In rotation: 4/4/18

How The #VinylRevival Is Paradoxically Threatening Record Shop Survival: …Some special editions your local stores can’t get hold of no matter how hard they try. Over the past five years, there’s been a rise of vinyl clubs that are pressing up exclusive editions that only their subscribers can buy. Top of the list is Chicago’s Vinyl Me Please. It has an annoying slogan – “The best damn record club” – and an even more annoying habit of sending out cocktail suggestions with its monthly records, but there’s no denying its business model’s a good one. It negotiates exclusives with labels pointing out it’ll put that album into the hands of every one of its 30,000 subscribers (1,800 of whom are in the UK)…The side effect is its existence means UK record shops are expecting to sell bugger all copies of Devotion themselves this year. (VMP profiles bricks and mortar record shops on its website, which comes across somewhat awkwardly given its business model).

Music Tree adapts to changes in industry: IRON MOUNTAIN — A few decades ago, it didn’t get much cooler than having a record store. When Scott Ohlsen opened the Music Tree in Midtown Mall in October 1985, his store primarily stocked vinyl records and cassette tapes, though CDs had just started to surface. He’d expand twice in 15 years at the mall, going from 1,000 square feet to 3,400. Now, most of what he started with in the industry has been replaced or become outdated — including malls. He had to weather the rise of big box stores, then iTunes and other streaming music outlets on the Internet. Lately, as with other retailers, he’s felt the bite of Amazon into his sales. But the Music Tree has survived, as Ohlsen adapted to the changes, including having to relocate the store to 101 W. Hughitt St. in downtown Iron Mountain in 2000.

Music lovers attended Gainesville’s Record Fair: GAINESVILLE, Fla. “They’re record hunting instead of easter egg hunting,” said Co-owner of Arrow’s Aim Records Roland Parker. Gainesville made sound waves at the Gainesville record fair on Sunday. The streets of Downtown Gainesville were filled with vendors selling records, CDs and memorabilia. Parker says Gainesville is a great place for an event like this. “It’s a musical town. there’s more bands here doing things and touring and putting out music. there’s more of that here than all of northeast Florida,” Parker said. A DJ Michael Bada tells us nothing can replace his love for vinyl records. “There’s not much use for CDs anymore because if you want a digital file you can just download it. For physical format vinyl is definitely better it’s a warmer feel,” Bada said.

Rock Paper Scissors Goods brings vinyl, vegan bags to 48th & Chicago: Tes de Luna and Jason Hughes ran side-by-side stores in Seattle. She ran a boutique and gallery; he ran a record shop. They opened second locations — again, next to each other — at the Melrose Market in Seattle. Now their businesses are closer than ever. They share a storefront at 4806 Chicago Ave., selling everything from classic records to children’s books and vegan handbags. The proximity started as a lucky coincidence for the couple in 2004. De Luna was launching a clothing line, working at craft fairs and wishing for a storefront. A for-lease sign went up next to Hughes’ Sonic Boom Records store, and he immediately called her. “It all worked out, and it was really cute, because I got to be next door,” de Luna said. Now that the owners have sold their Seattle shops and relocated to Minneapolis, their combined business is a mix of children’s books, Nirvana records, rotating fine artwork, funky handcrafted jewelry, paper goods and ceramics.

Westside record store keeps soul music alive: Before streaming services, many used CD’s, cassette tapes, vinyl’s and 8 tracks for music. DJ’s Record Shop on the corner of Edison and McDuff avenues still carries many of them. It’s one of the last record shops in Jacksonville. Some consider it a hidden gem, where music has no limits. Owner, Jerry ‘DJ’ West is known for his musical influence on the First Coast. Back in 1966, he had the dream of someday owning a business. Young and determined, that dream became reality. “I finished high school in Blackshear, GA, on a Thursday and I came to Jacksonville on a Friday and two years later, I started this,” West said. He sells all types of music, but the older albums tend to outsell the current.

Store & Save Space! The Dovetail Vinyl Storage Cabinets: A few weeks ago the news came down that physical albums outsold digital downloads for the first time since 2011. This means that folks are still listening to their favorite tracks on vinyl, and it also means that many of us have growing collections of vinyl records. For anyone that has more than a few selections in their vinyl record selection, you understand that storing those records can be a bit of a challenge. Sure you can get some old boxes, milk crates, or something along those lines. However, today we get a look at a unique design that lets you stylishly organize and stash your vinyl collection. The Dovetail Vinyl Storage Cabinets are sleek and stunning cabinets that provide plenty of storage and style for your home.

Vinyl provides record sales to the music industry, Celebrating Record Store Day in India this year has a little more significance as the brick-and-mortar stores of the past no longer exist. Celebrating Record Store Day in India this year has a little more significance as the brick-and-mortar stores of the past no longer exist. The last of the popular bastions fell two years ago when Mumbai’s popular Rhythm House downed its shutters on February 29, 2016. However, there is an ongoing movement initiated by Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra to purchase the Kala Ghoda-located outlet currently owned by tainted diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who had bought it from previous owners Curmallys. In March this year, Mahindra proposed – through twitter – that a crowd-funded proposal be initiated for the acquisition and restoration of Rhythm House and have it converted into a live performance venue.

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  • SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL INDIE SHOPS SINCE 2007


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