Tallahassee, FL | RetroFit Records, Tallahassee’s independently owned music store: The world may seem dominated by ever-evolving technology, but for Tallahassee native and owner of RetroFit Records Sharod Lee Bines, one thing is certain: vinyl will keep spinning. “I think it’s a lasting format,” Bines said. “I think that’s been proven, more so than CDs, tapes, 8-tracks, any other format so far as physical formats. I think vinyl has the staying power; it’s been proven again and again. It’s been up and down as far as its popularity but it’s proven it’s going to be around a while.” With record collecting parents and two older sisters to show him the more contemporary albums, Bines grew up with a passion for music that brought him through the doors of Tallahassee’s independent record store Vinyl Fever. He recalled how Vinyl Fever’s large store would frequently be packed out and was considered “the spot” for fans of music. When Bines found out Vinyl Fever would be shutting its doors in 2010, Tallahassee was going to be left with a void.
Bozeman, MT | Cactus Records’ storefront in downtown Bozeman up for sale; vinyl shop now looking for new home: The long-standing Cactus Records, a downtown vinyl and gift shop, is looking for a new home. Its location in the Hathhorn Building is up for sale. “We will be moving sometime in the next couple of months,” said owner Mike “Bueno” Good. The retail condo that Cactus Records occupies was put on the market on Aug. 9 for $1.8 million. It’s listed by McKenna Adams Commercial Realty. The unit has about 3,100 square feet of retail space and 1,700 square feet of office and storage space, according to the listing. Units in the Hathhorn Building, at 29 West Main St., are all owned separately, said real estate agent Katie Adams. Cactus Records has been downtown since it opened in the early 1970s. Its first storefront was on the corner of Babcock Street and Willson Avenue, said Barbara Allen, who is selling the downtown storefront. …Selling the space “is very bittersweet…”
Explore Haven Springs’ Record Store in Life is Strange: True Colors’ Gameplay Trailer: Square Enix has released the first gameplay trailer for Life is Strange: True Colors, showing off a main location and some new friends to encounter. We’re just a few weeks away from the launch of Life is Strange: True Colors and today, the developers are giving players several minutes of gameplay footage to enjoy.
Norwich, UK | ‘Still like kid in a sweet shop’ – 35 years running city record shop: When Eric White first started working at Out of Time records in 1986 he felt like “a kid in a sweet shop.” He had gone from regular customer to salesman after growing disillusioned working at what was then Bonds so after a short while soul-searching took up shop owner Paul Wardell’s offer of a job. Now, 35 years later he still feels the same enthusiasm for the shop on Magdalen Street in Norwich, having risen through the ranks to first become manager and now partner at the business. This month, 57-year-old father-of-two Mr White marks three-and-a-half decades at the second-hand record store having seen the music industry transform around him over this time. In his time at the shop, vinyl has gone through phase after phase, from almost disappearing completely to going through a huge revival – but the one constant has been Mr White himself.
Queensway, UK | Newton Faulkner in intimate tour of independent record shops: Musician Newton Faulkner will play an intimate show and sign records at an independent Southampton music shop later this month. The appearance, at Vinilo Record Store in Queensway on Wednesday August 25 at 1pm, coincides with the release of his new album Interference (Of Light). Four years on from his last studio album, Newton worked throughout lockdown from his recording studio in East London, exploring a number of new ideas and styles, using them as the building blocks for his new album. He said: “This record was made during the strangest of global times, which presented huge challenges. Without these challenges, the record would not have been the same. Everyone involved, from the producers to the players, had to think and work in new, strange and exciting ways. I thank them all for their hard work. I hope they’re all as proud of this record as I am.”
Why Alan Cross misses old-school record stores: One night while trying something other than endlessly doomscrolling for stories about Donald Trump, climate change, and the pandemic, I chanced upon an ad for an odd scented candle. We’ve become accustomed to these sorts of things (thanks, Gwyneth!), but I’d never imagine I’d find a candle that smells like a record store. DW Home’s hand-poured record store candle says “the familiar scent of pressed vinyl and warm woods fills the air, accented by notes of sweet blossoms, hints of amber and soft fruit.” And the reviews have been excellent. Funny, but the record stores I’ve frequented smell like dust, mouldy cardboard, and whatever the guy behind the counter had for lunch. But maybe I’ve been shopping in the wrong places. Still, this got me thinking of all the stores I’ve visited over the decades and how things have changed. If you’re an old-school music fan, this reminiscing will probably strike a chord. And if you’re of a generation that’s never set foot in such a place because you feel the internet can give you everything, here’s what you missed by being born too late.
