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

Minneapolis, MN | New record store opens in historic music space: A legendary music space in Minneapolis is spinning a new record. Michele Swanson opened Lucky Cat Records at the corner of Lyndale Avenue and 26th Street — a space that was once home to Treehouse Records and Oar Folkjokeopus. “The history in this space is just amazing,” said Swanson. “It’s kind of where Minnesota music sort of originated, you know, The Replacements were discovered here.” The history of this corner shop is why Swanson wanted to open a record store, a move she never saw coming. She worked in human resources for Delta Airlines for over two decades. “I’ve always loved music, but I’ve never done it as a profession,” Swanson said. Her record store is filled with new and used vinyl. “The used vinyl, I actually source from around the world,” she said. “Some of the vintage local artists like Zuzu’s Petals, and Run Westy Run, Babes in Toyland, you can’t find the vintage albums around here.”

Limerick, IE | New record shop Downbeat Records to open in Limerick in August: “A good record store is about more than the music, its about the culture and the community,” Downbeat Records’ Frankie O’Mahony tells us. Limerick city centre is about to become home to an exciting new community-oriented record store – following today’s announcement that Downbeat Records is opening at The Wickham Way in August. The store is set to stock new and used vinyl records and books, with a particularly strong emphasis on soul, jazz, electronic, rock, metal, hip-hop, reggae and world music. There will also be a dedicated listening desk in store for customer use. In the run-up to the opening, Frankie O’Mahony, the mastermind behind Downbeat Records, has been busy buying up quality record collections, and sourcing stock from the UK, US and beyond. Downbeat Records also plans to serve its local community of artists, musicians and record collectors by launching its own label for Irish output.

Stockton, UK | New independent record shop set for Stockton: Record shop Regent Records opens for business on Saturday 13 July. The store will offer specialist stock like rare vintage vinyl plus a wide variety of brand-new records too – as well as CDs, cassette tapes and music-related memorabilia. Regency Records opens for business on Saturday 13 July. They’re hosting their launch night party on 12 July, with George Boomsma and George Bailey playing live. The launch will be a free-entry, “pay-what-you-decide” event and all proceeds will go to the artists performing. The owner Stephen Thompson was formerly a full-time teacher and will keep his hand in with occasional supply work. Stephen said: “Opening a record shop in my beloved Stockton is something I’ve always wanted to do.” He hopes his shop will fill the gap left by the independent Sound It Out which closed after its owner passed away.

London, UK | Record Store Lates with OPIA Records: Programmed by our store clerk Jos, every Thursday we invite labels & parties near and far to take over the wheels of steel and showcase their sound for our new project “Record Store Lates”. This is an opportunity for us to give a platform back to the people that support our little record shop, highlight their projects and show you what they’re all about. Expect a broad spectrum of sound through House, Disco, Downtempo, Synth Pop, Electronica and beyond over the next few months! DRINK – Expect our usual selection of craft beer, coffees, natural wines and our specially selected cocktail menu. FOOD – Food served from 5pm-10pm our in-house pizza! INFO – This is a free entry event as always. Please book tables via our website for large parties to avoid disappointment.

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Washington, DC | Tiny Vinyl Shop opening in the old City Bikes space will share the space with Upshift Workshop! Last week we broke the exciting news that Tiny Vinyl Shop is opening in the old City Bikes space in Adams Morgan. But that’s not all that’s coming to the space: “The space will be split 50-50 with Tiny Vinyl Shop and Upshift Workshop – an education-focused bike shop, supporting all who ride their bikes for transportation in DC! We will have a small service area and retail floor with curated, colorful bike wares. We’re super excited to be bringing a bike shop back to the neighborhood! Upshift has been a bike-powered mobile repair service for the last 4 years, offering tune-ups, flat fixes, learn to ride lessons, and bike mechanics clinics all across DC.” Stay tuned.

San Francisco, CA | Tunnel Records Serves Up Tunes and Community to the West Side: The idea of playing music on a vinyl record seems to be a concept of the past. Discovering an old record in your basement feels like you have unearthed an ancient artifact. But if you look at worldwide statistics, record sales are booming. In 2023 alone, more than 40 million vinyl records were sold, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This vinyl revival can be seen in San Francisco as well, a city boasting almost 20 record stores scattered throughout the area. Tunnel Records is one of these success stories. A small vinyl boutique on Taraval Street near 46th Avenue, it is the archetypal neighborhood record store. Owner 46-year-old Ben Wintroub opened the Taraval location more than seven years ago. It is named for the tunnels that once led to the beach under the Great Highway. He opened another store last year on Clement Street in the annex next to the 4 Star Theater.

IL | Majority of Illinois music fans are embracing vinyl revolution: The vinyl revolution just proves to Illinois music fans and collectors to never say never because there’s always a chance. Thanks to my dad and uncle, I got into music really early in my life. They were going to concerts and buying new albums when I was a kid. There were always tunes playing in our house and also in the car. It had a huge impact on me. Then I started getting into my own bands. I would save the money from my newspaper delivery route to buy albums. Back in those days, vinyl was king. That’s when I started my collection which continues to grow still today. Other formats came along like cassettes, 8-tracks, and CDs. I kept buying vinyl as long as I could but it was basically wiped out by the compact discs. I hopped on that bandwagon but I always kept my records and turntable. Then digital music and streaming services came along. I appreciate the convenience and ease but I was never a big fan of the sound.

Minneapolis, MN | Scene Makers Q+A: Lucky Cat Records owner puts a new spin on a fabled Minneapolis store site: From corporate life to indie shopkeeper, Michele Swanson opens this weekend in the former home of Oar Folk. Michele Swanson didn’t retire from her longtime HR job at Delta Airlines just to open a record store. She also didn’t want to open just any record store. “I actually never thought about opening a store until this particular space came open,” said Swanson, the new owner of Lucky Cat Records. Opening this weekend on the corner of Lyndale Avenue and 26th Street, Lucky Cat takes over the long-shuttered storefront that used to house Oar Folkjokeopus and Treehouse Records. In its ’70s and ’80s era as “Oar Folk,” the shop was a meeting hub and incubator for legendary bands including the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, the Suburbs and the Jayhawks. All of those local groups happen to be personal favorites of Swanson, a point that becomes obvious when you see all the posters, original artwork and rare album covers that line the walls of the lovingly refurbished space.

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Minneapolis, MN | Lucky Cat Records opens on Lyndale Avenue at old Oar Folkjokeopus spot: A corner of Lyndale Avenue in south Minneapolis made legendary for its roots as an alternative rock and roll gathering space will once again be home to an independent record shop. Lucky Cat Records has officially opened at 2557 Lyndale Ave. S., with an opening weekend planned for July 5-7. Located across the street from the CC Club, the corner was a hot spot in the 1980s for bands such as Loud Fast Rules (later changing their name to Soul Asylum), Husker Du and the Replacements, who would gather to listen to music before and after their own band practices. From 2001 to 2017, the location was home to Treehouse Records, owned by Mark Trehus. In recent years, Trehus said he was looking to sell the location, but still wanted to keep a record store at the spot if possible.

Nottingham, UK | Fopp: Inside the new Nottingham record shop taking music lovers back to the good old days: You could easily spend an hour or two wandering around here! The way we consume music has changed dramatically over the past few decades. First came vinyl, then CDs and now the dominance of online streaming. But for those of a certain age, the only way to listen to your favourite band’s new album is by getting the bus into town, walking into a record shop and getting your hands on the real thing. There are some indications that the golden age of music could be returning, with vinyl sales last year at their highest level this century. That can only be good news for shops like Fopp – Nottingham’s newest music store. Now owned by HMV, Fopp had a shop in Broadmarsh until the shopping centre closed in mid-2020, but last month the much-loved brand made a sensational return to the city.

Edinburgh, UK | Lost Map announce collaboration with Good Vibes record store: The long-running indie label will have a permanent base of operations at the Edinburgh record store and studio. Lost Map, the Isle Of Eigg-based record label owned by musician Johnny Lynch, has announced a permanent base of operations at Edinburgh’s Good Vibes record store and studio. The collaboration marks the first time the label has had its full catalogue on sale in a brick and mortar premises, and promises an evolution of the brand after its tenth anniversary in 2023. Lynch says, ‘This partnership is a truly wonderful opportunity for Lost Map – we’re excited to be bringing our music to one of the most exquisitely curated record shops in the country. Given our unique situation on Eigg and the logistical challenges involved, we’ve always had a mainland base in Edinburgh for our webshop and distribution (run by Kate “Canaveral” Lazda).’

Phoenix, AZ | Meet Kimber Lanning, A Phoenix Community Alliance “City-Shaper.” Downtown Phoenix wouldn’t be the same without Kimber Lanning. As the owner of Stinkweeds Records and Modified Arts, she firmly established herself as a fierce amplifier of all things local. Over time, she transformed from her “record store lady” descriptor into a regionally recognized community development advocate through her nonprofit Local First Arizona, a vital community resource for small businesses and economic development. In her third decade of community leadership, there’s no corner of business where her vigor and determination to create a level playing field has not been evident, whether as a founding member of the Alliance of Independent Media Stores, recommending local vendors to large companies, like SRP, or organizing small businesses and local leaders against harmful legislation (SB 1070). Phoenix Community Alliance and its membership were organized from the foundation of industry professionals who all shared the same goal: to use their expertise to benefit the Greater Downtown Phoenix community.

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Mansfield, OH | ‘Operation Fandom’ Completes Move and Reopens in Larger Fourth Street Location: Mansfield pop culture collectible shop and record store Operation Fandom / Blackbird Records has officially reopened in a new location. The store now occupies the space where “Uncommon Nostalgia” was operating from at 36 West Fourth Street. Owner Joshua Lehman says that having something to offer to people of all ages is a tough balancing act, but believes that the store is accessible to anyone. “We started Operation Fandom about six years ago in Wooster in the fall of 2020, during COVID,” recalled Lehman. “We actually decided to expand because so many people were coming from all over the state to our Wooster store, spending more time and money on collectibles and music. They wanted to obviously have more entertainment at home. We popped over in September of 2020 to 31 West Fourth Street, over by City Grill and, we were there for a little bit—over three years—and we were just kind of bursting at the seams.”

Washington, DC | Local record and vintage store Joint Custody showcases old treasures: Local record and vintage store Joint Custody joined Good Morning Washington to showcase all things second-hand. The store offers unique items such as old records and clothing. Brian van de Graaff took us to the DC brick-and-mortar store to talk to co-owner Gene Melkisethian and employee Jose Hernandez about the deeply-rooted vintage culture. They also described various rare items Joint Custody sells. Co-owner Gene Melkisethian discussed his appreciation for vintage apparel and music. “Since I was a little kid, I collected records, I collected shirts, I collected old magazines. Anything old I’ve always been into it, it’s my passion.”

Pontypool, UK | Record store owner frames moment he confronted Boris Johnson: A record store owner said he took off his jacket and pointed to his,‘The Stupids’ punk band shirt when Boris Johnson asked if the conservatives could rely on his vote. Mark James, 60, of Pontypool, a retired community mental health nurse and senior lecturer met the former prime minister at a record store at Newport Market back in 2017. Boris Johnson became leader of the Conservatives back in 2019 and became prime minister when they won a majority in the general election that year. The country has seen a lot of change since Mr Johnsons visit to Newport market and with the next general election now just days away, Mr James recalled the encounter. At the time, Boris Johnson was foreign secretary and visiting Newport Market to meet stall owners and support Angela Jones Evans, the conservative candidate for Newport West.

Atlanta, GA | Atlanta legend DJ Jaycee ‘always gravitated towards the record player.’ When it comes to the Mount Rushmore of DJs in Atlanta, Greg Street, DJ Nabs, DJ Jelly, DJ Toomp, DJ Drama, and DJ Jaycee are among the names often mentioned as among the best and who paved the way for future generations. WSB Radio spoke to DJ Jaycee during Black Music Month about his life, career and the art of DJing. DJ Jaycee, whose real name is Jayson Reid, said his undying love for music came from his family growing up in Detroit. “I have had a love for records since I was a baby in the crib,” DJ Jaycee told WSB Radio. “There are pictures of me in the crib sleeping with records. There are pictures of me in a highchair holding records. I was always fascinated with records and that is where it started.” Music is truly in his blood, he says.

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Poole, UK | Boiler Room Records at Kingland Crescent to close: A business described as a ‘vibrant member’ of a Poole shopping village is closing. The Boiler Room Records shop at Kingland Crescent will have its last day on Friday, July 5, before closing its doors. Boiler Room Records, an independent record shop specialising in vinyl and CDs, has only been trading at Kingland Crescent since March 2023. A social media post by neighbouring shopping centre The Dolphin said: “Last chance to visit Boiler Room Records. “Boiler Room Records will be leaving Kingland Crescent this week, with their last day being Friday 5th July. “We’re sorry to see them go, as Boiler Room Records have been an active and vibrant member of our Kingland community since March 2023.” Boiler Room Records has a second store at 27 High Street in Poole, which will remain open as usual.

Camarillo, CA | Getting groovy on the boulevard: American Pie Records expanding into coffee house and jazz club. Michael Curtis was able to turn a soul-satisfying habit into a successful business venture, right on Ventura Boulevard. Curtis owns and operates American Pie Records, a vinyl record shop he opened in 2022 when the practicing attorney was looking for a new groove. Prior to opening the shop, Curtis’ personal collection of records amounted to nearly 2,000. “I still practice law, but I have much more fun playing in my record store,” Curtis said. “My goal was to open a business on Ventura Boulevard that would add something to the neighborhood.” The longtime Camarillo resident was on the right track about that. Aside from the average, old-school vinyl record collector, Curtis said the shop is especially popular among younger people. “Compressed music sounds louder and bigger when you hear it on the radio,” the 45-year-old said. “But it’s not sonically correct to how the music sounded when it was actually recorded.”

Grand Rapids, MI | First Black woman-owned record store in Grand Rapids off to a great start: On a Thursday afternoon, Della Marie Levi and her staff are doing inventory at Della Soul Records. It’s a task they’re happy to tackle after celebrating one month in business earlier this week. Della Soul Records became a dream for Della after she learned to DJ on vinyl during the COVID 19 pandemic. “I love vinyl, and my dad used to listen to it growing up. He was an avid collector. And so I decided I was going to start collecting vinyl as well. And so one day, I thought ‘I don’t want to work my nine to five forever. I want to do something. I want to chase my dreams,'” she said. “I wanted to sell vinyl because that was my dream. That was my bucket list thing. And to hear that I’m the first Black woman to own a record shop in Grand Rapids is phenomenal. I might be the first, but I definitely will not be the last.”

Louisville, KY | Chappell Roan left signed copies of her album for Louisville fans after headlining pride festival: Chappell Roan left a few surprises for fans after her huge performance at the Kentuckiana Pride Festival earlier this month. Rising singer Chappell Roan left a few surprises for fans after her massive performance in Louisville earlier this month. Guestroom Records, located at 1806 Frankfort Avenue, said Roan signed copies of her debut album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” after headlining the 2024 Kentuckiana Pride Festival nearly two weeks ago. Fans waited outside the record store for hours Friday morning hoping to snag a signed copy of the album on vinyl or CD when the store opened at 11:30 a.m. Ashley Brumback knew she would likely be the first person in line after reading the store’s post on social media Thursday. “I kind of tend to over plan, so I thought there was a good chance,” she said, adding that she arrived just before 6AM.

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Bossier City, LA | Locally owned music shop in Bossier City says goodbye: Local businesses are the heart of a thriving community and sadly a Bossier City business has announced their final days in business are coming up. I’ve always admired the spirit of family-owned and small businesses here in Shreveport, I’d gladly drive from North Bossier to go get pizza at Pop N Pizza because I know that’s directly helping my community. One of my favorite hobbies is collecting vinyl records, and back in 2021, I discovered the gift of J&W Music. J&W Music opened in 2018 and even expanded to a location in Ruston for a few years. In 2021 they moved into the Pierre Bossier Mall and upon my first sight I fell in love upon seeing crates of records and a wall of guitars. Well, the bad news is due to personal illness and other private issues they took to Facebook the other day to announce that sadly they will not be renewing their lease.

Columbia, SC | Five Points’ Papa Jazz is getting a refresh after 44 years slinging vinyl records: Over the course of July, Five Points’ popular Papa Jazz Record Shoppe will undergo two major interior renovations, requiring them to temporarily operate out of a new location. Papa Jazz is home to hundreds of CDs, vinyl records and other music-related paraphernalia. From new releases to timeless classics, the shop has remained a cornerstone of the Five Points community since its opening in 1980. The store — and its physical facilities — have been through plenty of wear and tear, from years of patrons leafing through records to an automobile crash into the side of the building during the early 1990s that caused the store’s flooring structure to slope downward. Now, said owner Tim Smith, is the right time to give Papa Jazz a refresh.

Cambridge, MA | What makes it into the $1 Cheapo Records bin? Xylophones, bear rugs, most folks named Mort. The beat marches on with our latest spotlight from the “Totally Excellent” Cambridge Day Record Walk: Cheapo Records (538 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge). You’ll recognize the beloved Central Square music shop by the discount shelves flanking your left and right as you enter through the vestibule. That’s the proper way to start an afternoon of crate digging—respectable $1 selections on offer before you even walk through the door. Once inside you’ll notice the shotgun-style floor plan. The inventory is packed into shelves along the wall and in the central island, which customers circumnavigate via a narrow aisle, clockwise or counterclockwise, more or less cognizant of other souls as they flip through the stacks intently. The inventory trends toward “used,” rather than “new arrivals.” Exactly what you’d expect in a place called “Cheapo.” Vinyl predominates, but there are plenty of CDs to hunt through, plus a few tapes and DVDs.

Seattle, WA | Slash announces in person Seattle record store performance: Slash will visit Easy Street Records in Seattle to play an in-store set celebrating his star-studded new album Orgy of the Damned. On Sunday, July 7th at 7 pm, the guitarist and his blues band bassist Johnny Griparic and keyboardist Teddy “ZigZag” Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome, and singer/ guitarist Tash Neal will perform live at Easy Street Records ahead of their S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival show on Monday, July 8th in Redmond, WA at Marymoor Park, with Warren Haynes Band, Samantha Fish and Eric Gales. Capacity for the Easy Street Records in-store is minimal. Fans who purchase the album via Easy Street Records online are guaranteed admission. No in-store signing or meet and greet will be happening. This is a live performance only.

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Boston, MA | A Damn Shame Records set to open at Lowell’s Mill No. 5: When one (record store) door closes, another one opens; A Damn Shame Records is coming to Mill No. 5 in Lowell, just months after the building’s prior music shop shuttered. The new business shared news of its July 13 debut on social media late last week. A Damn Shame Records will be located on the fourth floor of Mill No. 5, a hub for shopping and cultural events that also houses an independent movie theater, a yoga studio, and a 200-person music venue called The Overlook. …The former record shop, owned by father and son duo Dave and Dan Perry, opened in 2013 and marked the first proper retail venture inside Mill No. 5. Vinyl Destination stocked an abundance of genres and new and old albums, although A Damn Shame Records has yet to reveal if the shop will specialize in any one style or format.

Madison, WI | MadCity Music has a new owner: Bobby Hussy takes the reins from Dave Zero. Dave Zero is proud of all he has accomplished at MadCity Music, where he’s worked for 27 years including the last 17 as its owner. But now he is ready to hand over the oldest continuously open record store in Madison to his right-hand man, Bobby Hussy, a change in ownership that’s been long discussed between the two men. The transfer becomes official July 1. Hussy, who wears shoulder length brown hair and rectangular glasses, is a self-described “punk garage guy who’s slowly getting older.” He recently returned from a two-week tour with his band Whippets that took him across the Great Plains states, Texas, and parts of the South. As Zero’s employee at MadCity for the past 13 years, Hussy was integral in helping with the store’s move in 2017.

Bastrop, TX | New play to be staged in downtown Bastrop record store: Lost Pines Theatre Guild is presenting “Love and Vinyl”—a new play by Bob Bartlett. Set against the backdrop of a charming vintage vinyl shop, this quirky romantic comedy will run at Astro Record Store in Bastrop from Nov. 2-18. “Love and Vinyl” tells the story of long-time friends Bogie and Zane, who meet for an evening of browsing at their favorite record store to indulge in their shared passion for vintage vinyl. As they explore the shop’s treasures, they encounter Sage, the store’s new owner. What unfolds is a delightful exploration of life, love, loneliness and the music that connects us all. “Love and Vinyl” offers a truly unique experience as it will be performed in Astro Record Store (910 Main Street), located on Bastrop’s historic Main Street. The limited seating ensures an up-close and personal connection between the audience and the performers, making each performance an intimate, unforgettable experience.

Spokane, WA | Sommelier, musician couple in Coeur d’Alene come together to make Stylus Wine and Vinyl Bar: Krista and Robby French, owners of Stylus Wine and Vinyl Bar in Coeur d’Alene, are taking a new approach to wine and music by bringing it to some place unexpected. “The way Coeur d’Alene has embraced it … it’s not for everyone because we are doing something in a small city that is successful in larger cities and metropolises like San Diego to New York and Nashville,” Robby said. But it’s not just where Stylus is located that makes it different from other spaces. “We’re not a typical wine bar,” Robby said. “People have this initial preconceived notion of, ‘Oh, it’s just going to be like … quiet and chill … with elevator music in the background,’ and that’s not what we are. We wanted to take the concept of everything we love about wine and food and music and turn it on its head.”

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St. Louis, MO | Vintage Vinyl on the Loop is a vinyl lover’s dream: Vintage Vinyl is a large record store located on Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis. While located in a shopping strip, Vintage Vinyl stands out amongst the other stores. Upon arrival, there is a large sign that looks like an old movie theater sign that reads “Vintage Vinyl,” along with a silhouette of a man playing a saxophone. A cool feature is the graffiti of various song artists on the right side of the store, which adds a unique flair. As I walked into the store, I was greeted with smooth jazz music playing that truly added to my vinyl searching. The walls were filled to the brim with posters, stickers, CDs and other vinyls. It was the kind of record store I would imagine in a movie. While browsing, I was amazed by all the options available.

St. Louis, MO | Record Exchange worth the hours and allergy medicine: On Hampton Avenue in St. Louis, Record Exchange is a must-visit for music lovers of all ages—just remember to bring some allergy medicine if you are allergic to dust. As a certified over-collector of vinyls, Record Exchange is my favorite record store in St. Louis. With a massive, maze-like collection of affordable, used records, CDs, turntables and stereo systems, if I’m looking for anything pre-2000, this place has it. Because all the products are used, they are cheaper than other places in the area. Buying used records might be scary, but the records are placed at a reasonable price depending on how scratched they are. Every vinyl I’ve bought from Record Exchange has been usable and in excellent condition. My only complaint with Record Exchange is the dust. Because the building is so massive and full of products, it’s obviously difficult to dust. Despite this, I still enjoy wandering around the store.

St. Louis, MO | Planet Score Records is a Maplewood classic: In the Maplewood neighborhood in St. Louis, Planet Score Records is in a brick building with large, street-facing windows. The interior of the shop is small, but they make great use of the space by displaying their CDs and vinyl records in compact, alphabetized shelving units. They have a decent variety of artists and genres available to browse through. I was thrilled to find albums by Joni Mitchell, Phoebe Bridgers, Sinéad O’Connor, Norah Jones and Chappell Roan. Their collection of options is nothing extraordinary, but they will likely carry any classics or popular releases one might be looking for. The employees were friendly and accommodating. The man behind the counter helped me search for Florence + The Machine CDs. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any available at the moment.

Milltown, NJ | ‘Heartbeat of the community’: How a Milltown record store became a gathering spot: Two thousand records. That’s how many Darren Revilla bought in 1995 for $1,000 in his first attempt to make a living by selling records. It did not go as well as he hoped. When he tried to sell them, he quickly learned that the records weren’t worth much at the time. After all, most people by that time had abandoned traditional vinyl for compact discs. “I realized halfway through my day, ‘This was a mistake,’” Revilla said. “‘These records are terrible. This isn’t what I should be doing. This is all junk.’” If you go into Revilla’s record store, Grooves and Gears, in Milltown today, you wouldn’t know the business was a bust. With a constant flow of customers and more than 100,000 recordings, either on vinyl or CD, filling the store on North Main Street, you would know that Revilla made the right decision in 1995.

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Irvington, IN | Irvington Vinyl and Books Embraces the Weird: Irvington Vinyl and Books has become a home for the neat, weird, and local. With shelves stacked floor to ceiling with vinyl records, books, and local art, Irvington Vinyl and Books is a unique shop located on the eastside of Indianapolis. The owner of the eclectic shop, Elysia Smith, says she has learned a lot since purchasing the store several years ago. “Its been a long road of learning.” Smith, who started her career in the event planning business for the arts community, says she focuses on finding consistency and not getting burnt out. “That’s the hardest part.” Shirking off the urge to chase new trends and stay up to date, Smith wants her store to be unlike any other in Indianapolis. “I want to sell weird, old books.”

Patchogue, NY | Surviving the iPod: Record Stop of Patchogue set to celebrate 50 years: It’s official, Record Stop is a golden oldie. The Railroad Avenue record store turns 50 this year, and owner Jeff Berg plans to celebrate with the same community that has kept the mom-and-pop shop alive long enough to reach the milestone. “It feels great for the brand and the community, but it wasn’t just me,” Berg said. “Besides the current staff, it’s my father who started it and all the other staff who got us here. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s great to see it continuing, slowly but surely growing and keeping the community engaged.” “Maybe we’ll shoot for 100” years, he added. Record Stop, known for its annual Record Store Day block parties, will throw a 50th anniversary bash Saturday, Aug. 10, from noon to 5 p.m. outside the Railroad Avenue shop.

Retail Rebirth: The Disc Is Not Dead; Neither is Brick-and-Mortar Retailing: Bill Castle is something of an outlier. As director of music and video at Barnes & Noble, a bookstore chain with more than 600 mega-stores around the country, he’s not about to give up on physical media. So while other retailers are cutting back on their DVD, Blu-ray Disc and 4K Ultra HD footprints, or even getting out of the disc business entirely, he’s doubling down on what he believes is still a very viable, and profitable, business. A year ago, in June 2023, Barnes & Noble began expanding its inventory of Criterion Collection product in select stores to include every Blu-ray Disc and 4K Ultra HD title still in print. Then, in February, the New York-based bookseller announced it is rolling out branded Disney sections in most of its stores, with a greater assortment of the studio’s titles. In addition, Castle says, the chain is bringing in more catalog titles to give customers a broader selection “than just the top new releases.”

Bay View, WI | First look: Wiggle Room vinyl listening lounge in Bay View: Wiggle Room recently opened in the former Lee’s Luxury Lounge. It offers a unique mix of vinyl record listening and craft cocktails along with many zero-proof and CBD/THC beverages. Chris Schulist has been enamored with vinyl albums for most of his life. He was originally introduced to analog audio recordings by his Uncle Gene when he was a kid. After his uncle passed about four years ago, Schulist inherited his massive record collection and added them to his enormous personal collection. “I joke my house is made of records,” he says. So it makes perfect sense that Schulist, and Jim McCann with whom he owns The Vanguard restaurant, morphed the former Lee’s Luxury Lounge into a vinyl listening lounge called Wiggle Room, 2988 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. The remodel process was intense, mostly because of the need for infrastructure that would ensure excellent sound.

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Tulsa, OK | Founder of iconic Tulsa record store, Mohawk Music, passes away: Social media posts started paying tribute to Paul Meek as news spread of his death. A post in a private Facebook group called Mohawk Music confirmed Meek’s death after a short illness. Artists, fellow record store owners and music fans all started posting about the impact Meek had on their life. The line on that group refers to Mohawk Music as “More than a mere record shop, this was the hub of alternative music in Tulsa and a regular meeting place for musicians, artists, and friends!” Post after post on Facebook credited Meek with instilling appreciation of music, fostering creativity, and broadening horizons for people who frequented the store. In a profile in the Tulsa World Meek said, “”That’s half the fun of this kind of job,” Meek said. “It’s fun to turn people on to something you like a lot and see that they like a lot. We tend to get so excited about some things that we just can’t help but share them with people.”

Dallas, TX | From a Triple A Stadium to a Record Store, Kitchen Dog Closes a Daring Year of Staged Plays: “Love & Vinyl” will seat just 35 people during its final weekend run at Good Records. It’s one of a few nontraditional settings for the theater company’s itinerant 33rd season. A few minutes before the lights go down for Kitchen Dog Theater’s “Love & Vinyl,” the staff will set up the chairs for 35 people. Until then, the show’s audience members will browse the shelves of LPs at Good Records, the award-winning music shop in East Dallas that also serves as the theater for this play. It is currently entering its final weekend of a sold-out run. When the lights go up again, Bogart (Jamal Sterling) enters the shop and begins browsing the records, just like the customers do during the shop’s normal business hours. The stage manager, Ruth Stephenson, told me before the play began that sometimes potential, non-fictional customers attempt to follow the actors through the same doors, only to be turned away due to the strict fire code.

Charlotte, NC | Sam Ash, Gold Tone and the Importance of Neighborhood Music Shops: How Phillip Wheeler and Colin Watts continue to cultivate the DIY scene. While perhaps expected in the wake of news about widespread closures up and down the East Coast, it was still jarring when confirmation came in May that Sam Ash Music would be closing all of its locations over the summer, with the Charlotte location expected to close by the end of July. Sam Ash wasn’t just a local store, but an institution you could count on as a musician. I can’t even begin to count the times during my early twenties that, out of sheer boredom, I would drive down the road to either Guitar Center or Sam Ash to try out some new pedal called the Swollen Pickle I had no money to buy or just poorly noodle around playing “Smoke on the Water” while more seasoned musicians demonstrated all of the available arpeggios.

Washington, DC | ‘Flipside’ documentary is a poetic meditation on life’s vicissitudes: An ode to a New Jersey record store is only the pretext for this wise and moving film. Every life is a trip, like being on a boat of which you are the captain, the documentary “Flipside” tells us — or, rather, an old man in close-up speaks those words. It’s the jazz photographer Herman Leonard, dispensing wisdom as he prepares for an exhibition of his pictures of musicians at a Los Angeles gallery in 2010, a few months before his death at 87 of cancer. “You may not have decided on a final destination,” Leonard continues, “but along the route you’ll stop at different ports of call. You must take control of your life and set a course in the direction you want to go. Otherwise, you are subject to unpredictable circumstances.” That would be a good epigram to open a film looking back on the life and career of an artist, which “Flipside” is. But it turns out that Leonard, who died before enough footage was shot to finish such a film, is not the artist whose life is under the microscope.

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Los Angeles, CA | People are buying records again. But is the Vinyl Revival going to last? The kids thought they had it all figured out. You could access all of your saved music and millions of other songs on a phone or digital device for eternity (or at least until the platform shuts down). It was so cool … until it wasn’t. Welcome to the Vinyl Revival, as it’s being called, where even the youngest kids have decided their grandparents had it right all along. Good old-fashioned analog LP records are back big time. The Recording Industry of America says revenue from record sales climbed to $1.4 billion in 2023 and accounted for nearly ten percent of all music format sales. …So why is vinyl back in style? Maybe it’s artists like Taylor Swift and Beyonce fueling the resurgence with special vinyl releases. Maybe it’s that people want control over their own music without paying streaming platforms or paying per download. Maybe it’s that people want to hold and feel—and even smell the albums they love so much.

Madison, WI | MadCity Music owner Dave Zero selling Madison record store: The owner of MadCity Music on Madison’s East Side announced this week that he will sell his record store to one of his current employees in July. Dave Zero is selling MadCity Music to employee Bobby Hussy, who has worked at the 2023 Atwood Avenue shop for 13 years. Zero bought the store in 2007 after working there for roughly a decade. MadCity Music was located on Williamson Street until moving to Atwood Avenue in 2017. Zero reminisced about how customers have become regulars and friends over the years, and said his favorite memories as the shop’s owner involve “just getting to share music with everyone” and “the day to day camaraderie that happens.” “I feel like it’s a natural evolution. I’m very proud of everything I have done with the store,” he said.

Oxnard, CA | In turntable we trust: Fidelity Record Pressing of Oxnard keeps the art of vinyl alive: Rick Hashimoto has been in the record pressing business for half a century. With help from his two sons and another business partner with interests in music publishing and high-end audio system sales, Hashimoto this year opened California’s first large-scale vinyl record factory in some four decades. Fidelity Record Pressing makes LP (long playing) phonograph records in a somewhat surprising location: a cavernous former bell pepper processing facility near the eastern edge of downtown Oxnard. Where carts of produce once rolled by, now state-of-the-art hydraulic pressing machines can create up to 10,000 records a day. The Ventura County Reporter had an opportunity to talk with Hashimoto and his sons, Edward and Alex, at a May 17 open house for friends, family and recording industry folks who have watched over a decade as the plan grew from idea to reality.

Why Modern Hi-Fi Is Leaving This Classic Component Behind. The power amplifier is an endangered hi-fi component. Here’s why. Today, vinyl is at its most popular since the late 1980s. Record sales have been on the rise for the last 18 years (every year since 2006) and new record plants are opening up for the first time in decades. Yes, we’re in the midst of vinyl resurgence. But one hi-fi component is getting left behind. Listening to vinyl isn’t exactly the same as it was back in the day. Of the four audio components that were necessary to listen to vinyl in the heyday of generations previous — the turntable, the speakers, the phono preamp and the power amplifier — the traditional power amplifier has fallen out of favor and is actually difficult to find in its historical form. Integrated turntables, or turntables with a built-in phono preamp, are more popular than ever.

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Mold, UK | VOD Music confirms second store to open in town centre: Owner of VOD Music in Flintshire is not planning to stop the music any time soon after 15-years of business. At 67sq ft, VOD Music is known as the smallest record store across the UK and now proud owner Colin Trueman has confirmed he will be opening a second shop later this summer. The existing independent shop situated at 28 New Street in Mold opened in 2009. Being a source of interest locally and from afar, customers are pleased to know the original shop will remain the same. The new, second venue is slightly bigger and so will provide a spacious set-up and enhanced shopping experience while retaining the qualities customers already know and love. Colin said: “I am certain this will a fun place, great for a browse, chat and plenty of banter. It wasn’t on our radar but when the opportunity was presented to us it had to be considered.”

Amagansett, NY | Drop a Needle: Start (or restart!) a vinyl collection with these 5 pivotal picks from Innersleeve Records: Video may have killed the radio star, but not even streaming could slay vinyl. In 2017, the same year that Sony Music announced it would begin vinyl record production once again (after a near 30-year abandonment of the medium), Craig Wright opened his record-centric music store Innersleeve Records (199 Main St., Amagansett, 631-604-6248) — and not a moment too soon. Wright, who spent his formative years working at the dearly departed Long Island Sound (we remember) now offers new printings and used versions of all genres of music, as well as guitars on consignment and the accoutrements that go along with them. We checked in with store manager Chris Clark (whose family used to own the now-shuttered guitar shop across the street; it’s kind of poetic, right?) for his five must-have albums for any collection. Here’s what he had to say.

Evansville, IN | Evansville record store celebrates fourth birthday: An Evansville record store is celebrating its fourth year in business this week with a variety of promotions and giveaways. With over 300,000 records in stock, Space Monkey continues offer a diverse selection of records for any taste in music. Owner Patrick Holl says he is amazed at the support the store continues to receive, and is looking forward to what the future holds. “It feels great. We’ve made so many friends, and customers. We’ve been lucky enough to have people come from all the major markets around us, plus all of the Tri-staters…it’s been quite a milestone,”says Holl. Some of the prizes include a new turntable, and a signed album by The Cold Stares. The store says customers can follow their Facebook page for all the latest giveaways and promotions throughout the week.

ZA | Touchdowns and turntables: Collecting vinyl in South Africa: Last year when I studied in Athens and traveled around Europe, I bought a vinyl record in every country I visited. When I returned to the United States, I added 10 records to my vinyl record collection — which has over 300 vinyl records. I covered that experience in a previous article in, what I can consider at this point, the “Touchdowns and Turntables” series. My travels this summer significantly overshadow last year’s. I started in South Africa and worked my way up to Ireland. In total, I have stepped foot on three different continents and in five different countries this summer. Due to my fear of damage in transit and ethical concerns about making purchases in certain countries, I only purchased three records in Cape Town, South Africa. Despite the significant decrease in purchases, the three I made in Africa satisfied my music addiction for the summer.

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Nottingham, UK | Spotify was a big threat. But Rob’s Records is still selling vinyl after 45 years: Rob Smith, owner and founder of Rob’s Records, says his shop has never stopped selling vinyl despite the rise of streaming. As you walk down Upper Parliament Street – one of the busiest roads in Nottingham city centre – don’t blink, or you’ll miss Rob’s Records. Hidden in Hurts Yard, an almost secret narrow passage tucked between shops and bars off the main road, you’ll find one of Nottinghamshire’s most unique record stores. …But for founder and owner Rob Smith, being off the beaten track hasn’t done any harm to business as he approaches 45 years of running the shop. The Nottingham-born-and-bred music enthusiast has been selling records since he left school in 1968, originally working at the Co-operative before joining the record shop on Herts Yard in 1979 that would later become Rob’s Records. After spending almost two years posting vinyl orders for the then owners, Rob was offered the lease for the store at the end of 1980, and the rest is history.

Hamilton, OH | Local record stores look for business in revitalized areas: All ages are buying vinyl, but not enough, says one store owner. In the spring of 2022, the Carder brothers found themselves in the record business. Dondi, Jason and Justin have owned Unsung Salvage at 212 Main St. in Hamilton since 2017, but bought Main Street Vinyl in 2022 and moved it into their store. Dondi Carder said he expected the record side of the business to do as well as it did at Main Street Vinyl which was previously a few doors down at 220 Main St. “When we were getting the record store we thought we would probably have a bigger crowd because we would have our faithful base and then add [Main Street Vinyl customers] to it,” Carder said. “But I don’t know if that’s the trend so far.” Carder said the main issue is that many customers will walk through the store but not buy anything. He said there has been an uptick in foot traffic since Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill opened in the city, but there hasn’t been the jump in business that was expected.

Austin, TX | New vinyl shop in East Austin creates safe place for queer community: Sunshine Vinyl opened up shop on East Fifth Street with a selection of records and an atmosphere of acceptance for anyone who walks through the doors. A vinyl shop designed to be a safe space for all queer people had its grand opening on East Fifth Street in Austin on Saturday. “I want to build a space where people can come and feel like safe and welcome and included, whether that be because of your sexual identity, your gender, your music taste. Like, whatever it is, I want to bring people together in one place,” Luca Kisielius, the owner of Sunshine Vinyl, said. Kisielius had been working in the tech industry in Austin for around 10 years but wanted to do something that they felt gave them more purpose. “I really want to bring physical media and tangible media to our generation so that we can kind of step away from being online all the time,” Kisielius said.

St Petersburg, FL | Daddy Kool Records hosts second Punk Flea in the A/C market: July is going to be a great month for indoor markets. The Indie Flea will take over The Coliseum and St. Pete Shuffle on July 12. Later in the month, something spectacular is happening at The Factory. Daddy Kool Records presents its second installment of Punk Flea in the A/C, a punk rock themed, music and art market, hosted at 2606 Fairfield Ave S from 12pm–6pm, Sunday, July 28. As per the event announcement: “This is a FREE, mostly air-conditioned and mostly family-friendly event.” While there’s a lot of “mostly”, we are entirely excited about this market’s offerings. Market goers can expect 40+ vendors and food trucks, plus 6 live bands who have traveled from all around Florida to perform. Besides perusing the vendors and chowing down, you can get your hands involved, too, with DIY activities like button making. There’ll also be live skunks you can pet courtesy of Florida Skunk Rescue.

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Austin, TX | New record store Sunshine Vinyl to offer space for music lovers in East Austin: A new record store is opening in East Austin, offering new and used vinyl in genres such as hip hop, indie, contemporary pop, jazz, Japanese imports and more. Sunshine Vinyl is locally owned by Luca Kisielius, who identifies as queer. The shop will host events ranging from acoustic sets, DJ sets, spoken word and charity events. Kisielius said Sunshine Vinyl plans to host a day dedicated to raising money for HIV awareness in memory of the man whose record collection was donated to the store. The record store’s grand opening party took place June 15. The event included beer from Zilker Brewing, pizza from Slice Society Pizza and a live performance from local musician The Foxtones.

Memphis, TN | The End of All Art: Oxford record store owner expands to books with pop-ups, planned retail location in Memphis. The End of All Music owner David Swider hopes to replicate the vinyl shop’s success with a new venture featuring his other passion — books. Having cemented its spot among the nation’s finest record stores with two locations in Oxford and Jackson, Swider and his wife, Annelise Danielson, are launching a new and used art books store in Memphis, Tennessee, called The End of All Art. …The End of All Art will offer a wide selection books at a variety of price levels. More than half of their titles are priced under $20 while also offering rare and signed books in a higher price range. Coffee will be sold by Oxford-based Exploradora Coffee and cocktails will be offered by Wonderbird Spirits, located in Taylor. Work by a couple of Southern photographers will be shown during the event as well.

Silver Spring, MD | Saying goodbye to downtown Silver Spring’s Record Exchange: For this fan, the store offered much more than music. …As a single 20-something in a new city where I didn’t know anyone, I felt at home going to the record store. Though I was still trying to find my place in the county, the slightly musky copies of the Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel and Elton John albums felt familiar, and I loved being surrounded by strangers who were as nerdy about music as I was. Hunt and her co-owner, Brian France, would always make the time to chat about whatever album I bought, and would offer recommendations. When I bought my dad a Jason Isbell album for his birthday in hopes of turning him on to the Americana rocker’s music that I loved, Hunt helped me pick out a good vinyl cleaning kit to go with it. My dad recalled how much he’d spun that record before we went to the Jason Isbell concert in Philadelphia this year.

Exeter, UK | Exeter teacher to open record shop with bar and café: Sam Tame is about to open a record shop, bar and café in Exeter city centre after 10 years working as a music teacher. An Exeter music teacher is making a “massive” career change to bring a unique new business to the city centre, where customers can browse records, listen to live music and enjoy a drink. Sam Tame has worked as a music teacher for around 10 years, including at Exeter College and Isca Academy, but has now decided to share his love for music in a completely different way. He is gearing up to open a coffee shop, record store and bar on Paris Street later this summer. The venue will be known as 12 Bar & Social and is thought to be the first of its kind in Exeter. Sam says the idea was sparked five years ago when he was at a listening event where drinks were being served but he put it “on the backburner.”

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Seattle, WA | Vinyl paradise: Seattle record store is worth a summer vacation drop-in. Summer is about to pop off, and so is the vacation season. Vinyl records have made quite the comeback in recent years, especially during COVID-19. In the Quad-Cities, we have places like Revolver in Moscow, Dreg’s in Pullman, Skalicky’s in Lewiston and Greenfield Glass & Goods in Clarkston to do some digging for sweet records, but flipping through records in a big city is very exciting. When I lived in Seattle I would, at least once a week, stop by a small, independent punk record store called Singles Going Steady. It’s located in the Belltown neighborhood and carries records, cassettes, CDs, books, patches, pins, etc. The gentleman working the place when I would go in, Byron Wilson, was a fun guy to chat with. …With the possibility of some of you record connoisseurs making your way to the Seattle area this summer, I thought I’d have a chat with Wilson about the store so you would have the lowdown on the place.

Denver, CO | Indie Record Store Profile: Twist & Shout in Denver, Colorado: In a new series on independent record stores, Billboard explores the Mile High City’s signature shop and speaks to owner Patrick Brown on its past, present and future. Sometime in 2000, Patrick Brown nudged Paul Epstein, then-owner of Twist & Shout in Denver. “Hey,” the record store manager told his boss, “I think Eric Clapton‘s out there shopping.” “What should I do?” Epstein said. “How about you say, ‘I’m Paul, I own the store, how can I help you?’” Epstein helped Clapton search for an obscure Bing Crosby soundtrack from the ’40s, and the two bonded over blues and jazz records. Epstein learned Clapton was waiting for his clothes to dry at the laundromat across the street from Twist & Shout’s then-location. And Brown listened quietly. “It’s not my thing so much,” he recalls. “I said hello and that was it.” Today, Brown is the owner of this music community capital on the west side of Denver, a soothing gallery of colorful rectangles, from the Madonna and Pete Townshend portraits facing off at the top of a west wall to the rows of books, CDs and LPs that seem to go on forever.

Glasgow, UK | Glasgow’s vintage and vinyl hideaways: Places to shop distinctive finds: Glasgow, Scotland’s most populous city, is celebrated for its dynamic culture and deep historical roots. Beyond its well-known landmarks, the city harbors a wealth of hidden treasures, especially appealing to those with a fondness for vintage items and vinyl records. These secret spots offer distinctive finds and a trip down memory lane, positioning them as essential visits for both collectors and enthusiasts. …For vinyl enthusiasts, Glasgow is a treasure trove with its hidden record shops. These gems allow for endless crate digging, offering everything from rare jazz records to classic rock albums and indie exclusives. No matter your taste, the knowledgeable staff are eager to assist, helping you uncover that elusive record or suggesting new music that aligns with your preferences.

Kelowna, BC | Tuning into the record collection community of Kelowna: Kelowna record collector organizes upcoming record sale event June 22 at Rutland Community Hall. My passion for vinyl began when he was a teenager and continues to this day. Over the years, I have collected 6000+ records in my vinyl collection journey and that number continues to grow every week. I started off selling lots of different items at the flea market with only one box of records. Once I sold that box, I bought a second and then another box. Before I knew it, I had over 20 boxes of records I was selling each week. Now I’m happy to say it’s my full-time job. Every week I’m buying a new collection and bringing it to the weekly flea market at Centennial Hall in Rutland. I love my job and wouldn’t change it for anything It’s always interesting what has value these days and what doesn’t. Normally the older something is the more valuable it is, but this isn’t always the case with records.

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