Category Archives: A morning mix of news for the vinyl inclined

Elizabeth City, NC | At Shut Up & Listen Records, Sunday is good day for business: Shut Up & Listen Records has become a popular “tailgate” spot for residents heading to Ghost Harbor Brewing and Seven Sounds Brewing Co. to hear live music, says Shut Up & Listen owner Kevin Blade. “We’re like a tailgate for the breweries,” said Blade, whose vinyl records store is celebrating two years in business this weekend. Shut Up & Listen Records also offers live music, but the performances at the record shop start much earlier in the evening than acts at the two breweries, Blade said. “We start our live music at 5 p.m. and go from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” he said. Guests visiting downtown can stop Shut Up & Listen Records, located at 610 E. Fearing Street, to enjoy live music there before heading to the breweries or other downtown nightspots.

Knoxville, TN | Closing soon: From the Strip to Happy Holler, this Knoxville record shop has history. One of Knoxville’s most established record stores will close at the end of August, but its owners plan to continue selling vinyl and other pop culture products from its large collection. Raven Records & Rarities started in 1985 on the Strip and moved around to different locations along Cumberland Avenue before closing in 1994. It returned roughly 14 years back, first in Bearden before moving to its current Happy Holler location at 1200 N. Central St. in 2012. Co-owners Jay Nations and Jack Stiles split the business, with Nations handling the records and Stiles selling the rarities. The two cited increasing overhead costs and their increasing age as the reasons for closing this time around. But the brand isn’t going away entirely. Nations will operate booths in three vintage stores across town to keep Raven Records alive.

Nashville, TN | Broadway’s historic Ernest Tubb Record Shop undergoing renovations: A Nashville landmark, Ernest Tubb Record Shop, is not closing along Broadway. The business is simply renovating its space for the next 10 months. On Thursday, July 25, the iconic Ernest Tubb Record Shop sign was taken down, causing concern that the business was closing. However, Nashville sign legend Bobby Joslin will refurbish the sign in six weeks. According to Ernest Tubb III, the shop will undergo renovations that will allow the use of all three floors in the building and allow it to meet current codes. Since opening, the business was only able to use the first floor. Tubb posted on Facebook Thursday night about the future of his grandfather’s shop: “Exciting news! The Ernest Tubb Records Shop will remain a staple of lower Broadway. Preserving such a significant symbol of Country Music and Nashville’s roots has been the focal point from the very beginning…”

Reading, UK | Pride of Reading: Record shop is ‘spirit of community and cultural enrichment.’ A record shop in Caversham is an “exemplary candidate” for the Independent Retailer of the Year Award because it embodies “the spirit of community and cultural enrichment,” said its nominator. Pop Classics Record Shop in St Martin’s precinct run by Damian Jones “goes beyond merely selling records,” they added. “It serves as a vibrant hub where music lovers of all ages converge, sharing stories and discovering music together, thus revitalising the local community’s engagement with music and the arts.” The shop hosts regular live events, from intimate concerts featuring local artists to vinyl listening parties that celebrate classics and new releases. “These events not only boost local culture but also support emerging artists, providing them with a platform that might otherwise be inaccessible,” said the nominator. They said the store, which sells and buys records, vinyl collections and memorabilia, plays a crucial role in the local economy by fostering a culture of support for independent businesses.

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Foxboro, MA | Foxboro man builds on vinyl’s resurgence with record business: Even though it’s now indisputably a digital age, one local resident is still invested in vintage vinyl. Michael Merline, 58, of Foxboro, has made a bit of a business out of collecting – and selling – vinyl records with his two-year-old business called “Record Daze.” “I purchase records that I know will sell due to their popularity,” Merline said. One of Merline’s favorites is his copy of U2’s “The Unforgettable Fire,” which was released in 1984. …In 2024, Merline said vinyl’s resurging popularity likely stems from its enduring appeal as a physical, collectible format in an increasingly digital world. “Many music lovers appreciate the nostalgic aspect of vinyl, as well as its superior sound quality and unique tactile experience. …Despite the convenience of digital streaming, vinyl offers a distinct and immersive way to engage with music…”

Sheffield, UK | Grub Records, a new shop and wine bar, to open in Sheffield: A new record shop and wine bar is opening in Sheffield. Located on Queens Road, Grub Records is run by a consortium of local collectives, including Apricot Ballroom, Control., Footprints Jazz Club, GROUNDWORK and Mondo Radio. The space includes a custom DJ booth—designed and built by the team—and Tannoy Westminster sound system. After a handful of soft launch events, Grub officially opens its doors to the public today, July 26th. The team has also started a Crowdfunder to try and raise £2,500. “Donating here will help us hit the ground running,” the team wrote in a statement. “And allow us to stock the shop with a wider selection of the very best new releases, reissues and compilations, complementing the second-hand stock we’re providing from our collections.” Donate to the Crowdfunder, and browse Instagram for more information.

Buxton, UK | Vinyl revival in community cafe at Zink, Buxton: Zink HQ, in Buxton, will be playing classic vinyl albums every Friday in its community eco-café. Anyone can drop in and listen over a brew or breakfast. Zink runs activities every day ranging from walking to gaming, knitting to a School of rock from its HQ in Buxton where there is also a community eco-café. As well as supporting families in hardship, Zink aims to improve community wellbeing. Paul Bohan, CEO at Zink, explained; “Activities at Zink bring people from all walks of life together to learn, play and experience. Some were developed by local people, others with the help of Sheffield University. It was university researchers who suggested music.” Two vinyl records will be played every Friday. The first at 10.15am might be experimental, less well known or a collection; the second slot at 11.00am is reserved for classic albums so expect anything from Pink Floyd to Dua Lipa, Blondie to New Order, The Pretenders to Harry Styles.

Alexandria, VA | ‘Pretty cool’: Metallica tours Alexandria vinyl record pressing plant the band bought: Metallica’s heavy metal music has been heard all over the world for 43 years — and they recently got their first tour of the Alexandria, Virginia, record pressing plant they own. Last year, when Metallica invested in Furnace Record Pressing, they gained a majority interest in the plant, which has been in business since 1996. Recently, band members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo were given a tour of Furnace, which is located on Bren Mar Drive, just off the Capital Beltway, near Interstate 395. This week, the band posted a YouTube video of their tour of the factory, which was led by Mark Reiter, vice president of manufacturing operations for Furnace. The band saw the process from start to finish — and heard that the term “vinyl” is a bit simplistic. “It is a very elegant plastic compound,” said Reiter. “It has waxes, lubricants — a lot of those things get activated at certain temperature points. So, it’s a really sophisticated compound.”

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Nashville, TN | Ernest Tubb Record Shop Says It’s “Here To Stay” Amid Iconic Sign Removal: Well either it’s a good sign or a bad sign. But either way, one of the most iconic signs on Lower Broadway is coming down—at least temporarily—as the property that has housed the Ernest Tubb Record Shop for decades goes through renovations to (hopefully) reopen in all of its original glory, along with newer additions to make the lucrative piece of real estate sustainable into the future. After a long-running custody dispute between the previous owners of the property and business, the Ernest Tubb Record Shop at 417 Broadway was sold to a group of investors for $18.3 million on July 29th, 2022—almost two years to the day. …But it seems like ever since, news about the property’s future has been scant, physical progress on the property has been slow, and it’s left folks wondering what is going on, and why it is taking so long.

Mt. Lebanon, PA | Needle & Bean spins records and coffee to build community in Mt. Lebanon: For 20 years, Michael Butala has collected, traded and sold records from around the globe. It started with a few records bought in the United Kingdom while on a work trip. After returning to his then-home in San Diego, Butala went to every thrift store around to keep growing his vinyl collection. Now, he pours his passion into Needle & Bean, his record store and coffee shop in Mt. Lebanon. “I want to be able to expand people’s music horizons,” says Butala, a Western Pennsylvania native who moved back home in 2019. Needle & Bean, which opened last August, features a variety of music genres with an emphasis on local bands and sells coffee from Onyx Coffee Lab from Arkansas and Just Coffee Cooperative from Wisconsin. …Needle & Bean, at 320 Castle Shannon Blvd., stands out from neighboring coffee houses by selling niche records and keeping the community at the center of its business model. Many regulars are neighbors of Butala and his wife, Irene. “Bringing the community together is always a priority…”

Nottinghamshire, UK | Photos: Here is where you can buy vinyl records in Nottinghamshire: Vinyl records have seen a renewed surge in popularity recently. Music enthusiasts no longer have to travel far to get their fix, as there are numerous places in Nottinghamshire supplying high-quality records. If you are an avid collector or just want to browse, here are some top-rated stores that sell vinyl records in the Nottinghamshire area. Main factors contributing to their popularity include collectability, sound quality, design, and nostalgia, attracting music lovers to enjoy their favourite music in style. Here are some highly recommended stores in Nottinghamshire that sell vinyl records, based on Google reviews.

London, UK | Rough Trade has opened a pop-up ‘capsule store’ at the Barbican: Head to the City’s brutalist icon to grab some equally iconic vinyl records. Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston. Alien and Predator. Tupac and Biggie. Every so often, two icons collide, creating a proper cultural moment. Kinda like the new collaboration between Rough Trade and the Barbican. Rough Trade, perhaps London’s most legendary independent music retailer, has opened a pop-up store in the Barbican, brutalist treasure and beacon for the arts. Running until December, the ‘capsule shop’ spotlights a curated selection of vinyl records celebrating London’s thriving music scene, past and present. Jo Davis, head of retail at the Barbican, said: ‘We are thrilled to be collaborating with Rough Trade, a true icon in the music world. ‘Our audiences will be able to shop a collection curated by Rough Trade, representing London’s finest artists as well as featuring records from musicians who have graced our stage.’

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Beloit, WI | The only vinyl record store in Beloit: In an era where digital music reigns supreme, finding a place dedicated to the warm, analog sound of vinyl records is a rare gem. Tin Dog Records, located at 312 State Street in Downtown Beloit, is one such treasure. As the only vinyl store in the Stateline area, it offers an eclectic and extensive. The story of Tin Dog Records begins with Jeff, the passionate owner whose love for albums dates back to his childhood. Jeff’s enthusiasm for vinyl is evident from the moment you step into the store. The atmosphere is welcoming, the shelves are lined with a diverse array of music, and you can sense the deep appreciation for the art of the album. Tin Dog Records boasts a carefully curated selection of music that caters to all tastes. Whether you’re a fan of blues, folk, soul, country, rock, jazz, or soundtracks, you’ll find something to delight your ears. Jeff takes pride in offering an eclectic variety of titles, ensuring there’s something for every music enthusiast.

Miami, FL | Terrestrial Funk Is Opening a Miami Record Store: Terrestrial Funk’s brick-and-mortar record store opens in Miami’s Design District on Saturday. Miami has a brand-new record store. Terrestrial Funk, the longtime Miami-based record label, is opening a brick-and-mortar pop-up shop in the Design District. Brother Dan, the label’s owner and DJ at clubs and venues around town, announced the shop’s opening on Instagram. The storefront will be at 35 NE 40th St., just across from other locally owned retailers, Dále Zine and Andrew, in a section of the luxury shopping district that’s quickly becoming a haven for Miami natives. “Terrestrial Funk started seven years ago as a label and online record store,” Dan wrote on Instagram. “We started the Miami Record Fair and later ran a mobile record shop out of a 1977 Toyota Chinook. Tomorrow, we open our first brick and mortar at the old Piccadilly building off 40th St. and North Miami Ave. It’s a sight to behold.” Brother Dan has been teasing the shop since at least 2022. It will stock thousands of records from around the globe, including “unfiltered” dollar bins.

Petoskey, MI | Calling all vinyl lovers! Hexagon Records opens in downtown Petoskey: While music fans everywhere have been revisiting their love of vinyl records, Petoskey didn’t have many spots for hardcore collectors. Now, Hexagon Records in downtown Petoskey is helping provide a variety of new and used records. Michael Grigg, owner of Hexagon Records, has always loved music. He even planned to open a record store in a few years after retiring. But when he was laid off from his corporate job in March, he decided to push the opening date sooner. …Grigg has been collecting records since he was young, he said, and while he’s not necessarily a natural-born collector, he’s been finding fulfillment in finding, cataloging and pricing records. Grigg said figuring out the musical interests of the community can be difficult, but talking to customers helps him decide what he’d like to have stocked.

San Antonio, TX | Best Record Store: Southtown Vinyl. Since 2016, Southtown Vinyl has filled a much-needed vacuum in terms of a well-stocked record store south of Hogwild, the dean of SA indie record stores. Not only that — a feat in and of itself — Southtown Vinyl has carved a niche by sourcing and stocking precious DJ equipment such as bespoke turntables, rare styluses and random parts that just need fixin’ — a service sorely lacking locally before the retailer opened its doors. Looks like this beloved vinyl operation is here to stay.

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Sheffield, UK | Grub Records: New record shop opening on Queens Road, Sheffield, with on-site wine bar: Sheffield is set to get a new record shop with a difference. Grub Records is due to have what its owners described as a ‘hard opening’ at the weekend, which will see it opening five days a week on Queens Road, not far from Bramall Lane. The store is being opened by a group of local DJs who are keen to set up a shop for local record buyers. And it will also have a wine bar as part of the facility. The shop is being opened up after an ongoing crowdfunding campaign, which has helped pay for some of the set-up costs. It has been open three days a week selling second hand records for a few weeks following a ‘soft launch’ in June. From this weekend the shop will be open from Wednesday to Sunday each week. Money from the ongoing crowd funding campaign is being used for interior decoration and for stocking the shelves with records.

Bainbridge, WA | Bainbridge record store joins growing trend in Kitsap County, plans new vinyl event: Yes, there really is a big dog inside of Big Dawg Records. His name is Obie and he’s a four-year-old, 170-pound Great Dane who belongs to Big Dawg’s founder, island architect Matthew Coates. “He sits in the front and attracts an enormous amount of attention,” Coates said. “I didn’t set out to exploit my dog in that way, so we take it easy on him. He’s handsomely rewarded with treats.” Obie isn’t the only thing that Coates’ shop, located in The Cove (formerly the Winslow Mall), has to offer. …Big Dawg opened in November 2023. Originally, Coates — who owns the architectural firm overseeing The Cove’s renovations — intended the store to be a pop-up. He planned to vacate the space in December, after a fun month of selling records. But then that month went well. Really, really well.

Edmonds, WA | UK alternative pop faves Haircut 100 to appear at Edmonds’ own record shop Musicology Co Aug. 12: UK alternative pop group Haircut 100 will make a special stop in Edmonds on Monday, Aug. 12, to sign albums and connect with fans before the band’s Marymoor show on Wednesday, Aug. 14. The event will be at Musicology Co record store, located at 420 5th Ave. S., Suite 107, Edmonds. The band is joining New Wave icon Howard Jones and synth pop stars ABC on a North America Tour this summer. It’s the first time in 40-plus years that Haircut 100 will be playing in North America with their original band line-up. “Ever since our last tour in 1982 we’ve been pining to play in North America again, so this is a dream come true for us,” said Haircut 100’s Nick Heyward. “Come down early and get your dancing shoes on, because there’s a lot of catching up to do.” Haircut 100 will feature original/founding members Nick Heyward (lead vocals/guitars), Graham Jones (guitars), Les Nemes (bass) and five additional players rounding out the show with brass and percussion.

UK | For the Record: Rarest and most valuable vinyl records worth up to £800, according to an expert – do you have one: If you’re got a box of dusty records in the loft or shelves of rarely played vinyl, then you could be sitting on a goldmine. The rarest and most valuable records can fetch up to £800 – and now is the time to sell, says expert vinyl specialist James Hancox, a valuer at Gorringe’s Auctioneers. “It’s such a burgeoning market. There’s a resurgence of interest and it’s the perfect time for records – demand has never been higher,” he said. “It’s nostalgia for older people, but it’s also become a trendy thing for young people to listen to and collect records. “There’s a ceremony in putting a record on, as opposed to just looking through Spotify.” James says that records that command the biggest prices tend to be from the late 60s and early 70s, though there can also be high returns for vinyl from the 1950s through to the 1980s. For example, Elvis Presley’s Rock n Roll can fetch £300 for lucky owners.

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Minneapolis, MN | Extreme Noise record store announces 30th anniversary concerts: The volunteer-run punk and metal record store is hosting a series of concerts to celebrate its anniversary. Extreme Noise, the volunteer-run punk and metal record store in Minneapolis, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The collective will mark the anniversary with a series of concerts beginning in July. It announced three shows this week, with each of them taking place at the Cedar Cultural Center. “After months of meticulous curation, we are excited to present a series of shows that embody the spirit of Extreme Noise, celebrating 30 years of our vibrant community,” the record store wrote in an announcement. “The Twin Cities have been through many trials and tribulations since our last anniversary celebration five years ago, and we can’t wait to share these thrilling shows with you.”

San Antonio, TX | Staying in the groove: How San Antonio’s record stores keep spinning. The evolution of how people consume music went from vinyl to digital platforms that provide access at our fingertips through streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music. Such change has seen some record stores vanish completely, but after 96 years vinyl still has a strong connection revolving around nostalgia that keeps audiophiles digging through the record bins. For Francois ‘Mike’ Robles, preserving vinyl is about living up to a legacy. Robles is the owner of Pink Zeppelin Books & Records, a place known for the loud local shows that he hosts, but he didn’t grow up collecting music. Robles inherited his father’s immense record collection dating back to the 1970s after he died from a heart attack in 2020. Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin are the iconic groups that make up most of the large collection, hence the name ‘Pink Zeppelin.’ His father’s collection helped Robles appreciate physical media.

Los Angeles, CA | Incredible LA record store is also city’s lowest rated due to owner: The oldest record store in Los Angeles is also the lowest rated online because of its owner who admits he is an intimidating figure. Sanders Chase has run the Record Collector for more than 50 years and musicians including Michael Jackson, Notorious B.I.G., Frank Sinatra and Quincy Jones have walked through his doors. His store is filled with 500,000 classical and jazz records with another 300,000 in storage. But Chase’s store is the city’s lowest rated record store with 1.9 stars on Google reviews due to his management style. ‘Of course I’m intimidating,’ he told SFGate. ‘See, this is my problem. They’re curiosity seekers. Curiosity killed the cat.’ Chase becomes frustrated when customers do not know what they want and aimlessly browse through his extensive record collection.

Pittsburgh, PA | Unbroken record: The 59th running of a local vinyl and CD convention brought together regulars, first-timers and pros: The Pittsburgh Record and CD Convention brings together music lovers of all ages, from all walks of life and places far and wide, to a town where vinyl is still groovy. At the Pittsburgh Record & CD Convention on Saturday, July 13, vinyl records were not a thing of the past. Instead, they were a way to spark conversations and community connections that simply streaming music just doesn’t promote. This summer’s convention, at the West View Firemen’s Banquet Hall as it has been for the last three years, was the organization’s 59th show in its 28th year. The convention had smaller crowds than usual, according to its organizer Anthony Medwid, but the vendors and customers who attended were highly enthusiastic about the music and the community that comes with it. Medwid said they’ve had customers from other cities, states and countries. Some customers have never been to a record convention while others have been to the same one five times.

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Upper Darby, PA | This Upper Darby Record Collector Has a Store, But You Shouldn’t Stay Too Long. The owner of R&B Records in Upper Darby has an interesting customer approach: if you must come to his store, don’t stay long and know what you want, writes Beccah Hendrickson at 6abc. Val Shively prefers doing business by mail. “This is a landfill, not a record shop,” he said. The store, open since 1990, gives him somewhere to keep his extensive collection. “I sell records. I sell enough to still be here. But I love to buy, that’s my game. That’s me at my best,” Shively said. The older and more obscure, the better. He’s been collecting records since the 1950s. “I heard this record ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ by Elvis Presley when I was 12 years old, and I went nuts. I don’t know what it was. It just hypnotized me or mesmerized me or something,” he said. It’s possible he has the largest record collection in the world, numbering in the millions. And by discouraging the casual customer, that just leaves the serious and curious.

Melbourne, AU | The best record stores in Melbourne: Whether you’re a veteran crate digger, a mild enthusiast or a total newbie, these are the best stores for record-loving musos. Nothing beats going analog and hearing the warm crackle and pop of spinning vinyl. In the wake of the digital music revolution, bricks-and-mortar record stores took a brutal hit, but luckily vinyl has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with sales on the rise. Is it of any surprise? Considering the ‘TikTokification’ of music and the fact everything is now downloadable, heading to a store and sifting through black-wax gems feels somewhat ritualistic. Plus, chatting to record shop owners and picking their brains is like encountering a bastion of infinite musical knowledge. Looking for something that is a blend of David Bowie, Afro-punk and folktronica? They’ve got just the LP. So if you’re a seasoned crate digger looking for an obscure bootleg or just want to pick up your favourite album now that it has been remastered, check out the best record stores in Melbourne.

Columbus, GA | Birds of a Feather: Musicians flock to Blue Canary Records. What took some time to get off the ground has now become a local sensation. When Blue Canary Records owner Brian Cook first opened his Uptown shop’s back room as a music venue, he had to ask local bands and artists to play. Now, the small venue’s performing calendar almost fills itself. Cook says it’s been mostly a word of mouth situation. “A lot of bands and a lot of musicians now know of the record store and the back room and the kind of vibe that we are we’re putting out here,” Cook said. “It’s become kind of talk of the town a little bit.” The owner, who opened his record shop – the only one of its kind in Columbus – in Aug. 2023, admitted it’s not uncommon for him to get a call from a local act asking, “Hey, when can we get on the calendar?” As of now, that wait looks like at least a couple of months. The Blue Canary booking log is currently filled through August and into September. Part of that may be due to the crowd Cook’s shop caters toward.

Alhambra, CA | Alhambra’s Vinyl Shop: Offering ‘oldies’ to the new classics. Being a business owner in Alhambra is a full circle experience for Angelle Laigo. She grew up here, took piano lessons in this neighborhood at Pedrini Music when she was a kid and still sings in the choir at her local church. Her father started a community newspaper here after immigrating to the U.S. from the Philippines. He called it Street News. And here, on Main Street, is Str33t Records — Laigo’s homage to her father’s newspaper, community and her love of vinyl (Fun fact: the full name of the shop’s logo is Str33t Records ⅓, which is a nod to the revolutions per minute that records spin). “Str33t Records is the continuing legacy… of my family,” she says. “It’s a family passion project. I really couldn’t have done this without my entire family.” Str33t Records is right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Alhambra’s Main Street, snuggled between restaurants, boutiques, cafes and entertainment. The standing chalkboard sign at the front of the shop is an invitation to check out the music inside.

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London, UK | Rock and God In This North London Musical Mecca: “God runs this shop,” Derek Burbidge declares. “I rent it from God.” In the mid-1950s, the likes of Elvis Presley and Little Richard wrestled with what they felt to be the tension between rock ‘n roll and religion. As a born-again Christian though, Burbidge fears no such contradiction. …Independent record shops are, improbably, multiplying in recession-hit Britain. A recent report found that there are now 461 in the UK—figures not seen since Derek started business in the 1990s. In order to survive, however, many have diversified: Bradford’s Record Café boasts a charcuterie counter, while The Record Deck snakes along the canal system, bringing the party wherever it pulls up. These are extremes, though most places will serve you a decent flat white as you dig the crates. Burbidge is aware of the trend, but it’s not for him. “I used to sell CDs,” he offers, and then frowns at the memory: “I got rid of CDs.”

Los Angeles, CA | LA’s oldest record store is also its lowest rated: The Record Collector, a longtime stalwart in Los Angeles, has an owner with a very particular approach and business model. On a recent balmy weekday afternoon, Sanders Chase, a professional violinist-turned-record store purveyor, sits behind a wooden desk and watches as several customers stride into his Los Angeles shop, the Record Collector. Their eyes trail heavenward, toward the labyrinthine stacks bursting with thousands of used classical and jazz records — 500,000 to be exact. “Hi folks,” Chase calls out to the group, adjusting his spectacles. “Need any assistance?” The newcomers smile shyly and keep walking around. He then turns to me. “See, this is my problem,” he mutters under his breath. “They’re curiosity seekers. Curiosity killed the cat.” Someone else strolls into the store. “Is there anything I can steer you to?” Chase asks him. The man says no; he’s just looking around. “Make a list and come back, because that’s basically how we do it,” Chase tells him.

Bridgetown, AU | Llama Lounge brings new sounds to Bridgetown: A new live music bar and record store has opened on the main street of Bridgetown. Karma Llama Records opened as a brick-and-mortar store in another location in Bridgetown in late 2022. After hosting a few in-store performances in the first six months, the team behind the venue felt opening a bigger store and incorporating a bar and stage was a natural progression. After 18 months of hard work and renovating an old building they purchased in Bridgetown, they are now celebrating the opening of a live music space and bar, The Llama Lounge, which is incorporated into the Karma Llama Records building at 106 Hampton St. “My wife Tania and myself are music lovers and record collectors,” said Karma Llama co-founder Scott Hyde. “Opening a store was a great way to connect with other collectors and musos and talk music every day.” …The new venue has already proved to be a hit with musicians.

Nashville, TN | Indie Record Store Profile: Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and Books in Nashville: As part of a series on independent record stores, Billboard looks at one of Music City’s enduring shops, while co-owner Doyle Davis discusses Grimey’s contributions to Nashville. Like a lot of independent record shops, Nashville-based Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and Books sometimes offers giveaways for customers, with prizes such as tickets to local shows and vinyl pressings. But given its location in the creative hub of East Nashville, Grimey’s co-owner Doyle Davis says those giveaways have led to some unusual moments. “We’ll take a picture of the winner and tag them on social media when they pick up their prize,” Davis tells Billboard. “One time, we posted a photo of a guy showing off his prize—and [rock icon and former Led Zeppelin lead singer] Robert Plant was walking up the aisle right behind him. When we posted that [photo], all the comments were like, ‘Robert Plant photo-bombed your guy.’”

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Columbia, SC | Legendary Columbia record shop Papa Jazz has temporarily relocated. Here’s what to know. A legendary record shop in Columbia’s Five points has temporarily decamped from its longtime location, but is still spinning just a short distance away. Papa Jazz, which has been at 2014 Greene St. in Five Points for more than four decades, is in the midst of renovations to its space there. As such, it has temporarily moved operations to 747 Saluda Ave., which was formerly home to the Five Points Starbucks. Papa Jazz owner Tim Smith said the record shop is tentatively slated to be at the temporary spot for a couple of weeks. Back in the early 1990s, a car hit the side of the building at Papa Jazz on Greene Street, Smith said. That led to some unique structural quirks at the shop, and Smith said the time had come to do some repairs.

Washington, DC | Byrdland Records Helps Connect Music Fans to Local Artists One Membership at a Time: The record store’s vinyl subscription service, New Columbia Record Club, has continued to grow since it launched three years ago. Monthly, members choose from a curated selection of albums with a specific spotlight on local music. …Byrdland’s idea for starting their own vinyl subscription service began back when Songbyrd was a one-stop shop in Adams Morgan, combining the record store, venue, and eatery in a cramped two-story building. The space constraints, however, kept their vinyl inventory too low. That changed in 2020, when the record shop spun off into its own dedicated space near Union Market. Byrdland gave Lapan and Edmonson the leg room to expand their inventory from 1,000 records to more than 7,000 in the store at any given time. It’s also created opportunities to offer more in-store events, such as concerts, album release parties, and listening parties. “We grew into a larger, more proper record store,” Lapan says.

New Martinsville, WV | Kraken Records Interview: Kraken Records is co-owned by Kim Nelson & Ryan Shifflett and is located at 301 North Main Street Suite 1, New Martinsville. …”I decided to open a physical record store because I wanted to bring something fun and unique to New Martinsville. We had been online for a few years and had built enough inventory to give it a try!” ,,,”The main reason for wanting a physical store was due to my love and passion for music. The physical media has never truly gone away for many of us collectors even though many of the storefronts had disappeared. Now with the resurgence of records, many of the youth are discovering that it is more satisfying to own a physical copy of the music they love rather than clicking a button on their phone and listening through earbuds.”

Houston, TX | Breaking Records: Two Houston Venues That are Revolving Around Vinyl. Vinyl music has outsold CDs for the second year in a row, indicating an upward trend; but it is still a long distance away from its glory days. Its’ growth, however, is probably greater than what many speculate, with vinyl sales accounting for 40% of physical sales in the United States in 2023. To put things in perspective, the RIAA accounts vinyl for 8% of all record sales once you include streaming, but growth is growth. Streaming is king, but its use is hindered greatly when there is no internet. This last week had a lot of people grabbing physical media as power was slow to return and access to the world wide web was limited. If you were lucky enough to have access to electricity, water, and air conditioning, the ability to pass time with some form of entertainment after dealing with hurricane aftermath became extremely important.

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US | Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, K-Pop Acts See a Huge Boost in 2024 Sales With ‘Variants’: The Same Album in Different Packages: Exclusive bonus tracks… Five different shades of vinyl… Tour booklet with exclusive photos… “Fans First” exclusive picture disc… Boxed set with candle, hoodie and CD… Target exclusive, Amazon exclusive, Urban Outfitters exclusive… exclusive exclusive exclusive… “Variants”—multiple different vinyl, CD or cassette versions of an already-released album or EP — have become a booming business in the music industry, helping to drive sales and chart numbers for artists ranging from superstars to cult favorites. According to Luminate Data’s 2024 mid-year report released Tuesday morning, the top 10 U.S. physical albums of 2024 carried an average of seven different vinyl variants, two cassettes and 13 CDs (the latter mostly for K-pop acts). Unquestionably in Taylor Swift’s case, they’ve helped her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department” to hold the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks, three months past its April 19 release date.

UK | Physical music sales set for first increase in 20 years: Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and The Last Dinner Party were among the artists with the most physical sales. Sales of physical music are on track to see their first increase in two decades, following years of being overshadowed by streaming. The renewed interest in physical music collections has reached new heights, with the Official Charts Company and BPI reporting that physical album sales have experienced a 3.2% increase in the first six months of 2024, with 8,044,760 units sold. This marks the first time the sector has seen an increase since 2004 when a shift to digital music consumption and streaming began. Taylor Swift‘s ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ has been the biggest contributor to the increase in sales, shifting 254,241 copies in the first six months of 2024.

Chicago, IL | Best Spot for Hunting Eclectic Vinyl: Chicago is rich in record stores. But not all of them give you that satisfying passport-stamped feeling that 606 Records in Pilsen does. You won’t find the umpteenth reissue of your favorite classic rock or Blue Note jazz record (no shade on either). Instead, you’ll discover a shop dedicated to turning people onto many of the world’s most eclectic artists and boundary-pushing independent labels. Jazz-funk from Tokyo, house music from South Africa, underground rap from Chicago, electronica from all corners of the globe, and everything else you can imagine—it’s somehow all impeccably curated just across the way from Thalia Hall.

Klang Valley, MY | Where To Find Rare Vinyl Records In Klang Valley: Time to delve into these treasure troves! 1. NewLeafz Records at PJ: Amcorp Mall is a treasure trove for vinyl enthusiasts and collectors, featuring a variety of stores, including this gem. This vinyl haven offers a wide selection of both new and used records across various genres, from classic rock and pop to jazz, hip-hop, and indie. 2. The Groove Room Record Store at PJ: What started out as a collector’s dream is now a paradise for vinyl lovers. The Groove Room, a record store founded in 2020 by Mohan, a Malaysian who wanted to share his love for vinyl, boasts a selection of over 4,000 records. Visitors can enjoy listening to these records in a cosy, ‘hidden’ room behind the store, and some of the vinyls are also available for purchase. 3. Tandang Record Store at KL: Located within The Zhongshan Building are several little artsy shops, including a tattoo parlour, stationery shop, café, and this record store. Tandang Record Store, previously in Subang Jaya, offers a diverse mix of musical genres on vinyl, ranging from classics to punk and metal…

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Brussels, BE | Saint-Gilles record shop Dust Dealers to close down: A staple in the revived Brussels vinyl scene of last few years, record shop Dust Dealers in the Brussels municipality of Saint-Gilles announced it will close from the end of September. Nestled in the beautiful Art Nouveau gem Rue Vanderschrick, Dust Dealers has been known for its specialist focus on jazz and soul, but also hip hop, disco, funk and folk music from all around the world. Among the most comfortable record shops in Brussels, the shop window was adorned with classic music memorabilia and merchandise, and also had lamps, armchairs and a sofa for its listening posts. Last Monday, the shop’s managers announced on social media that, from 30 September, the shop will be closing down after the 8 years of operations. “On 30 September, I’ll be giving the shop the final sweep and the dust will be gone. What was only supposed to be a parenthesis will have lasted more than 8 years. It’s time for me to make a different choice and change the record,” the statement read.

Poole, UK | Poole record store relocating branch to Wiltshire: Boiler Room Records has closed its Kingland Crescent shop. A Poole based record store has closed one of its branches, and relocated it to Wiltshire. Boiler Room Records has closed its Kingland Crescent store and opened a new shop in Salisbury’s Cross Keys Shopping Centre. Boiler Room was set up 40 years ago and is known for its dedication to the growing vinyl community. The original shop at 27 High Street in Poole’s Old Town will remain open. Owner Mark Northey said: “We loved our time at Kingland, especially the support from Legal & General, who have been leading the way with innovative ideas in modern retail. “However, having two stores in close proximity was splitting our revenue. We couldn’t possibly close our original shop in Poole, so we decided to bring a proper independent record shop to Salisbury instead.” The new store in Salisbury has undergone a huge refurbishment and increased its stock capacity to offer new vinyl, including weekly releases, and the ability to pre-order future releases, and indie exclusives.

Lincolnshire, UK | The Lincolnshire record store still thriving after 20 years thanks to revival of vinyl: Off the Beaten Tracks record store is a treasure trove for music lovers. It’s Saturday morning and the Off the Beaten Tracks record shop in Louth is as busy as always. Music-lovers crowd the stands hunting for new finds, bargains and rarities, while a constant stream of fresh sounds pour out of the store’s sound system—a mix of alternative artists and local bands. … Since the pandemic, local businesses have been struggling to stay afloat. In 2023, there was a record-breaking, 585,807 businesses closed across the UK. Yet despite the gloomy high street outlook, Off the Beaten Track – a quaint record store in the centre of Louth – is this summer celebrating its 20th anniversary. Run by Mark Merrifield and wife and business partner Lee Conybeare – both 49 – the place is something of a treasure trove, tucked away between a bookies and a takeaway in Aswell Street. And it is much loved by Louth locals.

Midland, TX | Cotton Flat Records to host grand opening Aug. 10: Nic Hartley fell in love with music and vinyl records when he was a kid. Now, he’s transformed his collection into a new business venture. Cotton Flat Records, a dedicated record store, will have a grand opening at noon on Aug. 10. After Eccentric Brewery closed, Jamie Ehl, the owner of the building, was looking for his next business opportunity. Hartley, one of Ehl’s employees, told Ehl about his personal vinyl collection and suggested opening a store to sell them. “I told him I have a huge record collection,” Hartley said. “I love collecting records, and I know everybody in the vinyl community in Midland and Odessa would be interested in that.” Hartley said that he grew up in a musical household, which eventually led him toward collecting and singing and playing guitar in a band. “My dad and mom both had a big record collection,” Hartley said. “As a kid, I would go through their records and pick out the ones that I thought looked cool and take them to my room to keep.”

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Sandy, UT | Daybreak Records creates community connection through love of nostalgia: Vintage sounds of music playing on vinyl are coming back to life at Daybreak Records as the new shop is set to open Saturday. “We started off over in Daybreak. Hence the name,” said owner and music lover David Sherwood. “We did yard sales for about ten years and all my friends who collected records would come out and start selling with me. It turned into this event.” Sherwood felt the need to expand from yard sales in order to offer a larger, more curated collection. “We are kind of already established as a business,” he said. “We have about 800 active customers who are buying from us right now. They were all saying, ‘Dave we need a shop. You aren’t giving us enough records.’” Inside the store, customers will find bins of quality vintage, and rare records from artists like Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Elvis Presley. “For me, it’s that tangible thing you’re holding in your hand…”

Carson City, NV | Music and clothing finds: Tiger Rose Vintage and Vinyl brings the music store back to Carson City: …Bowers prides himself in the fact that the shop carries both music by local bands and new releases that you can’t find at Walmart. “Our shop is the only place in Carson City where you can buy new releases, especially if you’re looking for something that’s on a larger indie label, like Sub Pop or something like that,” Bowers said. “We do a really good job of making sure that we’ve got at least one copy of all the new stuff that’s coming out. Also, where we’re located is kind of a cool little spot … The Carson Antiques and Collectibles Mall is right across the street from us, and there are more used records in there, and there are a couple other spots, like little antique shops and stuff right within walking distance of our shop. You actually could hit four or five different places by parking your car in one spot.” Bowers expressed pride in the fact that Tiger Rose is filling a void in Carson City.

Cork, IE | Glass of wine at the record shop? Don’t mind if we do… There was a time when we’d have called this notions. But now that we’re a bit older and slightly more appreciative of the finer things in life, it might be one of the things we’re most pleased about this week. You can now order yourself a glass of wine at Plugd Records. The Cornmarket Street home of very good vinyl in Cork is now offering customers the chance to enjoy a glass of very good vino after a flip-flap through the records. They’ve even enlisted none other than Brian O’Connor, of Brian’s Wines, to come up with a list of tasty options. Brian, from Blarney. has a reputation for sourcing wines directly from growers that inspire him and today supplies some of the best cellars in the country. He has a knack for finding the best bottles from wineries that produce their wine the natural way, without any nasties, pesticides and chemicals. We’re a long way from the bottle of Buckfast, baby, that’s for sure. And TBH we’re all about it.

Washington, DC | Tiny Vinyl Shop and Upshift Workshop now open in Adams Morgan! Ty Cumbie, owner of Tiny Vinyl Shop, got into the record selling biz almost by accident but quickly discovered an aptitude and passion for it. For the past four years he has been lugging 7-8 crates of carefully picked vinyl to Dupont Little Flea Market on Sundays and a variety of other markets around DC. In the process he built a brand and a customer base that appreciates what TVS offers. For two years he sought a brick & mortar home where he could settle in and take his love of music and vinyl to new heights. At last, he’s found it, at the old City Bikes space in Adams Morgan. The soft launch happened July 3 and the store was quietly open noon-7pm that week until Sunday. It will continue those same hours going forward. A Grand Opening celebratory event, in conjunction with Upshift, is in planning for late July.

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Salisbury, UK | Boiler Room Records comes to Salisbury: Music and vinyl fans in Salisbury can celebrate as Boiler Room Records has opened up at the Cross Keys Shopping Centre in collaboration with Vinyl Collectors and Sellers. Boiler Room Records has relocated its Poole store at Kingland Crescent to its new home in Salisbury to introduce a London-style record shop to the city, offering new and collectable vinyl, CDs, and accessories. The founder of Vinyl Collectors and Sellers Paul Smith, who will turn 60 in June, stepped away from the business to spend more time with his family. Paul expressed his delight in finding a buyer who will maintain the shop as a record store, preserving the rich musical heritage of Salisbury. Paul said: “We are really excited to be welcoming Boiler Room Records to our established shop in Salisbury in what is going to be a collaboration of two successful businesses in music sales with a combined trading history of 66 years.”

Portland, OR | A record store/pub gives Sellwood a community hub: A wall in the corner of Sellwood’s The Record Pub contains a chalkboard neatly divided into equal squares. Within those squares sit entries in The TRP Top 3, which change regularly depending on that week’s theme. In early July, the theme was “best food and drink songs,” per the July 4 holiday. It’s, on several levels, an open slate. The TRP Top 3 is just one of the many compelling parts about The Record Pub, which, as it approaches its second anniversary on July 20, already seems inextricably molded into the Iron Horse building that hosted the same-named beloved restaurant for three-plus decades. “…People will pick out a record, pay for it and leave. Here, they hang for a while listening to music, they’ll go back and talk to some people they don’t know about music, they’ll talk about the board” containing TRP 3 selections. Added co-founder Chris Metz, “So many friendships have developed here.”

New Orleans, LA | Free beer and cocktails every Friday at New Orleans record shop, Peaches Records: Every Friday evening this summer, local record shop Peaches Records will be hosting happy hour parties with free beer and cocktails to bring the neighborhood together. “The city is one of the most beautiful and magical cities and I’m deeply in love with it,” Owner of Peaches Records Shirani Rea also known as “Mama Peaches,” said. Rea wants to share the love with the city she loves. “We’ll have beer and cocktails, totally free. It’s the cheapest date you’re going to get,” she said. She said she wants to do this especially because last summer was very difficult with no one going out because of the heat. “We didn’t do well as a business in this community last summer so instead of playing my little violin, I decided to do something proactive to help the community out,” she said.

Austin, TX | Qmmunity: Spinning Right Round: Queer Vinyl Collective rules the record roost with new vinyl livestream the Studio. When the mind conjures a DJ set, primary imagery includes a club and people all up in each other’s business on a dance floor. But the real deal music lovers know that the new place to enjoy every song the disc jockey slings ya is online: livestream style. In fact, as I write this very column, I’m pumping the Studio livestream featuring DJ Dana Scully, aka Dana Brown – the first in a new series from Queer Vinyl Collective that’ll be dropping every Monday at 8pm on their Twitch channel. Comprising two bodies, Brown considers QVC to be made by and for both its rotating resident DJs and local vinyl enthusiasts. These parties together form a community created to “carve [out] more equitable space and opportunity for DJs and vinyl-loving folks in this town,” Brown says. “We exist to create more space for queer/ally DJs to show their craft,” she adds about the two-year-old collective, “and hone their skills together.”

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Flossmoor, IL | Conservatory Vintage and Vinyl celebrates 5-year anniversary with DJs and sales: Conservatory Vintage and Vinyl, a mid-century modern furnishings and record store in downtown Flossmoor, first opened in July 2019 and has begun to celebrate its five-year anniversary with events every Saturday this month with DJs and sales. DJ Zulu, DJ Sean Doe, other record collectors and music fans and Conservatory’s owners and employees gathered at the shop at 1042 Sterling Avenue on Saturday, July 6, for the first of four five-year anniversary events. “Five years ago next week, we officially opened our doors with the ribbon-cutting. So, we’re celebrating all month our five-year anniversary with different activities,” co-owner Tony Fields said. “We’re super grateful to be here, to be a part of the community,” co-owner Chogie Fields said.

Washington, DC | Joe Lee, proprietor of a record paradise, dies at 76: His store, in suburban Maryland, became an informal center of the Washington area’s music scene. …After studying art and working in a Los Angeles record store, Mr. Lee returned to Maryland and opened Joe’s Record Paradise in Takoma Park in 1974. The shop has moved to several other locations in Montgomery County over the years and is now operated by his son in Silver Spring. In every location, Joe’s Record Paradise was a cluttered hodgepodge of music memorabilia, posters and books, but mostly an eclectic collection of vinyl LPs, compact discs, tapes and videos of every description: country and hip-hop; Tejano and comedy; alt-rock and punk; jazz, including from pianist and composer Thelonious Monk. At the center of it, as resident raconteur, impresario and all-around music maven, was Mr. Lee, a nonstop talker who knew where each of the 100,000-odd titles in his shop could be found.

Newark, UK | Man trades Stamford Market for Newark Market with his vinyl and DJ stall: A man known to markets for over 20 years will start trading at Newark Market offering each visitor a quirky and ‘surprise’ visit. Jon Coupland, a renowned DJ on the Northern Soul scene and vinyl enthusiast has been trading up and down the country for many years and a DJ for 40 years. Previously trading at the Stamford Market every Saturday, Jon has chosen to move his stall and his varied collection of over 65,000 records. Not only to entertain the market and capture visitors’ attention with his collection ranging from soul, rock, 70s rock, to 60s music, reggae and punk, but he will also be live performing a DJ set at the stall. Newark Record Stall will be playing and selling music to all tastes from 8am until 3pm. He said: “Newark is the perfect place because of its proximity, it is central and easy to get to.”

Glasgow, UK | Record Store Day: Remembering when Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker turned up at Monorail on Record Store Day: Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker once surprised Glasgow music fans on Record Store Day. Jarvis Cocker is no stranger to the Glasgow having made an impromptu visit to Monorail Music on King Street in 2018 on Record Store Day. Pulp took to the TRNSMT main stage last summer for their first performance in Glasgow in 14 years. Cocker stunned fans who had queued up outside the city centre record store as he declared Monorail Music open for business for the day with it likely that he knows the co-founder of the venue, Stephen McRobbie who was part of indie legends, The Pastels who shot to fame in the 1980s. Taking to Instagram, Cocker said: “Happy Record Store Day! I was honoured to be asked to officially open Monorail in Glasgow for business this morning. Kind of walked off with the scissors after tho…”

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Deep Ellum, TX | Dallas music veteran to open record store and gear shop in Deep Ellum: For over two decades, creative entrepreneur and arts impressario Mike Ziemer has worn several hats in Dallas-Fort Worth’s music scene: From organizing indie punk pop shows at the Plano Event Center to promoting shows at venues in Deep Ellum to creating the So What?! Festival. In August, he plans to champion Deep Ellum’s rich musical history with the opening of Corner Store Records, a new record store that will open at 2952 Commerce St. in the space previously occupied by Dope Ellum. Having spent much of his younger years in record stores like Virgin Megastore and Tower Records, Ziemer has always dreamt of opening a record store of his own. “I’ve actually been collecting vinyl since I was like, 17 or 18,” he says. “My favorite movie of all time is High Fidelity. And even though [Rob Gordon, played by John Cusack] is kind of a miserable record store owner, I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Salisbury, UK | Boiler Room Records relocates Poole store to Salisbury: Boiler Room Records has relocated its Kingland Crescent store in Poole to a new home in Salisbury’s Cross Keys Shopping Centre. The grand opening took place on Friday, 5th July 2024, in collaboration with Vinyl Collectors & Sellers, who previously ran the record store in that location. This exciting move introduces a London-style record shop to Salisbury, offering new and collectable vinyl, CDs, and accessories. Boiler Room Records, established 40 years ago, is known for its extensive collection of music and its dedication to the vinyl community. The original shop at 27 High Street, Old Town, Poole, which has been a staple for 35 years, will remain open, continuing to serve great music to the people of Poole. Boiler Room Records owner Mark Northey stated, “We loved our time at Kingland, especially the support from Legal & General, who have been leading the way with innovative ideas in modern retail.”

Danbury, CT | Online record shop, Trash American Style, is moving out of CT after 38 years: Online record shop Trash American Style, which once operated a Danbury storefront, is ending operations in Connecticut this month after nearly 40 years in the state. Co-founder and owner Malcolm Tent told Hearst Connecticut Media he’s moving to North Carolina to be a full-time member of the band, ANTiSeen. “(I’m leaving) all my friends and customers and people who I’ve been hanging out with here in Connecticut since 1986. My destiny awaits in the sunny south,” the 59-year-old Danbury resident said. Tent and his former business partner Kathy Kelly ran the new and used record shop from 1986-2007, before transitioning it to an online store and organizing pop-up shops across the state. Trash American Style sells vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, videos and rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia. Tent will continue operating the online store, but he’s always found the in-person sales component to be the core of the business, he said.

Chicago, IL | Torn Light Records Bringing Jazz, Post Punk And More To Bucktown’s Milwaukee Avenue: The record store operated in Cincinnati and nearby Newport, Kentucky, for over a decade before making the move to Chicago. A record store with an emphasis on jazz, post punk, experimental music and many other genres sourced from lesser-known labels and bands is now open in Bucktown. Torn Light Records opened late last month at 1855 N. Milwaukee Ave. While it’s new to Chicago, the store is actually in its 11th year in business: Co-owners Alex York and Dan Buckley started it more than a decade ago in Kentucky before moving to Cincinnati. After many years in Ohio, York and Buckley realized they were spending more and more time in Chicago. They started looking for spaces here in early 2023 and decided to move their operation — which includes releasing records and tapes of their own and consulting on other projects — to the city. Earlier this year, the duo took over the former home of the Chicago Teachers, Inc. store, which has been vacant for several years. They’ve spent the past few months prepping to build out the space and reopen.

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