Nuneaton, UK | Former Nuneaton beauty salon taken over by very different business: A former Nuneaton beauty salon has been given very different future – as a record shop. For almost a decade Beauty and Co was based on Church Road. The salon closed but a new business has opened up in the building, which is located opposite the Lamb and Flag pub. Reaper Records, according to its Link Tree page, is ‘bringing vinyl back from the dead‘. The independent store officially opened at the weekend and prides itself on buying and selling vinyl records and music memorabilia. The store is the new ‘HQ’ for the business, which also sells and buys on Instagram, eBay and Link Tree. Nuneaton is no stranger to playing home to independent record stores. For years, generations shopped in What Records in the town centre.
Columbia, SC | This legendary Columbia record shop has debuted renovations and upgrades. Take a look. The legend has returned home. Papa Jazz Record Shoppe, a staple in Columbia’s Five Points neighborhood for more than four decades, has officially reopened its longtime storefront at 2014 Greene St. The return to that address comes after roughly five months of renovations to the space. Papa Jazz had been operating out of a temporary space at 747 Saluda Ave. since July while the remodeling was going on. The return to 2014 Greene St. was marked Tuesday by a ceremony at the store that was attended by shop owner Tim Smith and his staff, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, City Councilman Will Brennan and a host of other city luminaries.
Washington, DC | Spin Time Records Has Opened a Physical Store: The Capitol Hill record store specializes in music from DC-area artists. Jon Lottman, who launched the virtual record store Spin Time Records in 2021, has opened a brick-and-mortar location to sell his well-curated selection of vinyl—a stock that heavily favors local musicians. Spin Time started as a pandemic-inspired career shift—Lottman used to work as a videographer and documentary filmmaker who focused on environmental issues. The idea was a way to combine the love he has for his hometown and his interest in record collecting. The Capitol Hill native says he believes that if record stores specialize in something, they bring a better experience to the customer. “People will ask, ‘Is this any good?’ If it’s in here, that means it’s at least pretty good,” he says. While the virtual business blossomed, Lottman spent years looking for a store location and jumping through bureaucratic hoops.
Dalston, UK | Vinyl Bitch: Dalston-based collective tackling turntablism inequality. …For the past year, Vinyl Bitch has been hosting monthly open decks at the queer venue Dalston Superstore on Kingsland High Street, but also workshops, record shop crawls and parties. Since they started, vinyl sales in the UK have hit the highest levels since 1990, and with over 15 record shops, their home borough Hackney is something of a hotspot for what’s now commonly referred to as the “vinyl revival”. Against this backdrop, Vinyl Bitch’s efforts to democratise vinyl DJ scene is riding the zeitgeist. “I think the timing of the resurgence of vinyl, and also the MeToo movement and kind of these continued discussions on making spaces more inclusive, and you know, FLINTA-focused spaces, I think just like… it’s time!” says founder Madison True, also known by her DJ alias MADDØG.
Letterkenny, UK | Vinyl and Vogue sale in Letterkenny Sustainable Hub to keep fashion and art alive: Circular Dress Collaborative, Letterkenny, is thrilled to announce the addition of vinyls of all genres to its sustainable clothing hub! Circular Dress Collaborative, located on the Thorn Road, opened in August as a hub for selling pre-loved and unworn garments, all aimed at combating climate change. The new female-led music collaboration will feature a diverse collection of records from thousands of artists which you can shop while browsing the designer wares in store! …Founder Sheila Clancy O’Donnell says: “Pairing music with our carefully curated clothing collection creates a dynamic space where preloved style and sound come together. We invite you to explore and celebrate the connections between both art forms. Join us as we elevate your shopping experience, where the beat of the music can inspire you to retell your fashion story!”
Liverpool, UK | Strawberry Field unveils vinyl of iconic single ‘Happy Xmas (War is Over)’ The Salvation Army’s Strawberry Field in Liverpool has unveiled a rare, limited edition vinyl acetate of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s iconic single, ‘Happy Xmas (War is Over)’. The new addition to the exhibition Strawberry Field is one of only 50 in existence and is on loan from The Musical Box in Liverpool, the oldest independent record shop in England, to help raise money for Strawberry Field’s Steps to Work programme. Independently owned and operated by the same family since 1947, The Musical Box holds a special place in music history, having been regularly visited by John Lennon and original Beatles drummer, Pete Best. Celebrating its 77th anniversary in 2024, the shop is run by third-generation owner, Tony Quinn, alongside his wife Paula and son Craig. Together, they have generously loaned this iconic record to the world-famous visitor attraction.
Long Beach, CA | The second annual Record Fair hosts a music lovers haven on 4th St. The Record Fair spins up rare finds for music lovers offering a wide variety of classic albums to browse. Tucked away on the corner of 4th St., among the sound of families leaving church and people dining on restaurant patios, was a collection of vintage vinyls, CDs and cassettes for sale at the second annual Record Fair on Dec. 8. Between 12 and 4 p.m., tents alongside 4th St. and Saint Louis Ave. offered posters, t-shirts and magazines in addition to the music selection. Music poured to the edges of the street from a DJ booth and friends combed through selections together, excitedly showing off their finds. Collectors targeted specific booths in hopes of finding a certain artist, while others marveled in finding albums that their parents once owned.
Rolling Stones Releasing ‘Hackney Diamonds’ Special Anniversary Edition Vinyl With Live Recordings: The Rolling Stones are celebrating the one-year anniversary of their Hackney Diamonds album with a special 2-LP vinyl re-issue. The legendary band’s 24th studio album dropped last October, marking their first new full-length LP of original material since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. The special edition on “clear blue splatter” vinyl features the original 12-track album – featuring the singles “Angry,” “Mess It Up” and “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” with Lady Gaga – plus seven additional live tracks recorded at a record release party at Racket in New York. That bonus disc features a mix of new tracks from the album (“Bite My Head Off,” “Angry,” “Whole Wide World”), as well as such classics as “Shattered,” “Tumbling Dice,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and a live version of “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” with Gaga.
