Vancouver, CA | Visiting the record stores of Vancouver: Five spots for your landmark list the next time you’re in Canada. With a huge selection of record stores, spanning an extraordinary range of genres and tastes, Vancouver has plenty to offer both casual vinyl fans and the most dedicated crate-digger alike. VF’s Kelly Doherty recently hit the streets of Vancouver for a taste of nature, and culture and, importantly, to check out the local record stores. Check out five of the best spots that Vancouver has to offer.
St. Petersburg, FL | Vinyl records are back, but some things have changed: “…To succeed here, you have to keep changing with the times,” said Erin Stoy, general manager of Sound Exchange, which has locations in Tampa and Pinellas Park. “Any business, you have to keep adapting.” Sound Exchange was founded in 1987, when the CD was all the rage. “It used to be that everybody bought physical music,” Stoy said, “and so Christmas seasons were crazy at the stores, because everybody had CDs, records and tapes on their list. “But that went away. Music stores are a niche thing. Instead of where there’s at least one in every mall in America.” Used vinyl sales – including, of course, those “digger” boxes of $1 records ubiquitous at every media outlet, thrift store and flea market – are not counted by the RIAA. The report only includes new vinyl. Record companies, always quick to react when there’s a buck to be made, are back in the vinyl business
Hackney, UK | Hackney record store Vinyl Pimp is offering customers the chance to stay overnight: Ever been deep into the dig and not wanted to go home? Well now’s your chance. Hackney Wick record store Vinyl Pimp is offering guests the chance to rent out the shop’s guest suite overnight with access to its full catalogue. Dubbed a “first-of-its-kind experience”, Vinyl Pimp are offering the room free of charge provided guests spend more than £200 in-store on weekdays or £250 on weekends, while a second guest will have to spend an extra £100. Vinyl Pimp announced the overnight experience on Instagram yesterday, explaining that guests will also have access to a large collection of rare vinyl and bargain records. “Immerse yourself in the world of vinyl with a stay at our guestroom, located right in the heart of Hackney Wick,” they said. “The room is decked out with everything you need for a comfortable and unique stay.” According to the store, the room features a listening booth “to ensure that you can fully enjoy your vinyl listening experience,” and a cosy mezzanine bed.
Champaign, IL | Vinyl records spin back into popularity: Despite the current age of streaming, many still choose to listen to physical albums on record players, even though vinyl albums cost more and are more difficult to find. Joseph McLain, junior in LAS, said he began to collect records because of the art on their covers. Eventually, he began listening to the records as well. “I ended up investing in a decent record player, and I kind of realized that the sound quality is nicer than you can get on a CD or streaming services,” McLain said. McLain said he used the same speakers for digital and physical music, which made the differences apparent. “There are just small details that you can notice on the vinyls that I don’t think you can always pick up in a digital recording,” McLain said. McLain said that in streamed music, recordings have lost softer sounds because of how the songs get compressed into digital forms.
Glasgow, UK | New Glasgow record store welcomes shoppers to Sauchiehall Street: Assai Records will be a welcome addition to Glasgow city centre. Glasgow’s newest record store Assai Records has opened its door to the public for the first time today. The new shop is on Sauchiehall Street just a stones throw away from the Glasgow Film Theatre and is a welcome addition to the city’s buzzing music scene. This venture is Assai’s third shop having already opened stores in Dundee and Edinburgh. There is still a huge demand for vinyl records in the city and this opening may provide the street with a boost having struggled in recent years due to the pandemic and other issues. Assai Records has been on a journey in recent years and continues to grow from strength to strength having opened their first store up back in 2015. Scottish band Brownbear were the first act to perform in the shop with Assai being well-known for hosting in-store live events.
Harrisonburg, VA | Blue Sprocket Pressing staying busy with continued vinyl record boom: “…We saw the demand from artists in this area and regionally for vinyl records. We saw a lot of demand for them at concerts and stores and people were having a hard time getting them in a timely fashion. So we decided to start looking at what it would cost to manufacture them,” said Logan Stoltzfus, Co-Owner of Blue Sprocket Pressing. When Blue Sprocket first began making records its owners thought that they would primarily be serving Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic community but it now ships them to clients all over the world. “We ship records all over North America, we’ve shipped them to Asia, we’ve shipped them to Australia, to Europe. So we work on titles for national and international artists,” said Chris Jackson, Co-Owner of Blue Sprocket Pressing. “Despite being a small plant from a capacity standpoint we’re pretty tied into the international vinyl boom.”
Greensburg, PA | Renaissance of vinyl records prompts Greensburg pop-up sale: The vinyl renaissance has fueled festivals, conventions and stores focused on records, including a pop-up shop Saturday at Green Beacon Galley in Greensburg. A few sellers set up inside the East Pittsburgh Street gallery with boxes of their wares for record hunters and prices starting at a couple bucks. “It seems like ‘the kids’ are definitely starting to get into it,” said Steven Hooks of Greensburg, who previously ran The Department of Records about a block away. The annual report agreed. Gen Z music listeners are 27% more likely to buy an album on vinyl compared to the average music listener. Taylor Swift broke a single-week vinyl sales record with the release of her “Midnights” album, and 36% of her first-week album sales were vinyl, the report stated. The record runs about $30.
