Orange, CT | Orange Record Store Celebrating 60 Years: Merle’s Record Rack, located in Orange, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this fall. The store opened on Chapel Street in New Haven in 1962 and has occupied a number of locations, including the CT Post Mall, before settling into 307 Racebrook Rd. in Orange. Merle’s has a large selection of new and used CDs, LPs and cassettes, as well as a variety of rock’n’roll merchandise, including t-shirts, posters and other collectibles. Additionally, Merle’s provides services such as stereo equipment repair and analog-to-digital format transfers (cassettes and LPs to CDs, VHS to DVDs). Merle’s will hold a celebration on Sept. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will commemorate the store’s history as well as its future as it continues its mission to prioritize its customers and meet their needs and interests in a changing industry.
Derby, UK | See the early days of a beloved Derby record store still going after 35 years: A treasure trove for record collectors. Record shops are a rare treat these days – and independent stores especially so. The internet may have made it easier to find new music, but there’s nothing quite like thumbing through the shelves of these musical temples. A few weeks ago we spoke to the owner of Derby’s beloved BPM Records, Dave Hill. He’s served the city’s movers and shakers for 35 years, beginning with BPM’s old shop on The Strand. Dave first opened BPM in Derby in December 1987, having worked in music sales in London since the 1970s. He has also managed numerous city record stores including HMV and R.E.Cords. “I suppose I must be doing something right,” said Dave. “I’ve been here long enough.”
Liverpool, UK | Quirky Smithdown Road record store where people visit for music, coffee and ‘just to talk.’ Defend Vinyl opened six years ago and is based on Smithdown Road. The owner of a Tardis-like vinyl store on Smithdown Road was inspired by his friends to launch the business, and “didn’t expect” so many people to venture inside “just to talk”. Defend Vinyl is a music lover’s haven, packed with stacks and stacks of vinyl records, as well as framed prints and posters devoted to bands and musicians from over the years. There are stylish record cases to snap up, rails of band t-shirts and even original coffee, Defend Coffee, to take home. The small but mighty venue is a calming oasis, occupying a corner plot on the eclectic and often heaving south Liverpool street. Defend Vinyl is the passion project of owner Graham Jones, who first launched the store in 2016 – though in a smaller Smithdown spot. It’s the perfect city for an independent record shop.
New York, NY | Bella Hadid spotlights Palestinian record store on Instagram: ‘Please go visit.’ Model has encouraged her followers to visit the independent store in New York. Bella Hadid has taken to Instagram to promote a small Palestinian business in New York. The model shared photos inside the independent New York record store owned by Palestinian businessman Jamal Alnasr and encouraged her Instagram followers to visit. She shared Village Revival Records’ exact Greenwich Village address in the caption, along with a series of images inside the store. “197 bleeker street NY, NY @villagerevivalrecordsnyc Please go visit my friend Jamal,” she wrote along with the letters PS, standing for Palestine, and a love heart emoji. …On her Instagram, Hadid shared a photo of herself hugging Alnasr, as well as photos of records, including Billie Holiday and The Rolling Stones releases, and the compilation album Palestine Lives! Songs from the Struggle of the People of Palestine.
Kokomo, IN | ‘Let there be songs to fill the air’: Kokomo record store owner performs in multiple bands, books live music: …When In The Face Of War split up, he moved back to Kokomo to work for Weber Speakers. He had recently purchased a collection of 300 classic rock vinyl records when he was laid off at the speaker store. Having just signed a lease for a new apartment, he decided to sell the records online to keep money coming in. Weber Speakers rehired Wilson for a while, but he kept selling records. After a while, the idea of opening a shop didn’t seem too outrageous. He opened the first American Dream Hi-Fi location in 2014. The shop was supported by Wilson’s friends and he was able to expand after roughly one year. The shop was in Indian Heights Plaza on Center Road. “We started with literally nothing,” Wilson said. “But we were the only record store in town.”
Bristol, UK | Idle Hands owner ‘overwhelmed’ by support after announcing closure: The store has been at the hub of the city’s thriving dance music scene, supporting local artists, labels and DJs. The owner of Bristol’s Idle Hands says he is ‘overwhelmed’ by the support he’s received since announcing the closure of the specialist dance music record shop. Chris Farrell launched Idle Hands in 2011 in the old Rooted Records on Gloucester Road before moving to City Road in St Pauls in 2017. But Chris has decided not to renew the lease on the City Road premises and the shop is due to close later this month. He hopes to find a new site but until then the business will continue online. DJ Chris started Idle Hands as a record label in 2009 but it gradually became a record shop specialising in dance music. Chris says the aim of the shop was always to represent the thriving dance music scene in the city by supporting local artists, labels and DJs – whilst also having an international perspective of stocking and reaching out to music producers from around the world.
Franklin, NC | Book and Vinyl record store opening in downtown Franklin: “…I think the main things people can expect when shopping at Cozy and Content are variety, inclusiveness, and fun,” said Kelley. “We want customers to walk in and be able to pick up a Malicious Women candle called “I Love My Fur Babies More Than Most People” that smells like Froot Loops, grab a copy of Pride and Prejudice along with the latest Jujutsu Kaisen manga, and find the latest Pearl Jam album, all in one visit. And if you love chatting about any of those things, so do we! Our goal is to offer the hard-to-find, the unique, the laugh-out-loud, and items you didn’t even know you wanted.” While the book selection at Cozy and Content is unique in its own right, Kelley said that the music you will find is all encompassing and diverse.
Suffolk, UK | Bury St Edmunds shop Vinyl Hunter to give away vintage records ahead of major café refurbishment: A Bury St Edmunds shop is preparing to give away thousands of vintage records, ahead of a major refurbishment. At the end of August, Vinyl Hunter, in St John’s Street, hopes to move to a pop-up location in the town centre, whilst the front of the shop is transformed into a café area and community space. During the refurbishment, the shop will be ‘giving away’ more than 2,000 records. Shop owner Will Hunter, 26, said the record giveaway will be a way of thanking customers that have supported them during the seven years they have been open. He said: “We’ve got lots of records to get rid of – anyone that buys records will find something in there for them.” Records from one of their sister shops in Colchester, will also be brought over, giving customers the chance to hunt out a hidden gem. Though the records will be free, shoppers will be encouraged to make a donation to the Bury St Edmunds based charity, Gatehouse Home Store and Foodbank – with the team at Vinyl Hunter aiming to raise £2,000.
