suffered multiple rib fractures, spinal fractures and a lacerated skull that required 10 staples. After weeks in the hospital and extensive physical therapy, the medical bills and medication costs added up. Serafini’s sister, Tina Serafini, started a GoFundMe to help pay for Michael’s bills. In just one week, friends in the Chicago music scene, regular customers of the record store and others have raised over $47,000 to help Serafini get back on his feet.
Seattle, WA | Community rallies around West Seattle record shop after flood: A West Seattle staple is recovering after a flood caused potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. A burst pipe in the apartment above Easy Street Records has destroyed an estimated 10,000 records and 500 hoodies, as well as other store merchandise. “We probably had three or four inches here on the floor,” said owner Matt Vaughan. “Then upstairs, that was just that was just raining down.” The pipe burst overnight Thursday into Friday. Vaughan estimates the water was running for several hours, before someone out on the street got a glimpse of it and called 911. “I really got to hand it to the Seattle Fire Department, because they found a way to get in here,” he said. “Busted through without making too much making too much damage, and was able to put tarps on most everything.” Vaughan still estimates the store is looking at roughly $200,000 in damage.
New Brunswick, CA | Longtime N.B. record store owner sells to Halifax-based Taz Records after 43 memorable years: Backstreet Records opened a Saint John shop in 1980, later expanding to Fredericton. Around 43 years ago, Gordie Tufts decided that after years of working in music retail, he was going to open his own used record store in Saint John. So off he went to Halifax to speak with the founder of Taz Records, the late Bob Switzer, and get some advice, as he owned a used record store at the time. And now, everything has come full circle. Tufts has decided to retire, and Taz Records is taking over ownership of the Saint John and Fredericton stores under a new name, Taz Backstreet. “It’s something after all these years to see it go to Taz,” Tufts said. The first Backstreet Records shop opened in 1980 in the Ritchie Building, a few doors from O’Leary’s Pub on Princess Street in uptown Saint John. But the store was destroyed by arson on Christmas Eve 1982. Two months later, Backstreet moved to a compact, 600-square-foot storefront at 124 Germain St., where it has been ever since.
Sussex, UK | Taylor Swift inspires new generation of vinyl collectors—here’s how you can get them restored in Sussex: A Sussex business offers unique services for vinyl enthusiasts. James Anderson, owner of Slipped Discs in Steyning and Shoreham, is confident he’s the only business in Sussex—and possibly much further afield – that offer specialist vinyl care and restoration services. In an interview with the All About Horsham Magazine (aahorsham.co.uk), James said: “Record collecting is traditionally an old man’s game, but more young people and women are getting involved, which is great. “Many of the best-selling artists of today, including Taylor Swift, Billy Eilish and Harry Styles, are releasing records on vinyl and that’s encouraging new collectors. There’s also demand for classic records from the 1990s and early 2000s, when CD was king.” With this in mind, James is keen to reach a wide range of audiences from his two shops in Shoreham and Steyning.
Hillsdale, MI | Try a Bob Seger or Jimi Hendrix latte while you shop for their music at Checker Records: Browse through a vast collection of music while enjoying some coffee that rocks at Checker Records. John and Robin Spiteri have owned the Hillsdale music store since the 1980s. As the music industry changed over the years, they knew they needed to make a change to keep the record store in business, Robin said. “We would spend time in coffee shops, just for something to do,” John said. “Borders, at the time, had coffee and books and we thought, ‘Well, why can’t we do that with coffee and music?’” So, they started serving coffee in 2003, Robin said. They sell a range of lattes, teas, smoothies, frappes, cappuccinos and plain drip coffee. “We do a medium, dark and a heavy caffeinated, light roast,” Robin said. “There’s about six to eight to choose from every day.” All the specialty drinks are named after famous rock stars—of course.
Oklahoma City, OK | Vinyl Record Show of Oklahoma City, OK / Edmond, OK: Find the Music You Love and the Memories It Holds at the Vinyl Record Show of Oklahoma City! Step into a world of nostalgia and discovery at the Hilton Garden Inn & Edmond Conference Center, where vinyl enthusiasts gather to celebrate the timeless charm of analog sound. With over 20 vendors from Oklahoma and surrounding states, you’ll find an incredible selection spread across 60 tables. What Awaits You: Vinyl LP Records: Tens of thousands, from budget-friendly $1.00 LPs to rare collectibles worth hundreds of dollars. There’s something for every music lover. More Treasures: Dig through a variety of music memorabilia, 45’s, CDs, T-shirts, posters, cassettes, and even a few 78’s. Exciting Door Prizes: Every attendee has a chance to win a free record, a cool T-shirt, or even tickets to future shows! Join us for your shot at some fantastic goodies.
TNA Wrestling’s Eric Young on Hosting ‘Vinyl Obsession’ & Season 2’s Celeb Record Fans: TNA Wrestling star Eric Young has been tapped to host Season 2 of AXS TV’s Vinyl Obsession. One might ask what makes the former World Champion a good candidate for this assignment. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find Young is a big record enthusiast having amassed more than 2,000 vinyl albums. He is also a regular on the Nashville music scene attending countless concerts. The show sees Young link up with some of the biggest names in and out of music as they decide their top five records of all time. Megadeth Dave Mustaine and radio personality Bobby Bones kick off the season with a trip to Grimey’s in Nashville. From there, former Skid Row lead singer Sebastian Bach and Foo Fighters’ Chris Shiflett take over the search at The Record Parlour in Los Angeles. Future episodes include guitarist John 5, Grammy winner Steve Vai, Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt, Bush’s Gavin Rossdale, 98 Degrees’ Jeff Timmons, pop icon Debbie Gibson, and more.
Aerosmith announces ‘Pump’ 35th Anniversary colored vinyl: Aerosmith is celebrating 35 years of their album 10th studio album Pump with a limited-edition, numbered 1-1989 custom color andromeda vinyl. The 35th Anniversary Pump Collection features an embossed logo jacket and a bonus 7″ single with fan favorites “Ain’t Enough” and “Deuces Are Wild” in grape color vinyl. The band has also released a Pump merch collection featuring a 1973 work shirt, track listing t-shirt, album cover t-shirt, crop t-shirt, and much more. Pump, produced by Bruce Fairbairn, was released on September 12, 1989 and peaked at #1 in Australia, #2 in Canada, #3 in The UK, and #5 in The United States. It’s since been certified seven times platinum in both Canada and The United States, in addition to being certified two times platinum in Australia. Pump contains the hit singles: “Love In An Elevator,” “Janie’s Got A Gun,” “What It Takes,” and “The Other Side.”
