Detroit, MI | Detroit bar and record shop named one of the best in the country: A Detroit bar that got its start in an abandoned house on the city’s east side before moving downtown is one of the best in the country, according to USA Today. Food writers for the outlet from around the country picked their favorite spots for a drink and entertainment, including Paramita Sound. The live music bar opened in 2014 in a West Village house. After three years, the bar moved to its current spot on Broadway, just a couple blocks away from Grand Circus Park. The Black-owned business regularly features a record store, local and national DJs, and artists spanning genres. “From a quaint space in downtown Detroit, Paramita Sound is a place that shines not solely for its bar program or its selection of wines, but for its ability to bring communities together,” Detroit Free Press restaurant critic Lyndsay C. Green wrote of Paramita.
Cheshire, UK | Three independent Mid Cheshire businesses you voted top of the shops: The Vinyl Cafe. Independent traders are at the heart of Mid Cheshire’s local communities and with the ongoing cost of living crisis they’re struggling. It’s not easy running your own business, juggling increasing overheads, big company competition and a move away from town and city centre high streets and local communities to online shopping. As part of our Best of 2024 competition, earlier this month we wanted to show Mid Cheshire’s small business owners some love and celebrate the best the town has to offer. “…The Vinyl Café is a record store as well as a café. It’s a unique space much like a community for music and coffee lovers. It has brought people together over the past two years who have become friends who now meet at The Vinyl Café. There are many Vinyl Cafés around the UK who offer the same but we are the only one in this area.”
Essex, UK | Stone Rock Records sets up permanent shop in Earls Colne: A record enthusiast has opened his own shop fewer than 12 months after he started selling his wares at pop-up events. Stone Rock Records was started in late 2023 by Jonathan Stoneman, 22, who began opening pop-up shops after beginning his record collection. This week, Jonathan is officially opening Stone Rock Records’ permanent residence in Earls Colne Recreation Club. He said: “The very first pop-up was in December 2023 at Two Brews in Colchester. “It was very positive. That was the start of it being something that needed to be done every week.” “I had to keep the fire stoked after that,” he added. Since then, Stone Rock Records has regularly appeared across Essex in Braintree, Southend, and Chelmsford, building a community of music enthusiasts with each appearance. Jonathan continued: “I’ve been building it up slowly, and it’s very fun. “I can’t do it on my own because it’s so difficult, so I’ve had lots of support, especially from my dad.”
VA | Visit 7 rockin’ Virginia record and music stores: Virginia is for music lovers—and the commonwealth’s craving for vinyl is apparent in the many record stores throughout the state. From the capital city to the shore, here are some of Virginia’s best record and music stores. Deep Groove (Richmond) Deep Groove has served the Richmond area for 15 years, and it remains a go-to for new and used vinyl. This small store packs a big punch with its wide selection of records. If you are looking to make some cash for records you don’t use anymore, they’ll buy it; so be sure to stop by and check out their new releases. Wax Moon (Richmond) Visiting Wax Moon Records is an experience in itself. Wax Moon buys, sells, and trades records and DVDs, so if you’re looking for an old movie you watched as a child, chances are they have it. While Wax Moon’s records and videos are the store’s main draw, many stay for the arcade games in the back of the shop.
Sheffield, UK | New music venue and record store, Grub Records officially opens in Sheffield: The team behind the venue have launched a crowdfunder to help raise funds to “hit the ground running” for the new Queens Road spot. A new venue, record shop and wine bar – Grub Records – has opened in Queens Road, Sheffield. The venue officially opened its doors on Friday (26 July), following several soft launch events in recent weeks – including a takeover from Mondo Radio – and is now open every Wednesday to Sunday. The record store has been set up with the aim “to fill a gap in Sheffield’s dance music digging offering,” and become a “worthy addition to the city’s wonderful scene” — adding to its thriving hub of “DIY music and culture.” Some of those involved in the launch include Apricot Ballroom, Control, Groundwork, Footprints Jazz Club, Mondo Radio, and DJ duo Wow & Flutter. Grub Records has also launched a Crowdfunder to try and raise £2500 to “hit the ground running.”
Haarlem, NL | Making Vinyl Europe Conference Announces New Lineup of Speakers for 2024 Event in Haarlem, Netherlands: The Making Vinyl Europe Conference is thrilled that its next event will be held in Haarlem, Netherlands again. It will take place from September 30th to October 2nd, 2024. This year’s conference will feature an impressive lineup of speakers who will address the industry’s current challenges, innovations, and future opportunities. The 2024 conference promises to be an unmissable event for vinyl enthusiasts, industry professionals, and anyone interested in the resurgence of vinyl records. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear from leading experts and visionaries, including…
Nashville, TN | As Nashville’s United Record Pressing Celebrates 75 Years, a Look Back at 15 Essential Vinyl Pressings: To celebrate Nashville’s United Record Pressing’s 75 years of vinyl pressing, a look at some of the company’s essential projects. According to 2023 Year-End data from the Recording Industry Association of America, revenues from vinyl records grew 10% to $1.4 billion, and accounted for 71% of physical format revenues last year. 2023 also marked vinyl’s 17th consecutive year of growth. “…The sustained growth of the vinyl record market has been going for nearly 20 years at this point in the U.S., but particularly cool is how the medium has evolved into the people’s art object, and a creative opportunity for artists to tailor their records to reinforce aesthetics, inspiration, ideas or cultural touchpoints for more curious fans,” Cam Sarrett, United Record Pressing’s head of sales and marketing, tells Billboard in a statement. “Plus, it impactfully benefits artists big and small at the merch table on tour and bolsters community at independent record stores, a vital culture all its own.”
Hollywood, CA | The Last Bookstore Is Opening A Brand New Location In North Hollywood: Grab your reading glasses, bibliophiles. Your favorite bookstore is opening a gorgeous new branch. Get ready, Los Angeles book lovers. The favorite bookshop of all bookworms in Los Angeles, The Last Bookstore, is opening a brand new branch. This expansion will offer an even larger selection of tomes in yet another beautiful location. The Last Bookstore is known for being the largest new and used bookstore in California. It’s truly more than just a bookstore. It’s a joy filled rollercoaster of a store. They have over 22,000 sq. feet, and they fill up each nook and cranny with “unexpected…funkiness.” It’s more than just a bookstore. It’s a record store and a comic book store. It houses five art studios and a yarn shop. Plus, there’s a famous book tunnel and a mammoth head. It’s even a famous filming location. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s all housed inside a 100 year old bank building with vaults. And the icing on top is that they claim it’s haunted by ghosts. Now that’s a bookstore you don’t see every day.
