Albany, NY | After 70 Years, Blue Note Record Shop Still Going Strong: Blue Note Record Shop has been in the community for 70 years. Located at 156 Central Avenue in Albany, the music store specializes in vinyl and sells modern albums too. Blue Note was founded by the current owner’s parents, and he says generations of families make their way down to the store as a tradition. The business booms even more during the holidays thanks to iconic Christmas bops that are still alive today. Owner Biff Pock says there’s no coincidence sales are higher during the holidays. He says listening to classics is even better on vinyl. “That’s what mostly what the holidays are about. You know, being with your family, reminisce about the wonderful memories, and enjoying the holiday spirit. And that’s the beauty of vinyl. And it becomes a wonderful memory,” said Pock.
Essex, UK | This vinyl shop stocks one of the largest vegan wine selections in the UK: A couple has opened a vinyl record and organic, biodynamic vegan wine shop in Manningtree, Essex. The shop, appropriately named Winyl, is the brainchild of duo Whilmari Swift and Steve Tattam. Local news source East Anglian Daily Times reports that Tattam has more than 20 years experience selling vinyl, starting back in the late ’80s, when he worked for Virgin Megastore. Tattam eventually moved on, but said that the resurgence of vinyl prompted him to consider other career options. According to a report released by global data firm Nielsen last year, record sales have been on the rise for 12 consecutive years, with vinyl representing 14 percent of all physical album sales last year…Why unite records with vegan wine? Last September, Swift told the Harwich and Manningtree Standard that both are a passion of her husband’s.
Juneau, AK | Hit records: Vinyl shop sells out fast: Pop-up shop draws record-hungry crowd. The tartan tarp in the Alaskan Brewing Co. tasting room might as well have been a matador’s cape. Once it was lifted, a stampede started toward the boxes of records present for KXLL’s Pop-Up Record Shop Thursday evening. “When we started, we’d have eight boxes, and there’d be people throwing elbows,” said Annie Bartholomew, program director for KXLL. For the most recent shop, Thursday, Dec. 6, there were multiple rows of boxes and plenty of space in the new tasting room, although vinyl vultures made their passes through the wares in tight clusters. McLean Steadman was one of the collectors on hand before the shop opened. He’s been collecting records for about 20 years, he said. Most recently he came into record-playing equipment when a friend upgraded what they had and old gear found its way to Steadman.
Trinidad and Tobago | Cleve’s music store owner dies at 72: Cleve Calderon, founder of Cleve’s One Stop Music Shop, has died. Calderon, 72, started working in the music business at his cousin’s shop, Rhyner’s Record Shop at age 11. In 1994 he opened Cleve’s after giving up a career as DJ Nutcracker 2000. Since then, the popular music store continued to be the go-to place for music lovers to get local and international CDs and used records. The store remains operational on Frederick Street, Port of Spain. Calderon’s daughter, Krisann Calderon, told Sunday Newsday her father was ill and in and out of hospital for about a month before he died at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope on Friday at 3.30 pm. She said he and his family were prepared for the inevitable. “He was a very simple person. You tell him this is what it is and he just accept it for what it was. He was at peace.”
Whanganui, NZ | Vinyl lovers have a great day out in Whanganui: Vinyl lovers found some old favourites and rare gems at the record fair held at Lucky Bar + Kitchen on Saturday. Lucky Bar owner Georgie Ormond said there was a steady stream of browsers and buyers. “The weather was perfect and we had the bar open and pizzas for sale so people could stop and enjoy the garden bar. “There were around 10 stalls selling a wide variety and there were some interesting rarities for sale.” Ormond said a regular trader from Tauranga was doing brisk trade and one stallholder had a great collection of early NZ punk records for sale. “He has around 8000 records in his personal collection and he had some rare gems on sale. “Our regular Auckland guy didn’t come this time because he was going to the Straitjacket Fits and Dimmer gig on Saturday night.”
Christmas records hold nostalgia and value: For a recording artist to have a hit Christmas song that sticks around year after year after year is a huge success. Just think, ‘Jingle Bell Rock,’ ‘Blue Christmas,’ or ‘Silver Bells,’ all bring to mind each person’s vision of the perfect Christmas. Music touches our hearts and the songs of Christmas certainly ring a bell for most folks. Christmas albums are also interesting due to the diversity of the music an artist might record on the same album. They may do a zippy rendition of ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and on the same album a soul searching version of ‘Away in A Manger’ all to the delight of populace. Then to add to the conundrum these albums live on year after year continuing in popularity. No wonder collectors have zeroed in on them. There are some records or albums that not only speak to their feelings but to their pocketbook as well.
