UK | Dream high street for Brits includes vintage shops and record stores: Forget the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker – the perfect high street for modern Brits includes vintage shops, record stores and coffee houses. Researchers asked Brits to picture their dream high street, with a deli (38 percent), florist (45 percent) and ice cream parlour (41 percent) all coming high on the list of dream establishments. Modern Brits also love the idea of vintage shops (37 percent), farm produce shops (37 percent) and record stores (37 percent), while a clean living one in three (35 percent) dream of having a health food shop close to them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the top wish was a decent pharmacy (58 percent), while 45 percent of those surveyed said a decent local pub was a must have. According to new research by Smart Energy GB, 62 percent believe a good high street has a mixture of modern and traditional shops.
Manchester, UK | “I’m like a pig in s*** here”: The iconic south Manchester shop that inspired Noel and Liam Gallagher: “Mr. Sifter sold me songs when I was just 16.” “I’m like a pig in s*** here,” declares Pete Howard, perched behind the same counter he has manned for almost half a century. Shelf after shelf of vinyl records, CDs and cassette tapes surround him on all sides. …It may not look like it but Pete and his shop are part of musical history. The 76-year-old is perhaps best known by his nickname—Mr Sifter—named after his beloved second hand record shop in Fog Lane, Burnage. Both Pete and his shop were immortalised when he was namechecked in Oasis’s 1994 single Shakermaker. Sifters was once a favourite of a young Noel and Liam Gallagher, who would visit the shop to buy records before becoming famous. The brothers, who grew up in Burnage, loved the shop so much that they decided to write Mr Sifter into one of their earliest songs from their iconic album, Definitely Maybe.
Austin, TX | South Austin record store owner calls for compensation after condo construction impacts business access: Enzo Johnson said the city needs to start a fund to help local businesses as growth and construction impedes business. A local business owner is calling for compensation after he said new condo construction is blocking traffic into his shop. Enzo Johnson loves music and has owned the Living in Stereo record store since 2020. He called KVUE because he said his business is in danger. In September, he moved to a new location on Weidemar Lane in South Austin because construction and other city growing pains on South Congress Avenue were hurting business – not knowing the same issue would find him again. …”We’ve had to take out personal loans and business loans just to pay our rent, essentially,” said Johnson. “So we’ve lost tens of thousands of dollars over the last few months just because people cannot physically get to us.”
Silver Spring, MD | The Final Spin: Record Exchange Silver Spring Shutters on June 9: The Record Exchange at 8642 Colesville Rd. in downtown Silver Spring will permanently close on June 9. In an announcement posted on the shop’s Instagram account Monday afternoon, co-owner Brian France stated, “This was a difficult and heartbreaking decision, but we are unable to keep the doors open due to both financial and personal reasons.” Customers can continue to use all store credit and punch cards for the next two weeks, and orders placed online will still be delivered as originally planned. Customers who want to be included in the shop’s thank you video can email messages and short videos up to 35 seconds… Record Exchange Silver Spring opened in 1999, and its ownership was taken over by longtime employees Brian France and Sheila Hunt in 2019. According to The MoCo Show, the record shop’s Frederick location will continue to operate.
Venice, CA | Todd Snyder Opens a Third Store in California: Todd Snyder expanded his reach on the West Coast with the opening of a store in Venice, Calif., just in time for Memorial Day weekend. The New York-based designer opened a 1,700-square-foot store at 1337 Abbot Kinney Boulevard on May 24 in a converted Craftsman bungalow. The store is painted in the brand’s “Snyder olive” color, accented by dark walnut trims and Craftsman doors. The interior sports an airy, open layout with an earth tone palette intended to evoke the natural landscape of the California coastline. The store features Tambor wood and natural unfinished modular fixtures and paneling, Roman clay wash plastered walls, brass and Carrara marble details and custom tile work by Clay. …The store offers personalized shopping services as well as a vinyl record shop by Mr. Goodboy Record Carts and Light in the Attic Records.
South Bend, IN | South Bend Record Show returns for summer: The South Bend Record Show returns on Sunday, June 2, at The Gillespie Conference Center, Hilton Garden Inn. Organizers say there will be 38 vendors from six states occupying 100 tables to sell various music items. You’ll be able to find new and used LPs, 45s, CDs, cassettes, posters, vintage stereo gear, music T-shirts, record supplies, and more. “Imagine the biggest record store you have ever walked into, and then triple it,” said South Bend resident Jeremy D. Bonfiglio, the event organizer. “That is what it is like walking into the South Bend Record Show. There are tens of thousands of music items from an amazing roster of vendors. Whether you are new to vinyl or have been collecting for decades, no one will walk away from this show empty-handed.” Early entry admission is $7 starting at 9 a.m., and general admission opens at 11 a.m. for $2.
Marquette, MI | Jon and Geoff Record Show ushers in 11th year at Ore Dock Brewery: Now in its 11th year, The Jon and Geoff Record Show at The Ore Dock Brewery has been gaining in popularity for over a decade. With over 10,000 records on display and for sale, the record show has something for every musical taste. What sets this musical event apart from others is its commitment to the vinyl LP record. As co-founder Jon Teichman explains, the process of playing an actual record is a much more immersive experience, than downloading individual songs from the internet. From the artwork to the liner notes, to information about the artists, playing an actual LP record is so much more than just the music. “I think what really ties this all together is it’s a physical medium, you know, that you you can put it on your shelf, you can display, you can frame those record covers, you can share them with your friends, you can write your name on them,” Teichman said.
Toledo, OH | Glass City Record Show: Welcome to the Glass City Record Show! For The Record Vinyl, LLC is thrilled to continue the tradition of one of Ohio’s most popular music events! Join us on Sunday, June 9, for Northwest Ohio’s best record show at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 4256 Secor Road, Toledo, Ohio. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. General admission is $2. Explore nearly 50 tables filled with a selection of thousands of music items. Crate diggers will discover new and pre-loved LPs, 45s, CDs, cassettes, memorabilia, posters, and storage supplies. You’ll find classic rock, pop, metal, punk, prog rock, ’80s hits, and more. Select vendors also offer blues, jazz, R&B, soul, country, bluegrass, and other genres. The first 75 people in the door will receive a free record tote bag courtesy of BCW Supplies, who will be in attendance with sleeves, boxes, and more to protect, store, and display your collection.
Local Comic Shop Day is moving dates in 2024 (and may be canceled), as organizers look for changes: Local Comic Shop Day is coming sooner than you think—and its could be changing too. You’ve heard of Record Store Day—the one-day event where people are encouraged to visit their local record store and buy some vinyl. But have you heard of Local Comic Shop Day? Local Comic Shop Day was launched in 2015, and is being celebrated this year on Saturday, September 28 – and like its unofficial sister event Free Comic Book Day, is a good excuse to get regular comic store visitors as well as new comics fans into comic shops. Local Comic Shop Day is organized by the comic store trade organization ComicsPRO, and recently its executive director Marco Davanzo sent a message out to retailers announcing the new date, but also polling for improvements to be made to the event.
