Moorhead, MN | One of the region’s oldest record stores on verge of closing: A long-time record and gift store in Moorhead says they may be forced to close if they can’t find a way to make ends meet. Mother’s is located at 431 Main Avenue and has been operating in Moorhead for 54 years. They say the store has never fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that shopping behaviors have changed with people streaming and ordering online. Another factor is the spike in record and CD prices. They say all of these things combined have left them in limbo for several years. “Unless we can raise $5,000+ dollars in 2 weeks, after 54 years, we’ll likely permanently close on July 1st. Our rent went up 20% about a year and a half ago too. Other expenses like insurance & utilities have gone up as well,” Owner Brady posted on social media. The owner says for the past three years they’ve barely turned a profit, and when they do, the money goes to past-due bills.
Vashon, WA | Former lead singer of The Fray finds his happy place on Vashon Island: He recently opened the island’s only record store. As lead singer of the multi-platinum selling band The Fray, Isaac Slade has lived the dream of every rock musician. “The Fray was incredible. It was a journey that I thought would last for three to four years, and then I’d come back home with some stories,” said Slade. “I told somebody it was like a rocket ship; we all just tied our lanyards onto him like, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if,’ and then the thing started to go and we’re like, ‘Oh, gosh, here we go!'” …Now instead of the spotlight, Slade spends his days as a happy husband and a stay-at-home dad. …But you can’t separate a musician from music. Recently Slade opened a record store in downtown Vashon. “It’s Side Stack Records. We have 6,000 vinyl records and then a bunch of cool stuff I like,” said Slade.
Tauranga, NZ | Anonymous customer tries to have record store shut because of ‘disgusting’ cat chilling near coffee maker: A New Zealand record store has reached out to an “anonymous” customer who complained about the shop’s resident 15-year-old cat in an effort to shut the place down. Vinyl Destination in Tauranga sells records, CDs, DVDs, comics and other pop-culture pieces. It is also home to deaf and beloved cat named Callaway, hailed as the store’s mascot. Storeowner Luke Wormald took to Facebook on Wednesday to hit back at an anonymous customer who complained that having Callaway on the premises was “very unprofessional”. Rather than take go elsewhere, the anonymous customer felt it necessary to point out the “cat was in a place where you sell food – it’s disgusting.” So the Vinyl Destination team responded to the complaint, informing the anonymous customer that it was legal for cafes to have a cat on site for “the purpose of rodent control.”
Chattanooga, TN | The Record Store: Need Some Furniture With That Vinyl? Today we’re profiling St. Pete’s Records in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “I have a customer who sets up and services aquariums…” says Keith Wilson, of the large fish tank adorning his office at St. Pete’s Records, ironically located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “The fish are African Cichlids. They’re one of the most territorial species of fish. They basically chase each other around all day.” St. Pete’s isn’t hard to find. But when I went there for the first time about a year ago, I was confused by two things: that it was surrounded by industrial parks and the large red-lettered sign on the building that read Furniture & Records. I questioned if I was in the right place. “You know, there’s a saying…” Keith says. “The way a shop treats its records is how customers will look at them. The more you can organize, the bigger your sales will be. Having only been up here [in Chattanooga] a little over two years, I’ve just watched sales keep going up.”
Colorado Springs, CO | Independent Records Closes: Impact on Colorado Springs’ Media Shops: In August 2023, Independent Records closed after 45 years of service to Colorado Springs. Over its lifetime, Independent Records hosted signings and performances by artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Kendrick Lamar, and Green Day; opened multiple locations across Colorado; and was part of the coalition of record stores that invented Record Store Day. The demise of this behemoth in Colorado Springs’ music scene raises an alarming question—how long can remaining record shops, video game stores, and book retailers keep hanging on? Independent Records was founded in 1978 by brothers Orville and Lewis Lambert. “It was a particularly welcoming era to be in the music business in the ’70s and ’80s,” said Judy Negley, former co-owner of Independent Records. But as the digital age came about, Independent Records began to struggle. “I was naive enough to never see the internet so much as a threat,” Negley said. “I thought we could use that, and it would benefit everybody.”
IL | End of an era: Iconic music store chain shutting down in Illinois: The bad news continues with another iconic retail chain going out of business and closing down all its locations in Illinois. I understand that shopping on the Internet is a lot easier. After just a couple of clicks of the mouse, you’re item is ordered. In some cases, it will be on your front porch the next day. Sometimes you can even get a better deal. Plus, brick-and-mortar stores’ inventory isn’t what it used to be and you might not be able to find it. That is unfortunate because kids won’t be able to experience the thrill of going to an actual store, finding the special item they’re looking for, and busting out their allowance money to purchase it. I believe that especially holds true when you’re talking about music stores. I remember my friend and I riding our bikes to our local instrument retailer to check out the latest and greatest guitars on the market. There’s something special about picking up an axe that your hero plays and rocking out some licks in the shop.
77% of vinyl collectors would pay more for sustainably produced records, survey shows: Heavyweight pressings were also called into question, signaling a potential shift in priorities. A new survey of vinyl collectors has revealed two-thirds would buy more records if they were more sustainably produced. Meanwhile, 77% would pay a premium for wax with a reduced environmental impact. The research, conducted by the UK’s largest broker for physical music production, Key Production, also shows uncertainty around the value of 180g heavyweight pressings. 70% of vinyl buyers either saw no advantage to the product, or were uncertain it offered tangible benefits. A previous study had revealed that Gen Z – those in the 18-24 age bracket – were not only listening to more vinyl, CDs and cassettes than any other demographic, but were also willing to pay more for music on record if it had been made with more environmentally-friendly materials and processes.
Atlanta, GA | Braves to Give Away Strider-Inspired Vinyl Record: Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider is a self-professed big fan of alternative and indie rock bands. The Braves will honor their injured ace with an August giveaway that will highlight his taste in music. On Aug. 7, when the Milwaukee Brewers come to town, the first 15,000 fans through the gates at Truist Park will receive a 7-inch vinyl record featuring three of Strider’s favorite Atlanta-based groups — Trash Panda, Dinner Time and Lunar Vacation. Strider personally selected each of the bands for the collaboration. …The inspiration for the project was Strider’s love of local, independent music, combined with his interest in wanting to put more bands on the forefront of the Atlanta music scene. The genesis of the idea was sparked last season when he visited Detroit’s Third Man Records—a label owned by White Stripes front man Jack White—and saw the vinyl production operation in action.
