Fort Worth, TX | Beloved Fort Worth Record Store Reopens: Record Town reopened its doors Saturday. The beloved store moved to a new location at 120 St. Louis Avenue in Fort Worth. “The old people want to come back. They’ve been calling for a couple months now wondering when we will open,” said Bill Mecke, one of the store’s co-owners. The original store on University Drive was open for 61 years, but the owners decided to move locations with the rent going up. At the store’s grand opening, there was a mix of new and old customers. “There’s so much old stuff and new stuff and a deep knowledge here…you can just tell there’s a lot of history in this store,” said Molly Davis, a new customer. Mecke said they hoped the new store would bring in more customers, and they planned to extend their hours.
Dundee, UK | Huge outpouring of love for Groucho’s as owner announces Dundee store may close: Hundreds of people have been reacting to the news that one of Scotland’s most cherished record stores may close next year. Groucho’s on the Nethergate could close its doors for good after owner Alastair “Breeks” Brodie announced he will be retiring in August 2019. He has decided to move on after the building in which the shop sits was placed on the market. His 20-year lease expires next year. Mr Brodie is also stepping aside from the store on health grounds but hopes to sell the business to someone who can “carry the mantle on.” Any potential new owner would have to negotiate a new lease or find an alternative home for the store. Mr Brodie said: “I have loved my time running the store. I just feel it’s the right time. I still enjoy it but I just have to be aware of my health…”
Lawrenceville, GA | Couple’s Lawrenceville vinyl shop a family affair: Back when they lived in New York, Stacey and Tony Seminara used to spend afternoons in college stocking vinyl and working behind the counter of a chain record store inside a mall. “We never thought we’d still be doing the same thing 30 years later,” said Tony, laughing. He and his wife now live in Gwinnett County and, together, they run Depot Records in Lawrenceville. It’s a bit different now for the Northern transplants, whose local record store has been open for three years (though not located in a mall) and recently expanded its sales floor. They’ve got two grown sons and a daughter. They’ve got careers: Stacey is an accountant, and Tony repairs printers. That’s why their store on North Clayton Street is only open weekends; it’s the only time the two aren’t working their day jobs or staying busy with family.
Las Cruces, NM | Eyeconik Records passes first year downtown, eyes bowling alley: One year after cutting the ribbon at his store downtown, Eyeconik Records and Apparel owner Justin Tyskewicz is feeling bullish about downtown development and locally-owned businesses. From his record store on the corner of Campo Street and Las Cruces Avenue, Tyskewicz has watched as other small businesses take root in and around downtown, new construction go up, and street work begin to redesign the flow of traffic downtown. “The construction’s hurting businesses downtown,” he said, “But it’s all necessary and when all is said and done, it’s going to be worth it.” Tyskewicz began selling vinyl record albums in Franklin, New Jersey 10 years ago, three years before he and his wife relocated to Las Cruces. He sold records at Big Daddy’s Flea Market for five years with plans to establish a brick-and-mortar store downtown. In 2017, he moved into his current space at 224 N. Campo.
Chicago, IL | Vital vinyl: Explore the 4 best record shops in Chicago: Shopping for vinyl? Whether you’re a longtime LP lover or just discovering that warm, crackly sound, Chicago’s record shops may have just what you need. But where are the best places to settle in for an afternoon of crate digging Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top vinyl record sources in Chicago, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you’re in the market for records.
Margate, UK | Photos: Launch night at new Margate record store and music venue Elsewhere: A launch party at Margate’s newest record store and music venue attracted hundreds of vinyl enthusiasts on Thursday (August 30). Elsewhere at 21-22 The Centre opened its doors following a successful crowdfunder campaign. The public are now able to use the ground floor cafe and bar and browse through a selection of new and used vinyl that champions a range of genres from up and coming indie artists to psychedelia, metal, folk, pop-punk, world music, disco and more. The second-hand section is being provided by Coast Vinyl. The basement live music space is expected to be ready for opening later this month. The shop will also host intimate ‘in-store’ events and signings. The brainchild of previously Canterbury-based record store Monkey Boy Records and Margate music promoters Art’s Cool, plans for Elsewhere were announced at the beginning of July alongside details of a crowdfunding campaign.
Austin, TX | Waterloo Records sues new music festival over same name: Local Austin music store Waterloo Records has filed a lawsuit against Waterloo Music Festival for using the brand’s name, a city staple, for their event title. Waterloo Records reached out to the music festival promoters to discuss possible solutions surrounding the use of the name “Waterloo” and the confusion it may cause in the local and music communities. The two groups were unable to reach an agreeable solution, which led to the record store filing a suit against Waterloo Music Festival on Aug. 31. Waterloo Records’ president, John T. Kunz, spoke out saying the company “[regrets] that this action is necessary.” Kunz says they must protect the trademark and rights to their company’s name, otherwise, they run the risk of giving them up.
Wales, UK | The biggest record sale ever seen in Wales was so popular it’s happening again. It will now be held across a weekend in December: A massive vinyl warehouse clearance sale was so successful that it’s returning next month. Record collectors, vinyl enthusiasts, and music fans queued from the early hours of the morning for the chance to pick up bargains and rare finds at what’s thought to have been the largest vinyl record warehouse clearance sale ever seen in Wales. Thousands of items were up for grabs at the event in Barry for knockdown prices – from every music genre imaginable. The sale signalled a scaling down of the huge record dealing business originally set up by Claire Williams and Mark Owen more than eight years ago. The pair formerly ran Retro-Vibe Music from the warehouse shop in Vere Street in Barry, before opening a larger shop in High Street, Cardiff in 2015. The shop stayed open for a couple of years before the pair decided to scale down the business.
Chicago, IL | Dorian’s In Wicker Park To Be A Bar, Restaurant And Live Music Spot, With A Record Shop To Boot. Music programming director Joe Bryl, a former co-owner of Sonotheque, will curate the stage as well as the vinyl selection in Dorian’s record shop. No more pop-ups for the storefront in the North Avenue-facing side of the Flat Iron building in Wicker Park. Next month, Dorian’s will open in the former Saved by the Max space and pack a quadruple punch: a restaurant and bar, plus a music/DJ stage and a record shop spotlighting jazz, funk, boogie, soul and disco genres. The forthcoming addition to Wicker Park was announced on Tuesday by its owners — the same team behind the popular pop-ups Saved By the Max and The Riot Feast, which closed last summer and fall, respectively. Located at 1939 W. North Ave., Dorian’s will “immerse guests into an intimate setting inspired by the late 60’s, found by entering through the adjacent and fully functioning record shop” according to a news release from partners Derek Berry, Zack Eastman, Steve Harris and Brian Fisher.
