Philadelphia, PA | Presenting ‘WXPN Homegrown Originals’: A Philly music celebration for Record Store Day 2023: The limited edition vinyl EP will be available on a first come, first served basis on Saturday, April 22nd, for customers at select record stores in the region. Here at WXPN, we love independent Philly music and independent Philly record stores. This spring, we’re combining those passions with the release of WXPN Homegrown Originals, a limited-edition vinyl EP available at select locations for Record Store Day 2023. Made possible with support from Dogfish Head Brewing, WXPN Homegrown Originals collects six exclusive live performances from six Philly-regional artists, recorded for WXPN. We’ll hear a revved-up Free At Noon performance by ska revivalists Catbite, an epic jam from funk crew SNACKTIME‘s Public Radio Music Day Key Studio Session, plus a raging Key Studio Session by indie rockers Riverby.
Cedar Falls, IA | Decades old record store reopens with revamped style: A Cedar Valley record store that opened nearly 30 years ago is back with a renovated look. Metro Records, 805 E. 18th St., in Cedar Falls is open for business. Started in 1994 by John Rohlf, the shop was sold to long-time customer Austin Wise in February. As a freshman in high school, Wise bought his first vinyl record from an antique mall — The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.” “Once I got it, my mom’s like, ‘Oh, let’s get a record player,’” Wise said. “It was so beat up and crackly and, oh my gosh, it was a whole new experience. I loved it.” Wise said he invited a friend over to listen to the record. “We’re like, we need to get more of these,” he said. “So the game was on at that point.” Then, Wise discovered Metro Records.
Reading, UK | Reading’s Pop Classics set to open first branch after 20 years of online business: An online music merchant is set to open its first bricks-and-mortar branch… and it’s opening here in Reading. Vinyl vendor and merchant of musical memorabilia Pop Classics has announced that it is set to open its first branch. A post to social media said: “After 20 years of selling vinyl records and pop memorabilia online, we have decided it is time to take the plunge.” While the opening date and exact location are yet to be announced, the post said that the store would be opening in Reading, and was tagged in Caversham. Pop Classics has been based in Reading during its two decades of collection and selling of records. It is run by Damian Jones, who works as a consultant for the Record Collector Price Guide and Channel 4’s Posh Pawn, as well as authoring a number of books on music.
Poulsbo, WA | Vinyl records shop set to open in Poulsbo: Owner wants to make Liberty Bay ‘destination location’ When Melanie Peters moved from San Diego to North Kitsap last year, she wanted to open a vinyl records business that had a similar feel and atmosphere to the shops she experienced growing up in Southern California. On April 8, Peters’ business Rockin’ Ruby’s Records will open its new storefront in Poulsbo on Lindvig Way near Liberty Bay. “I’ve been into record-collecting since I was a pre-teen. When I decided to leave California, I was like if I’m ever going to decide to do this, now is the time. We actually looked for a small town like Poulsbo. I love the topography, I love the small-town feel, and Poulsbo has never had a record store before,” she said. Peters grew up in Santa Barbara and would often head to the record store next to the original Habit Burger Grill, which has locations across the country. When she received her allowance as a child, she would stop by the shop to buy records and to hear performances by local musicians.
Washington, DC | Tiny Vinyl Shop at The Coupe, Grand Opening Party: Live DJ, raffles for free prizes and special deals on choice records! Tiny Vinyl Shop is opening a new popup location at The Coupe, where we’ll be offering the same great selection of curated vinyl you’ve come to expect from our Dupont Little Flea Market location on Sundays. We’re having a Grand Opening party in the bar at The Coupe, with a live DJ spinning choice cuts from our crates, raffles for cool prizes and special deals on selected items.
Rome, IT | Studiotamat unveils a vividly hued vinyl boutique for Roman record label Sounds Familiar: Nestled within a tiny space in the heart of Travestere in Rome, Roman record label, Sounds Familiar opens its storefront dedicated to vinyl lovers, celebrating ten years of the brand. The boutique transforms an old garage into a hip records emporium by local architecture practice, Studiotamat. The limited footprint of 40sqm demanded flexibility while disallowing any major masonry interventions. An open layout creates space for a vinyl-listening booth during the day that transforms into a meeting point and stage to host performances and DJ at night. The solid walls of the former garage were investigated to reveal large wooden beams behind the false ceiling, restored and cleaned to their former glory. All the furniture pieces are made of an iron structure, powder-coloured in a bright red shade, establishing uniformity throughout the room. The bold colour scheme is complemented by the delicate blending of textures and finishes, pairing warm, embracing hues with cooler tones, like the indigo of the walls.
PK | Soundscape: The return of vinyl. Over the past decade, vinyl records have made a major comeback. People purchased 1.2 billion dollars of records in 2022, a 20 percent jump from the previous year. Not only did sales rise, but they also surpassed CD sales for the first time since 1988, according to a new report from the Recording Industry Association of America. Who saw that coming? I certainly didn’t. In the mid-1990s, I sold off my family’s very large collection of records over my wife’s protests. I convinced her we needed the space, even if the buyer was picking up the whole stash for a song. Back then, of course, there were far fewer options for listening to music — it was years before on-demand streaming and smartphones. I now teach at a business school and follow the economy’s latest trends. Sales of records have been increasing since 2007, and the data shows the vinyl record industry’s rebound still has not peaked. Last year, the music industry sold 41.3 million albums, more than in any year since 1988.
Questlove Is Auctioning Off LPs From His Vinyl Collection for a Good Cause: The musician is giving away just a tiny fraction of his massive collection. Questlove owns more than 200,000 vinyl records, so it makes sense that he could stand to part with at least a few of them. And this Friday, that’s exactly what he’ll be doing: The Roots drummer, record producer, and vinyl collector is auctioning off a few records from his personal stash, Hypebeast reported on Tuesday. Via the live-stream shopping platform Whatnot, Questlove himself will be hosting the auction, which includes a tight selection of soul and jazz records. The lots mostly encompass vinyl from the ‘70s, including the Soul Searchers’ Salt of the Earth, the Ohio Players’ Ecstasy, the Headhunters’ Survival of the Fittest, the Dells’ Sweet as Funk Can Be, the Awakening’s Hear, Sense and Feel, 24-Carat Black’s Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth, and Kool & the Gang’s Music Is the Message. One earlier record was thrown into the mix—1967’s Why Am I Treated So Bad!, by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet—as was a 2014 print donated by the photography and interview project Dust & Grooves.
