Bridgeport, CT | The Emporium, Bridgeport record shop to close its doors this month: A Bridgeport store specializing in vinyl records and antique books and ephemera will be closing down at the end of this month, according to its owner, Mike Roer. The Emporium’s last day is March 31, Roer confirmed to Connecticut Insider. “The traffic really never recovered after COVID,” Roer said, adding that he noticed car and foot traffic dwindle near the shop post-pandemic. The Fairfield Avenue shop boasts thousands of vinyl records that range from house music to classic rock. Shelves of the store also have antiquarian books and other historical items for sale. Roer said that some of the books and “historical items and historical ephemera” will be donated to Bridgeport’s library.
Lynchburg, VA | RiverView Vinyl moves to 5th street: A Lynchburg record store has moved locations with big plans in the works. RiverView Vinyl is now open in the former Easy Speak Dance Hall space on Fifth street. Co-Owner Steven Ramsey said they are excited to have more room to expand and host events. “The bar, being able to run larger shows at that point, obviously not too big, but music is a big part of what we do here and live music at that point is also very important,” Ramsey said.
Upper Darby, PA | This Upper Darby Record Collector Has a Store, But You Shouldn’t Stay Too Long: The owner of R&B Records in Upper Darby has an interesting customer approach: if you must come to his store, don’t stay long and know what you want, writes Beccah Hendrickson at 6abc. Val Shively prefers doing business by mail. “This is a landfill, not a record shop,” he said. The store, open since 1990, gives him somewhere to keep his extensive collection. “I sell records. I sell enough to still be here. But I love to buy, that’s my game. That’s me at my best,” Shively said. The older and more obscure, the better. He’s been collecting records since the 1950s. “I heard this record ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ by Elvis Presley when I was 12 years old, and I went nuts. I don’t know what it was. It just hypnotized me or mesmerized me or something,” he said. It’s possible he has the largest record collection in the world, numbering in the millions.
Memphis, TN | Record company opening warehouse in Memphis: Light in the Attic Records announced plans to open a warehouse in Memphis. Light in the Attic was established in Seattle in 2002. They largely produce re-issues of classic albums on vinyl. The company is seeking to hire employees in Memphis. They will join Memphis Record Pressing in the Bluff City, which already produces about 100,000 records each day.
West, TX | West Library gives away free vinyl records; ends era, starts new traditions: The West Library is giving away its vinyl record collection on the first floor until March 14. The vinyl records are first come, first served, completely free of charge and open to all students, faculty and staff. The giveaway is a result of the West Library removing vinyl from its services due to low student interest. Amber Sulich, library services and assessment manager, played a big part in making the decision. “It’s the end of the vinyl era here at the university,” Sulich said. “It’s better that they’re out with people who will appreciate them than catching dust.” Over the past few months, library workers have been assessing the condition of their vinyls and categorizing them into genres. While the library initially considered selling the collection to Half-Price Books, they later decided on a giveaway.
Leeds, UK | RA to bring pop-up charity record shop Dig Deep to Cosmic Slop in Leeds next month: All proceeds from the April 5th market and fundraising party with Cosmic Slop will go to War Child and the Leeds-based MAP Charity. After successful editions in London and Amsterdam, we’re bringing our pop-up charity record shop, Dig Deep, to Leeds next month. Set to take place at Hope House on Saturday, April 5th, Dig Deep offers a curated selection of donated records from DJs, collectors, labels and distributors. The daytime market will host an assortment of DJ sets and culminate in a full-on fundraising event in the evening with Cosmic Slop, a revered local club night that counts the likes of Gilles Peterson, Mafalda and Caribou as regular bookings. …A full lineup and list of 2025 donors will be revealed soon.
St. Augustine, FL | Vinyl Record Pop-Up at Dog Rose Brewing, 3/27: Join us at Dog Rose Brewing on Thursday, March 27th, for a Vinyl Record Pop-Up event featuring local vendors. Tonevendor and Modern Music will be offering hundreds of vinyl records for sale, as well as other music related merchandise PLUS: guest DJs will be spinning all-vinyl throughout the evening on a mobile soundsystem, AND there will be drink specials at the bar! Looking forward to seeing you all there.
London, UK | The charity record sale with a difference, Secret 7”, is back: The initiative sees 700 vinyls in one-of-a-kind record sleeves designed by world-class artists exhibited and auctioned to raise money for charity. Secret 7”, the charitable initiative which invites creatives both established and up-and-coming to submit artwork for the sleeves of 700 vinyl records, is back for its ninth edition. The event is presented by War Child, the charity that will be the recipient of the proceeds, which provides protection, education and mental health support to children in conflict zones. The initiative selects seven tracks from global musicians, pressing each onto 100 limited-edition 7” vinyl records. Secret 7” then asks creatives to design a one-of-a-kind sleeve for each record, interpreting the track in any style or medium they want. This year, the event partnered with Design and Art Direction’s New Blood initiative, which hosted an open call for emerging talent to take part.
Enfield, MA | Enfield Record Riot returns for second year March 15: Record Riots will have its second Enfield Record Riot on Sunday, March 16 at American Legion, 566 Enfield St. Admission is $5 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and early admission is $10 and begins at 8 a.m. There will be over 40 tables of LPs & CDs. If you’re a music lover and avid record collector, this is your chance to walk into vinyl record heaven, digging in the crates for some of your favorite artists. …Record Riots have been hosting vinyl record shows for about 19 years. The first real Record Riot took place on June 29, 2008, in Brooklyn, New York, at the Polish American club, Warsaw, in Greenpoint. Since then, Record Riots have run 50 to 60 different events a year ranging from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
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