UK | Fans share hauls from second of three 2020 Record Store Day events: The annual Record Store Day celebration is being spread over three separate days due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fans have shared their hauls from the second of three 2020 Record Store Day events. The annual Record Store Day celebration was originally due to happen on April 18, but is now taking place over three separate days this year. The decision was taken to accommodate social distancing measures put in place for the coronavirus pandemic. Fans across the country have been sharing the limited edition records and special releases that were released for the second event today. Each event this year will have different releases… The October event will feature exclusive releases from Beck and St. Vincent, Def Leppard, Eminem, Suede, Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, Snoop Dogg and Thin Lizzy. Record stores shared photos of the crowds visiting them for the event today. “Drop 2 has begun!” tweeted Resident in Brighton. “Lovely to see some familiar faces and lots of grinning eyes!!!”
Darien, CT | Record Store Day celebrated by shoppers at Johnny’s Records: Closing in on its 45th year of business, Johnny’s Records is more relevant than ever as a center for people’s beloved vinyl. On Saturday the second of this season’s three Record Store Day events took place. And while there weren’t as many people expected to turn out, given the limited number of titles, over 100 records fans still paid a visit to Darien to get some special pressings. “It’s really busy,” said John Konrad, who opened the store in October of 1975. “Normally it’s in April,” he said, along with a Black Friday event the day after Thanksgiving. But owing to COVID-19 considerations, the initiative—representing a collaborative between record store owners and staff—decided to split the main event into three—Aug. 29, Sept. 26, and Oct. 24, in order to reduce the traditional crowding that has earmarked the events since it began in 2007. “Normally there’s a crowd going halfway down the block,” said Konrad in between juggling orders and vinyl requests, and yet only allowing a couple of customers at a time into his store. “Records are becoming more popular now,” noted customer Marc Stein, who comes regularly from Weston to shop at the store.
Kingston, UK | Banquet Records on their MW Awards win and the importance of RSD 2020: Earlier this week, Kingston’s legendary Banquet Records beat some tough competition to win the Independent Retailer honour at the Music Week Awards 2020. In the new issue of Music Week we speak to all the winners, and that includes Banquet’s MD Jon Tolley who celebrated Banquet reclaiming the title, having previously won a number of times, the last of which being back in 2017. Tolley – who said he was devastated to miss out on the ceremony’s usual cheesecake offering – was quick to stress that while his store was delighted with the result, independent retailers are not in competition. “Someone has to win this thing, and I’m very glad it’s us, the staff have worked really hard and it’s recognition of that,” said Tolley. “But, as cliche as it is, I can’t think of any industry where we all want each other to succeed as much as this.” While there have been some heartening headlines to have emerged out of the independent retail sector during the trials and tribulations of the coronavirus pandemic, Tolley warned that they should not overshadow the reality. Stores still need help.
Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles record store Mount Analog reopens in new Silver Lake location: The shop will be open on weekends at 2217 Hyperion Avenue. Mount Analog, the influential Los Angeles record store, has reopened after two years at a new Silver Lake location. The record shop and book store is now open on weekends in LA’s Silver Lake neighborhood at 2217 Hyperion Avenue. The store’s original location in Highland Park shuttered in 2018, but Mount Analog has operated as an online shop and continued to function as an agency and management company in the years since. Mount Analog had a impact on LA’s underground community both through its highly-specific stock of vinyl, cassette, books and other wares as well as events like the Nuit Noire series, which hosted acts ranging from Regis to Grouper. We spoke with Mount Analog’s sole proprietor Mahssa Taghinia on the store’s reopening. “…Silver Lake and Franklin Hills has a rich, vibrant history filled with stories from Latino and LGBTQ communities, and I hope we can be a part of that conversation in our own way—with art and music that is actually dominated by non-white trailblazers and healthily representing a spectrum of gender. Mount Analog is now a business that is 100 percent owned by a woman of color as well.”
Tulsa, OK | Local vinyl record stores surviving the pandemic: Record Store Day is usually in April. The shutdown and impact from COVID-19 led organizers to decide to celebrate the day over three consecutive days this year: August 29, September 26 and October 24, according to the Record Store Day website. So, how are record businesses in Tulsa doing? Currently, five local vinyl record shops reopened since the shutdown and are surviving the pandemic. Located on South Trenton Avenue in Studio Row near the Pearl District, Studio Records opened up in a craftsman style house on May 3, 2019. “We had a line waiting to get in, so it was a great day,” recalled Studio Records’ owner Mike Nobles. The record shop is known for their wide spectrum of genres; everything from Rap to Classical. “We always had customers looking for hard to find Rap records so we really expanded that,” stated Nobles. The shutdown in March required Nobles to close his store for about six weeks, forcing him to figure out new ways to run his business.
Shopping For Vinyl At A Midwest Goodwill Is Weird, But I Can’t Stop: Does your local Goodwill have a vinyl section? If you’re unsure, you might be missing out on some of the most entertaining record shopping you’ll do this year. Seriously, shopping for vinyl at Goodwill is good for the soul. That’s only if your soul can be satisfied by a meal of odd discarded records. I recently spent a Saturday morning in the record bin at the Goodwill in Normal, Illinois. This was my first dive into Goodwill vinyl shopping. It did not disappoint. Our journey begins with this exercise album from actress (Peter Pan) and gymnast Cathy Rigby. You’ll be working up a sweat while trying not to bump into your turntable during this routine. Cathy’s album, “Stay Slim,” is available for purchase at Goodwill. Of course you may have snagged it for free back in 1982 compliments of Stayfree. While we’re on the subject of pricing, I should mention that Goodwill vinyl shoppers need to be savvy when checking the price tag. For instance, a copy of Jack Jones’s “Dear Heart” was in fact not part of a two for a $1 “final closeout” sale…
Bradenton, FL | Doug Holland Runs Bradenton’s Jerk Dog Records From His Home: Holland converted his porch into a cozy, one-room record shop that attracts listeners who span the gamut. Have you ever fantasized about opening your dream shop? Douglas Holland, the owner of Jerk Dog Records, has managed to do just that—all from the comfort of his house. It’s been nearly two decades since Holland and his wife, artist Valeri Rose, first learned their neighborhood, was uniquely zoned for both residential and commercial use. Along with fellow homeowners, they’ve transformed the area into Bradenton’s Village of the Arts, a vibrant live-work community featuring a variety of shops, eateries, studios, and gallery spaces. For many years, the pair’s home double das an art studio, but in 2014 Holland realized he had a rare opportunity to open a small, curated record shop to run on the side. “Music can feel important and transformative,” he explains. “It’s more than just something to listen to.” Opening a store presented a chance to create a space to discover new music and connect with other fans. After renovating the porch, Jerk Dog Records was born.
The Joys Of Analog Marketing: Last month, my husband celebrated a birthday. I surprised him with a new turntable and speakers. It’s been a pleasure to watch him reconnect with music and build a new album collection. His embrace of vinyl made me reflect on the joys of analog experience in an era of digital marketing which is what I spend 90 percent of my time doing. A couple marketing applications come to mind: 1. Discovery. Like all communities, there are plenty of apps to bring vinyl aficionados together. But it’s the act of searching through record bins at a local record shop that brings out the community. Picking up a stack of vintage and new pressings is shared joy. It’s much more exciting than making a playlist. As I’ve mentioned before, the way in which folks discovery new products has changing from the mass-media CES launches of the past. Cultivating groups, then launching is increasingly the playbook for success, perhaps best exemplified by native DTC brands.
