Montreal, CA | Montrealers are still getting Cheap Thrills at this downtown record shop 50 years later: Owner Gary Worsley says there’s a market for vinyl as records make a comeback among youth. While it might seem like the whole world has gone digital, there’s a tiny shop in the heart of downtown Montreal that has been keeping it old school for 50 years. “One thing that’s really cool is when I discovered this store in 1985, it looked like it does now, said Gary Worsley, the owner of Cheap Thrills. But the store opened more than a decade before Worsley discovered the often-crowded record store, almost hidden in an attic-like space on Metcalfe Street. It opened in 1971 on Bishop Street, before moving to the Metcalfe location in 1984. Since then, not much has changed. The store features an inventory of more than 10,000 titles of vinyl records. “We have music from all genres; metal, punk, rap, experimental, jazz, blues, rock, soul, international and more,” the shop’s website touts.
Reading, UK | Reading Sound Machine on surviving the pandemic: ‘Vinyl never goes off.’ The town centre institution thrives because “people love to collect things.” A Reading record store got through the pandemic because “vinyl never goes off” and “people love to collect things”. The Sound Machine, in Harris Arcade, off Friar Street, has been in town for more than 20 years, selling music fans second-hand records. It offers a wide range of vinyl from the well-known to the thoroughly obscure. Adrian Maulton, a former musician who was in the band The Complaints, who were “big in Reading”, is now a salesman at the shop. He said: “The great thing about vinyl is it never goes off. That meant when we inevitably had to close, it could all just be put away rather than thrown out like so many other places.” He told BerkshireLive the much-loved shop closed on three separate occasions during the various lockdowns but was inundated with customers when it reopened.
Berwick, PA | Grand opening for Berwick record store: WaxPax Records in Berwick hosted its grand opening Saturday. Music lovers in Columbia County are rejoicing over the grand opening for a new record store. WaxPax Records in Berwick hosted its grand opening Saturday. The owner Mark Collier decided to open up a permanent shop after having success with a pop-up vinyl record sale over the supper. WaxPax is in the same building as Collier’s wife’s chiropractor office. She traded out some extra office space to make his dream a reality. The owner says he will be updating his inventory every few weeks and selling local art at WaxPax Records in Berwick.
La Boite Concept Unveils Two New Stunning Creations Designed For Vinyl Enthusiasts: Luxury French audio brand La Boite Concept has unveiled two beautiful new creations designed for modern living and evolving lifestyles where music and design take up increasing space in our homes. The first creation from La Boite Concept is Lines, a hi-fi stand designed by Stephan Lanez. This is a modular piece of furniture that can be used to house audio equipment such as a turntable, amplifier, loudspeakers or a record collection. The designer’s intention of Lines is to ensure optimal sound without vibrations or edge effects. La Boite Concept has blended its expertise in audio with the design genius of Stephan Lanez to create this modular piece of furniture that can adapt to all types of listening equipment. It’s a flexible arrangement that can be used horizontally or vertically, It can even be combined into a custom shaped by lashing several of the structures together.
North Yorkshire, UK | Skipton Sound Bar plans Ponden Home move: The former Ponden Home store in Skipton could become the new home of an independent record shop and bar. Skipton Sound Bar, currently based in Swadford Street, has revealed plans to move into the vacant interiors store which is located in Keighley Road and has been sitting empty since the company collapsed into administration last year. The building forms part of the Westgate Shopping Centre and has previously been a gift and food store, and before that a Co-operative Travel. Planning documents submitted to Craven District Council said Skipton Sound Bar has seen “a growth in demand” since opening in 2014 and needs a larger premises to “accommodate the increase in popularity.” The documents added: “The extent of fit out will be typical of a music/bar venue and will follow the current format of the existing sound bar on Swadford Street with areas to accommodate customer seating, bar, event stage and retail zone.
