Seattle, WA | Lynnwood man runs major record store out of his garage: Kevin Grigsby runs an impressive record store out of his home, aptly named the “Vinyl Garage.” His collection has grown to more than 100,000 over four decades. A Lynnwood man is gaining attention for a unique collection that has now been growing for more than four decades. Kevin Grigsby owns the “Vinyl Garage,” a record store out of the garage in his Lynnwood home. Grigsby bought his first record in 1964. Since then his collection has grown to more than 100,000. “It’s the best record store in the freaking state. I can tell you that and everyone will tell you that,” Grigsby said. Because his collection has become so big he hasn’t parked a vehicle in his garage in years. “I haven’t parked in here since I told my wife that these boxes weigh 75 pounds each,” Grigsby said while looking at dozens of boxes. So what is it about vinyl that he loves so much?
Sheffield, UK | How Sheffield musical archivist’s label is cutting it with handmade vinyl records. As the saying goes, if you want something doing, do it yourself – or, as the name of Jon Downing’s cottage-industry record company puts it in classic Yorkshire dialect, Do It Thissen. Jon, an enthusiast of Sheffield’s music scene for decades, keeps a studio in the middle of the city where he puts out releases by local bands. But Jon, who took early retirement from his job in IT, has gone further than most by taking delivery of a specially-made lathe cutting machine, allowing him to create small quantities of vinyl records for South Yorkshire acts. While there are others offering such a service nationally, he believes he is the only person in Yorkshire able to produce discs in such a way. “I think the nearest is a guy in Manchester,” he says. “They’re definitely all over the place, but I don’t think there’s anyone else in the vicinity. Not that I know of anyway. There could be but I’ve not found them.”
Hamilton, OH | Hamilton record store has a new location: Main Street Vinyl has moved to a new location not far from where it got its start last year. The business, which opened at 227 Main Street in April 2017, moved last month to 222 Main Street just across the street and a little closer to the High Main Street Bridge, signing a 3-year lease, according to co-owner Bill Herren, who operates the business with his sons. The new location is a better option for the business because it offers a better layout and lighting, Herren said. Main Street Vinyl offers “a little bit of everything,” including albums from rock, soul, blues, country, jazz and reggae artists and groups. Each album generally sells for $5, $10, $15 or $20. Newly pressed vinyl arrives at the store three or four days a week and consists of actual new albums and reissues of classic albums in an artist’s catalog. New arrivals are highlighted via a Facebook post flipping through a bin holding each album.
Wired: The best record players for any budget in 2018. We may be in the streaming age, but this hasn’t stopped vinyl sales booming. Audiophiles and analogue devotees, as well as digital converts, are rediscovering the joys of records. Here we pick our top record players for any budget. Some revivals are a triumph of hype over reality – the current Suede comeback, for starters. But the 21st century’s enduring passion for vinyl records has a little more substance beyond fetishising an ancient technology. Vinyl satisfies on a number of fundamental levels – tactility, for instance, and (most fundamental of all) quality of sound. Here are the best turntables 2018’s money can buy, no matter if that money is less than £150 or more than £8k.
