Author Archives: TVD HQ

Bozeman, MT | This might be the best record shop in Montana: If you are a person that loves listening and collecting vinyl records, this spot is a must go to in Montana. So here in Bozeman we have a few pretty great record shops. Cactus Records in downtown Bozeman is a great spot. They have some of the best new top vinyl’s you can get. Plus, their used collection is rock solid. Then there is the recently new Wax Museum in Bozeman. Their vinyl records are mostly in old school punk and some classics and their used section is pretty incredible if you are looking for classic rock or country. Both of these spots are great but there is a place in Montana that has one of the biggest and fantastic collections of vinyl record’s I have ever seen and luckily it’s a pleasant drive to get there. In Missoula, most people know Rocking Rudy’s for great gifts and a huge music selection(my dad would go here every time we visited) and I honestly thought that was the only music store in Missoula. That was until my brother introduced me to my new favorite spot. Ear Candy Music.

Bend, OR | Audiophiles, physical media fans embrace cassettes in Bend: Though not as popular as vinyl, tapes are making a comeback. Erika Windlinx of Prineville grew up listening to rock ’n’ roll bands such as Def Leppard, Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC on rides in her father’s truck. But the 21-year-old didn’t have a physical music collection until about three years ago when her grandfather died, and she inherited his truck. It only had a tape deck, so Windlinx started scouring Smith Rock Records (formerly Ranch Records) in downtown Bend for cassettes. She now has a collection of between 50 and 100 cassettes. “It’s something material,” Windlinx said. “I’m sure I could find some way to hook up my phone to my truck and play media through MP3s and stuff, but I like the material. I like having the little flip booklet that you have that has all the funny little pictures of rock stars in them, and then it has a little cover picture. In this day and age we’re definitely losing that, and I feel like that’s a bit pricier of something to have to pay, to lose the material for more convenience.”

Cleveland, OH | Boss Ladies of CLE: Brittany Benton. Producer, DJ, owner of Brittany’s Record Shop: this Boss Lady is helping to drive Cleveland’s music industry. Brittany Benton says that being prepared has served her well this last year. “It was one of those situations where they say, you know, stay ready so you don’t have to get ready,” Benton said of the events of 2020. As the reckoning around race and equity took shape last summer, her Slavic Village store, Brittany’s Record Shop, saw unprecedented sales. “The first four days of June, it eclipsed what I made all through all my sales channels in 2019 and it’s been pretty steady since,” Benton explained. “People were looking online for all types of black business owners to patronize and then, [it helped that in] the vinyl community were very close-knit.” Benton says that while she had to close her store for about five weeks at the start of the pandemic, her website sales have more than made up for the closure.

Raleigh, NC | Vinyl Record Stores in Raleigh, NC: A pandemic-plagued year presented brutal challenges for businesses of all types and sizes, including record stores. Yet somehow, record stores in the Raleigh area are finding new ways to not just survive but thrive, often by honing in on new features or niches. Here’s a survey of stores on the scene. All have the standard coronavirus protocols with mask-wearing, hand-sanitizing, occupancy limits, social distancing and such. Most of them offer curbside pickup or mail-order delivery if you want to truly keep your distance. Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop: As the pandemic picked up speed during the spring of 2020, the record store upstairs at the Pour House Music Hall was ill-prepared for a shutdown, lacking a website. So they had to do what co-owner Adam Linstaedt calls “a quick pivot,” with co-owner Lacie Linstaedt getting a fully functional website up and running by the middle of April. Online sales got the shop through the dark days of the shutdown, and they have since reopened four days per week. The inventory continues to be vinyl-only, and they have done their best to keep things fun even in the midst of harsh times.

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Louisville, KY | Mr. Tees Record Store a lasting memory for Louisville’s music industry: The tunes of a local record store started flowing through the West Louisville community in the 1980s. Mr. Tees Record Store was the spot for local artists to find their beats and where gospel legends passed through the aisles. Willie Glover knows almost every tune of the gospel, from Douglas Miller, to his very own as the lead singer of the group Archie Dale and the Tones of Joy. ”We never could come up with a solid hit record,” Glover said. In 1985, he opened Mr. Tees Record Store, bringing hits to the shelves to make a living. ”The life of a music store is new music,” Glover said. “If you can get new music and get it first, then you can make some money.” …”Everyone knew about Mr. Tees,” she said. “We would listen to gospel music, then hear a song on 1240 LOVE and then WLLV. We would travel down there on Broadway and you’d go in there and get the feeling of physically putting your hands on the tapes and albums.”

Webster, PA | Webster’s Stax of Trax Records provides a variety of unique vinyls:  To see if I could stock up on some records for my collection, I visited the records section of Webster’s Bookstore and Cafe: Stax of Trax. Since returning to State College, I have been hunting for more vinyl record shops after checking out Music Underground last semester. When you Google “records shops in State College,” you find a decent amount of opportunities to purchase these musical collectibles. Though Stax of Trax appears as its own individual store on the web, it is actually inside Webster’s. Though I had been to the bookstore and cafe before, it turns out I hadn’t truly experienced all it has to offer. I always enjoy a good bookstore, and I have been to many all over the country, including Strand Book Store in New York City and Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver. Webster’s just seems different to me — but in a good way. I don’t know if it is the older bookstore aesthetic that intrigued me or the smell of food at the cafe, but I enjoy being at Webster’s. The whole store and the smell of old books gave me a bit of nostalgia.

Buffalo, NY | Remember the records? These few vinyl shops in Buffalo had them: Back in the 70s and 80s DJs and record enthusiasts only had a few places to go to get classic vinyl. The known retail record stores in Buffalo carried mostly mainstream music that was being played on the radio at the time. Before I became a DJ, I remember going to The “Record Theater” it was on Mian Street in Buffalo, back then 12-inch singles were $4.99, and I would go at least once a week to try to keep up with what was current. I soon found out, that for DJs to get a good deal on music, one of the places you had to go to, was right downstairs from the Record Theater, and it was called “One-Stop”, they sold music to DJs and people on the radio at a discounted price. The store many of us DJs went to has been around for well over 50-years and still stands as the oldest record store in Buffalo still in operation, Doris Records. I learned to hit up Doris Records when you wanted to get new music first in the 80s and 90s, Doris Records was one of my favorite places.

Lily Allen would have put her albums on vinyl “long ago” if she owned the masters: And she “had nightmares trying to get things pressed” for her 2018 record ‘No Shame’ Lily Allen has told fans she wishes she could have her albums repressed on vinyl. The singer was responding to a tweet after someone asked her about the possibility of getting her discography repressed, to which she revealed that she’s always wanted to but is unable to because she doesn’t own the master recordings. A fan wrote on Twitter: “lily pleeeeease press your records on vinyl again!!! we are BEGGING!!!!!!” with Allen replying: “if i owned the masters i would have done it long ago.” Allen added: “i had nightmares trying to get things pressed on NoShame, wanted to do limited edition of singles but was told it was too expensive.” Another fan wrote: “Can you not re-record them like Taylor? Or is that really expensive to do?” Allen responded: “perhaps. maybe one day.”

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Portland, OR | Face the Music: Looking to build up your record collection? Here’s where to find vinyl in Portland. Support local businesses and fill the void of live music with the next best thing. Over the past year, as we’ve slogged, cried and persevered our way through the pandemic, I’ve tried to offer up ways to support local music venues and musicians. This week I’m pulling a slightly different thread by suggesting some retail therapy in the form of record shopping in and around Portland and through local stores online. Not only will you support local businesses, you never know what you might find while out there flipping through the stacks. I reached out to several shops in Portland to check in about sales during the pandemic and found that vinyl, which started its resurgence a few years back, is as popular as ever. Whether you’ve already jumped on the trend or are interested in starting a collection, here are places to look and what they have to offer.

Boise, ID | A breath of fresh air: The Record Exchange adds air purifier to safety measures for in-store shoppers: In a news release, The Record Exchange in Boise announced it is adding to its cadre of safety measures for in-store shoppers. “Behold the power of ions!” The announcement said, “Since the start of the pandemic, The Record Exchange has taken multiple steps to make sure you stay safe when you step inside our store. And now we’ve taken a leap into the air – literally.” With the installation of needlepoint bipolar ionization technology, the result is cleaner, purer, air, said the release. “Needlepoint bipolar ionization is a purification process that removes airborne particulates, odors and pathogens using safe ultraviolet rays. Basically, it attacks and kills all the bad stuff in the air – dust, spores, bacteria, and yes, viruses – by stealing its life-sustaining hydrogen. In the process, the system also greatly reduces outdoor air intake, keeping our newly pure store air nice and pure.”

Wappingers Falls, NY | Wappingers Falls brewpub The Vinyl Room moving to Beacon: The Vinyl Room, a Wappingers Falls-based brewpub and record shop, has announced it will close on Feb. 28 and reopen later this year in Beacon. The Vinyl Room opened in 2017 at 2656 E. Main St. and offered its customers an extensive inventory of vinyl records along with craft beer, wine and pizza. The company shared the news of its move on its Facebook page, but did not state where or when it would be opening in Beacon. “These uncertain times have presented us with some new opportunities to grow our business, and we are looking forward to setting up shop in our hometown of Beacon this coming spring,” the statement said. “We would also like to thank everyone for all the support the last four years in the village of Wappingers Falls. We’ve built some wonderful friendships, enjoyed some amazing times together, and we will truly miss everyone visiting us in Wappingers.”

Norwich, CT | New comics and records store in Griswold looks to hold future events: Comics have been a way of life for Chris Hebert since, as a child, he was given a Star Wars: Return of the Jedi comic book by his mother before getting surgery about 40 years ago. Since then, he has kept up comic book collecting as both a hobby and as a side job. However, the pandemic has made him rethink how he approaches his business. On Sunday, Hebert, along with Mike Young, opened CH2 Collectibles featuring RPM Records, in the Slater Mill Mall in Griswold. The collectibles include comics, records, toy cars and trading cards. The store’s hours are Thursdays and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hebert and Young met while working as vendors at the Slater Mill Mall’s flea market. Because of the pandemic, the men weren’t able to access their inventor in store. However, Hebert said an opportunity became available when a space in the Slater Mill Mall opened up, and the two men moved in February.

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Washington, DC | Meet the owner of DC’s HR Records, one of very few Black-owned record stores in the US: The story of D.C.’s place in music history is one that’s been spinning for generations. The legendary shows at Constitution Hall, the Go-Go soundtrack of the city and, of course, the homegrown legends of jazz and soul. But record stores — a place where knowledge is passed on, where you can discover what’s next, and where you can literally hold a piece of history — are rarely in Black hands. That’s where Charvis Campbell comes in. He’s a product of Howard University, who left the world of academia for a new musical arrangement. He owns HR Records, which stands for Home Rule Records, in the heart of D.C.’s Brightwood Park. “We’re probably the only one in the city, and for obvious reasons that’s a concern if you think of the history that D.C. has with music, that our people have,” he told us. “The fact that we only have one store says something there.” In fact, an online community that’s keeping tabs says Campbell’s shop is one of only 37 Black-owned record stores in the country, despite record-sales for vinyl records recently. Campbell says his stake in this side of the industry is a key part of holding on to D.C.’s musical heritage.

Ottawa, CA | Boyd Brothers Stay In the Groove With Ottawa’s Compact Music: The Boyd brothers, Ian and James, have been persistent and sometimes loud proponents of indie music retailing, strongly supportive of local recording artists, and profitably operating their business through the peaks and valleys of the trade. Last year, having been forced to shut down for 13 weeks during lockdown, they still came out ahead in year-end numbers, as compared to 2019. The Bank Street store today is practically all new vinyl and doing very well. Paige Raymond Kovach reports. Ian and James Boyd have been in the music retail business for 43 years and have kept the beat going through many entrepreneurial challenges that include the dawn of digital downloads, and the current Covid-19 pandemic. The two started selling records in 1978 under the name Circular Motion when they set up shop in the front of the Saucy Noodle restaurant to sell their record albums. “I think my first day I sold seven records, and thought to myself ‘I’m gonna get rich,'” Ian says with a hearty laugh.

Grand Junction, CO | Localrado: Put Your Records On: Triple Play Records spins on the power of music. The store is packed solid with vinyl records and CDs featuring hits from multiple genres. In a day of digital streams, employees notice that a high appreciation remains for hard copies. “Being able to listen to a record or a physical media CD rather than a download is important to our culture and to the community as well,” Matthew Cesario shares, “We’re able to give back to the community and we’ve done in many ways over the years.” Adapting to all styles, Triple Play can convert vinyl records and cassettes to CDs or MP3s for personal devices. “At Triple Play Records, they encourage you to listen to a classic disc then go out and toss one,” Cora Dickey says.

Common Celebrates Black Vinyl, in All Its Forms, as Record Store Day Puts a Spotlight on Black-Owned Music Shops: RSD has a website showcasing 30 Black-owned record retailers for Black History Month, with a very vinyl-conscious hip-hop star helping lead the awareness charge. Black History Month is also, unofficially, Black Record Store Day Month. The Record Store Day organization has made it a mission throughout February 2021 to put the spotlight each day on a different Black-owned music shop in the U.S., a cause that has involved bringing in Common to help shine the spotlight on independent retailers that deserve the patronization every month of the year. “I owe so much to record stores and specifically Black-owned record stores,” Common tells Variety. “I’m very grateful to be a part of Record Store Day supporting Black-owned record stores because of what they’ve meant to me and what they’ve meant to Black culture and getting Black music out to the world. So I think it’s only right. It’s like, to whom much is given, much is required. For me, this is my duty.”

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Hermitage, PA | Stacks of wax, tons of toys and a multitude of memories: Flipside is somewhere between a store and a collection that got a little out of hand. Stepping inside the front door of Flipside Records and Collectibles, a quick glance around the room will reveal rows upon rows of records, CDs and other music memorabilia — and at the far end of the room, a door leads to yet another room of shelves and cabinets full of curiosities bound to evoke memories. With everything from rock ’n’ roll and country to rap and hip-hop, some shelves feature records of famous artists such as Frank Sinatra to seemingly random oddities such as holiday-themed records of DC heroes. Other shelves carry CDs with more modern artists such as Green Day, while cassette tapes feature everything in-between. Owned by husband-and-wife team Robert and Judy Johnson, the Hermitage business has something for everyone from hardcore collectors looking for that rare, 45 rpm record of an obscure musician to a young person who’s just discovering a new genre. “I think it’d be hard for a family to come in here and not find something that’s of to interest everyone,” Judy said.

Denver, CO | Good Baby Founder Queues Up Most Personal Pop-Up To Date With Larimer Records Cafe: Last October, Good Baby MGMT took on the rather Herculean task of refurbishing The Market at Larimer Square. For founder Josh Sampson — the man behind TheBigWonderful, Denver Bazaar, Yeah Baby and Neon Baby — the iconic space’s transformation was but one piece of the larger task of bringing fresh ideas and a younger demographic to a Larimer Square in crisis. Before formally launching Good Baby, Sampson acted as director of placemaking for the whole block — introducing an all-star roster of new tenants including Bao Brewhouse, Hidden Gems, Drunken Bakery and Ghost Coffee, alongside his original concepts Farmers Market LSQ and Garage Sale. On Tuesday, February 2, Sampson upped the ante with the opening of Larimer Records Cafe — once again dramatically refashioning The Market’s venerated multi-level interior. Sampson rightly describes the project — essentially a pop-up within a pop-up focusing on bourbon, wine, vinyl and beer — as the “hipster sax.”

Milwaukee, WI | Retro MKE: The Exclusive Company. Say it with me — the Exclusive Company!” Many Milwaukee radio listeners remember the iconic statement fondly — along with afternoons spent perusing Exclusive’s bins of LPs for treasures. The Exclusive Company, billed as “America’s Oldest Full-Line Independent Record Store,” originally opened on Main Street in West Bend in 1956 and sold all iterations of vinyl: 33, 45 and 78 rpms, expanding over the decades to include cassettes and CDs. In its heyday during the 1970s and 1980s, The Exclusive Company was the hub for vinyl and CD aficionados — album signings (and occasional performances in the store), tie-ins with Summerfest shows and local appearances, midnight record release sales, and solid cross section of music from rock to jazz, soul, country, experimental and classic. When the demand for physical albums boomed again in the 2000s, The Exclusive Company found a market for both new-release and pre-owned records, along with an expansion into novelty items and pop-culture collectibles. The West Bend store carries additional car and home audio electronics, TVs and DJ equipment.

Wappinger Falls, NY | Unique Hudson Valley business closing for months, moving: A very popular and unique business that sold beer, wine, food and records is closing. But will reopen in a few months at a new location. On Thursday, The Vinyl Room, the Hudson Valley’s first-ever taproom and record shop, announced Feb. 28 will be the company’s last day open for business at its Village of Wappinger Falls location. “We would also like to thank everyone for all the support the last four years in the Village of Wappingers Falls. We’ve built some wonderful friendships, enjoyed some amazing times together, and we will truly miss everyone visiting us in Wappingers.,” The Vinyl Room wrote on Facebook. The Vinyl Room offers its customers a wide range of items. The business opened on East Main Street in 2017. It sells vinyl records, wine, craft beer and pizza. The good news is the popular business isn’t closing for good, like so many eatery’s have been forced to do this pandemic. The Vinyl Room is moving to an undisclosed location in Beacon.

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Nearly 12 million records sold on Discogs in 2020: With over 140 million items added to people’s collections. Discogs has released its end of year report for 2020, with vinyl sales reaching record highs during the period. Despite the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 saw substantial growth in vinyl sales globally, and Discogs was no exception. A reported 16,290,197 items were sold on site — an increase of 40.12% over the previous year, with vinyl sales accounting for 73.4% of all sales. Vinyl was the most popular physical format on site, with 11,961,998 records sold in 2020. The platform also saw 140,189,018 items added to collections in 2020, fuelled by global Coronavirus lockdowns, and more time spent at home.

Ontario, CA | ‘Reopening is more than just slapping an open sign on the door.’ Sudbury-areal businesses continue to grapple with the unpredictability of the pandemic post-lockdown. Eight weeks to the day the Ontario government announced the second provincial lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, non-essential businesses were permitted to open in the Sudbury district. The stay-at-home order lifted on Tuesday, and Public Health Sudbury and Districts’ service area was moved into the orange zone of the province’s COVID-19 Response Framework. Most businesses, including gyms, clothing stores and cinemas, were allowed to re-open with public health protocols in place, including reduced capacities and other restrictions. Weathering the storm of a second provincial lockdown, however, has been challenging and local businesses are doing their best to stay afloat. “You have to remain hopeful. You have to be looking forward to the future and planning, but with the pandemic, we’re dealing with a level of unpredictability that makes that really hard,” said Beth Mairs, lead programmer at Sudbury Indie Cinema.

Red Hook, NY | The Record Shop is perfectly Red Hook, by Gene Bray: You see a permanent bench in front of a bizarre looking sculpture of guitars. A Sculpture-like apparition that might be unwelcome in some neighborhoods. It’s clear that anybody is welcome to sit at this crazy lookin spot. Anytime. At dawn there is usually all kinds of free stuff on it. By noon chairs appear. This is a place to relax a while with others… And of course, the records. Hundreds of albums are displayed in huge wooden racks. And 45s. A record is always playin on 1 of the two turntables in the window. Never loud though. Background music. You can hear it on the sidewalk out front too; also at the same low volume.. Don’t worry, it’s loud enough. These turntable sounds are free to anyone passing by. And it hits em right between the eyes. Impromptu dancing is always breaking out. Inside and on the sidewalk. One day I saw an older lady dancing in front of the shop. Gracefully, effortlessly, sensuously moving to a Salsa beat.

Manchester, UK | A new bar, bakery, record store and cafe hybrid is heading to Altrincham: It started life in a caravan but is moving on up. Altrincham is set to welcome a new cafe-bar with a record store and bakery inside after lockdown. The hybrid venue comes from local independent record label Stutter & Twitch, who have been operating a coffee shop out of a caravan since last summer. The new permanent site will serve craft beer, cocktails and wine alongside its artisan coffee as soon as restrictions allow. The unit at Stamford Square will play host to live music from local artists and DJs. It will also be home to a small record store, and a mini bakery churning out baked goods to be stocked and sold from the caravan, which will remain in place. Stutter and Twitch’s expansion comes in partnership with Bruntwood Works and Trafford Council, and is part of a wider plan to transform Altrincham’s Stamford Quarter. The plan includes creating a community-focused public square at Stamford Square, where Stutter & Twitch are building their new home. The site will be ready this March, but will open as soon as restrictions allow.

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