Barcelona, ES | Barcelona’s historic record store ‘Music World’ to close after 30 years: The historic Barcelona record store ‘Music World’ will close its doors next Wednesday June 8, after more than 30 years. ‘Music World’ will sadly be pulling down the shutters on the store permanently as the owners of the premises will not renew their lease, according to 20 Minutos. “The business works, but there is no going back,” lamented one of ‘Music World’s’ co-owners, Jose Luís Fernandez. In order to sell as many vinyl records, CDs and DVDs as possible, they have been offering significant discounts of up to 50% over the last several days. Sales are still on, so there is still time to grab a bargain. In celebration of all the years that ‘Music World’ have been delighting their customers they are holding a farewell party which to coincide with the closing. This will be held in the evening on June 8.
Melbourne, AU | ‘Who really cares about one little record store?’: Crowd rescues Basement Discs: A crowdfunding campaign led by local musicians has saved Melbourne record store Basement Discs from closing after 28 years in business. Owners Suzanne Bennett and Rod Jacobs were struggling to pay the rent on the store in the basement of Block Arcade, with business down by up to 80 per cent following the coronavirus pandemic. Jacobs also battled cancer during the lockdowns and has since been given the all-clear. “It’s been an incredibly emotional and stressful journey on every level,” Bennett said. “He [Jacobs] said to me a couple of times during the full-on two years it’s like being stuck on the bench seeing your team being pummelled and not being able to get out there and do your bit.” Bennett said, although the store’s landlord had been “very supportive” through the lockdowns, offering financial relief, it had struggled to pay its rent since reopening.
Brunswick, ME | Founder of longstanding Maine record store chain steps down: The founder of a Maine music chain has stepped down, bringing new leadership to a fixture on the New England record store circuit. Brett Wickard founded Bull Moose in 1989 when he was a student at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. He is staying on as chair of the chain’s board of directors, but plans to focus on growing his retail software management company, the Bangor Daily News reported. Shawn Nichols is taking over for Wickard as chief executive officer and president of the chain. He has been Bull Moose’s vice president of operations since February 2021. The company announced a plan to transition to ownership by its workers earlier this year. The company has 11 locations in Maine and New Hampshire and has long attracted road-tripping record buyers from elsewhere in New England.
Portsmouth, NH | Bull Moose moving its Portsmouth, NH store: After 26 years in downtown Portsmouth Bull Moose is moving to a bigger new location just two miles away. But it may as well be 200 miles as the entertainment retailer goes from being surrounded by the “cool” of Congress Street to the convenience of a small shopping center on Woodbury Avenue that used to house a Strawberries, the epitome of the suburban record store of the 70s and 80s. Bull Moose spokesman Mick Werkhoven said that while people may have a preconceived notion of what a music store in a mini-mall looks like the new Bull Moose location is the exception. “I think this location is pretty sweet because it has really high ceilings with exposed duct work and almost industrial-like lighting so it’s got kind of a warehouse look to it which I think is going to preserve some of that ‘coolness’ vibe,” Werkhoven told Seacoast Current. Werkhoven said that lot of the CD and record bins from Congress Street are making the move over but will be spaced a bit further apart. Fixtures from Bull Moose’s old Portland location will used on Woodbury Avenue.
Wrexham, UK | Record shop is lovingly recreated for newlyweds where they met 40 years ago. The Old Phase One Record store in Wrexham has been rebuilt in minute detail, bringing back memories for music fans for a certain vintage. Do not adjust your screen. This photo is not of Wrexham’s most famous independent record store, but of a scale model. Don’t worry, plenty of others have been fooled too. It was built for a newlywed couple, both 62, who tied the knot at the third attempt last week. On their wedding day, Mike and Mandy Scott were gifted an exact replica of the music record shop where they met 40 years ago. In its heyday, Phase One Records in King Street, Wrexham, was the go-to place for vinyl enthusiasts. Mike and Mandy’s miniature replicates the shop in every detail, right down to the photo albums displayed on walls to the latest releases arrayed on a sales counter. Phase One contained more than 1,000 albums and so does its scale model. Each one is instantly recognisable from its cover and every single sleeve contains a tiny black disc inside.
Brighton, UK | Brighton’s Resident Records scoops national retail award: A renowned record shop has been named the UK’s best independent music retailer. Resident Records in Kensington Gardens, Brighton, scooped Music Weekly’s independent retailer award at a ceremony in Battersea last night. The event was hosted by comedy star Munya Chawawa, and saw 1,400 industry professionals turn out for one of the most highly regarded events in the music calendar. Resident’s owners, Derry Watkins and Natasha Young, were on hand to collect the award, which they said was an “unexpected win”. A spokeswoman for the record shop said: “This is the fifth time we have won the award since opening in 2004, but this was the toughest set of competitors, so despite knowing that we’re really good at what we do, we definitely weren’t expecting it.”
Moncton, CA | Hidden gems and buried treasures at the Moncton Record Expo: Vinyl lovers packed a community centre in Riverview, N.B., Saturday in search of a hidden gem or the missing piece to their collection at the Moncton Record Expo. Record buying has become a popular hobby over the past few years, despite the fact many of the golden oldies found in the bins at the expo can easily be downloaded for free. Matt O’Blenis, one of the many vendors on hand from around the Maritimes, has close to 14,000 records of his own. “The appeal for records is — you’re going to get the best possible sound quality. You get the cool package, you can read the liner notes and look at the pictures. People love that. There’s also a nostalgia factor for a lot of older people,” said O’Blenis. Expo organizer Martin Leblanc said he had to open 30 minutes early Saturday morning because there were close to 50 people outside the building waiting to get in. He had to cancel the last sale due to the pandemic and was happy to see buyers come out in droves.
Englewood, IL | A record collector’s paradise in Englewood: Check out food, music and community at Vinyl and Vittles, a new music event in Englewood. When you bring all-vinyl DJs and local food vendors together, “sampling” takes on a whole new meaning. This summer, 58th and Halsted will be the best place in the city for vinyl aficionados to come together and pore through crates of records, all while eating delicious local food, dancing to music from esteemed local DJs and learning about exciting community initiatives. Vinyl and Vittles—a new record fair and food market collective from event producer Erik Jones of Sound Voyage, DJ Mr. Jaytoo and the community organization Grow Greater Englewood—will take over the Englewood Village Plaza every third Sunday of the month June through October this year. The event will feature local record vendors sharing their wares, delicious local food, live music from a lineup of DJs and more fun for the whole family.
Bradford, UK | Vinyl fair at Bradford’s Record Cafe this June for Age UK: A charity record fair is taking place at Bradford’s independent vinyl record shop, The Record Café, this June. Age UK Bradford District has put together a collection of donated vinyl records, taking people on a musical journey through pop, rock, blues, funk, soul and even vintage children’s TV shows. The record fair will take place from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday, June 12. Age UK’s CEO Mark Rounding said: “It is great to connect with The Record Café to hold a record fair, making the most of our stock to bring the sale to the customers of an independent shop in Bradford. “Fundraising this way also allows Age UK to engage with more people who might not be aware of the work we do.”
