South Devon, UK | Record store gets into the 21st-century groove with Start Up Loans: A husband-and-wife team are bringing a South Devon record store into the 21st century with the help of a Start Up Loan. The £5,000 loan, secured with the assistance of not-for-profit lender GC Business Finance, was used to update the shop’s branding, website and online sales provision. Lifelong vinyl fans Roger and Marsha Cox took over Phoenix Sounds in Newton Abbot in 2022 upon the retirement of its previous owner. “We were regular customers, and one day, sales assistant Jackie asked us, half-joking, ‘Would you like to buy the shop?’” recalls Roger, a fan of 80s music including Simple Minds and Depeche Mode. “We replied: yes, please! It was a huge step—we had to remortgage the house. At the time, I was working 80-hour weeks as an area manager for a cleaning company. In contrast, this isn’t work—we both love music. It was a no-brainer.”
Austin, TX | Last day parties at Waterloo Records mark final bow at North Lamar location: The decades-old record store is starting its farewell residency tour March 11 before it relocates to a spot down the road on North Lamar. Waterloo Records is hosting its Last Day Parties March 11 through March 14, featuring a variety of artist concerts throughout the week. Musical acts include Hope Tala, Vanessa Zamora, Jo Hill,Charley Crockett and more. The events are free and open to all ages, with most performances open to the public without badges, wristbands and RSVPs required. Capacity limits may apply. A number of sponsors and partners, including White Claw, Gold Rush Vinyl, Tequila 512, Rambler Water and more will be giving out a limited number of samples, vinyls and other products throughout the week-long celebration.
Milwaukee, WI | Vintage shop On and On Milwaukee rounds out flourishing block; offers fun promo: Love local art, vinyl records, vintage items and clothing? Put On & On Milwaukee on your swing-by list. The new biz also partnered with 10 vintage shops for “March Market Meltdown.” Until recently, Milwaukee and Scranton, Penn. had very little overlap. But now we have a vintage and handmade shop in Walker’s Point that’s the sister store to a similar spot in Scranton. (Yeah, yeah there will be more about “The Office.” Keep reading.) In October, On and On Milwaukee opened at 1031 S. 5th St. inside a former auto body shop. The marketplace features 40 local artists and vendors selling art, jewelry, vintage clothing and household items, vinyl records in an area of the shop called “Record Town” and more. “It’s a little bit of everything,” says co-owner Meegan Possemato.
Dallas, TX | Garland Welcomes 2 New Record Stores: The Dallas suburb is a record haven, with new locations from Josey and Dead Wax. On Saturday, May 17, the Texas Music Office will hold a ceremony in downtown Garland to designate the Dallas suburb as a “music-friendly city.” The ceremony comes amid a weekend celebration for Willie Nelson’s seminal Red Headed Stranger album, released and recorded 50 years ago in Garland. The city has done much in recent years to cultivate and grow its community, culminating in a massive revamp of its downtown square in 2023. The surrounding area may be starting to take notice. This month will mark the second local record store to open a new location in Garland. In November, North Texas music behemoth Josey Records opened its third location on Northwest Highway. The grand opening was on Saturday, Nov. 9, preceded by two days of soft launch celebration.
Hove, UK | Hove high street’s ‘longest serving’ store thriving 40 years on amid vinyl revival: The ‘longest serving’ record store in Hove’s busy high street continues to thrive 40 years on. Julian Pelling has owned Fine Records in George Street, Hove since 1984 after taking it over from the previous owners. The store sells a wide range of new and pre-used Classical CD’s and also specialises in stock of Jazz, nostalgia, and soundtracks on second hand vinyl records including many rare collectables all in mint or near mint condition. Julian spoke to The Argus, sharing how “special” his time has been on the Hove high street. “We have had marvellous times over the last 40 years, and we still have a very a loyal customer base and lots of people come and see me,” Julian said. “We have got huge stocks, as you can see, of virtually everything.”
Long Beach, CA | Why legendary record store Fingerprints is moving away from Downtown Long Beach: After 14 years, Fingerprints Music is calling it quits on Downtown Long Beach. The store, known for live music and signings by high-profile acts, said Monday it will relocate by the end of March to a 5,000 square-foot space in Bixby Knolls. Workers this week were packing cardboard boxes and removing vinyls from racks along the Fourth Street storefront’s outer racks. According to owner Rand Foster, they began moving merchandise to the new location Monday as painters finished up there. Foster said he hopes to open this month, in time for International Record Store Day on April 12. Once relocated, the shop will likely not have live music until it can acquire the proper city permits. “We’re still open, and we don’t have a closed day yet,” Foster said.
Philadelphia, PA | Today’s Biggest Hits Are On Vinyl at Latchkey Records: Most record stores have their niche, at Sit and Spin on Lambert you can find Punk records and local Metal bands, at SOOK Vinyl and Vintage you can find deep cuts by world-renowned Black artists, but at Latchkey Records on Passyunk Ave you can find all of the most modern and popular records in culture today. “We started as a little bit more of an 80’s and 90’s variety shop and it has blossomed into a full-scale record store focused on new releases and classics,” said Latchkey Records owner Mark Folleti. When asked why Latchkey made the pivot from 80’s and 90’s records to newer releases, Folleti explained “Basically customer requests and demands. Records were the most popular thing in the shop by far.”
Hillsborough, NJ | The Hillsborough Record Riot! Over 10,000 vinyl records in ONE ROOM! CDs too. Sunday March 30th! BIG VINYL RECORD SALE! The Hillsborough Record Riot RETURNS! It’s a FUN VINYL RECORD POP-UP sale! Over 40 dealer tables in one room! Great music and family fun. LPs, CDs and 45s. A giant record store lands in Somerset County! Dealers from far and wide converge for a giant music sale! LPs and 45s and CDs too. All types of music from punk to funk to country to classic rock, hip hop, soul/jazz and more. Dust off that turntable and come on down. DOOR PRIZES TOO! Regular admission starts at 10 AM ($5) with early admission at 9 AM ($15). Don’t miss the BIG VINYL DIG!
Opinion: Physical media is timeless: Gen Z is reverting to physical media, and it’s more relevant than ever in an era ruled by technology. As streaming continues to be the main line of entertainment, we’re rediscovering old media treasures from another time. From visiting vinyl record stores and bringing digital cameras to parties, Gen Z is participating in activities our parents and grandparents once did. Millennials and Gen Xers have told me stories about how cumbersome it was to carry a flip phone, camera, Walkman and even a flashlight wherever they went. Now, they’re content with having those all in one device. Gen Z tends to land on both sides of the timeline.
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