Monthly Archives: October 2018

Los Angeles, CA | Iconic Record Store Returns: DTLA – A leading independent hip-hop record store has returned to Los Angeles. On Sept. 22, Fat Beats opened its first physical location since declining sales forced the owners to close their New York and Los Angeles shops in 2010 (it continued to do online sales). It is located at 916 S. San Pedro St. in the Fashion District. Specializing in hard-to-find underground hip-hop vinyl, the original Fat Beats in New York debuted in 1994 and became famous for employing a host of future hip-hop artists including Ill Bill, DJ Eclipse and Rhettmatic. The previous Los Angeles location was on Melrose Avenue. The Los Angeles store is open daily from noon-7 p.m. It joins fellow Fashion District vinyl emporium Pop Obscure Records, which is at 735 S. Los Angeles St.

Buffalo, NY | How a 31-year-old record collector turned a hobby into an expanding business: While a student at Niagara Wheatfield High School, Phil Machemer used to skip out of class to check out new releases and used albums at Elmwood Avenue stores such as Home of the Hits and New World Record. “I was a big fan of both stores,” he said. Machemer, 31, parlayed his love of music, particularly vinyl records, into a career. He began selling used albums at flea markets before opening Revolver Records at 1451 Hertel Ave. Now, with more than 30,000 records, he will soon open his second location in the former Spoiled Rotten store at 831 Elmwood Ave. A fan of many genres including classic rock, he has dreamed about running two record stores since he was a teenager.

Wheeling, WV | A new business is looking to bring some music into the heart of downtown Wheeling. Nail City Record celebrated its ribbon cutting Thursday morning. The shop, located in the McClain building, sells vinyl, cassettes, CDs and posters. It also has a room where guests can plug the music in and just listen. The owners had started out selling vinyl online, but after traveling to Colorado and seeing a record store, they wanted to open something like that in Wheeling. “I noticed when I came back that Wheeling had a very vibrant music scene, above and underground, and I wanted to be a part of it,” said owner Jonathan Napier. “So, we decided we might as well go ahead and open the store since we were selling online. So now, we have a physical location.”

White Rock & South Surrey, BC | The vinyl countdown: How 40,000 records ended up at a Surrey store. Newton’s Innovative Audio has become a go-to place for record collectors. With so many cardboard boxes of vinyl records to sift through, Mark Smith is feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. “There’s a lot of them,” Smith said nervously as he scanned the interior of Innovative Audio, the Newton-area store devoted to fixing and selling vintage sound equipment. In a rear storage area rest boxes full of close to 40,000 titles culled from the collection of Howard Tsumura, who previously ran the record bins as an independent arm of Gord Sauck’s store operations. Earlier this month, Smith acquired all that vinyl and, with the help of a half-dozen people, moved it from Tsumura’s house to the store on 78th Avenue.

Raleigh, NC | Nice Price Books and Records will open a vinyl shop in Oakwood this week: A pint-sized version of Hillsborough Street’s Nice Price Books and Records will move into Oakwood this week, with a strong emphasis on records. Nice Price Jr. occupies the space at 222 N. Bloodworth St., Suite 103, and according to co-owner Enoch Marchant, it will primarily be a vinyl record store that (soon!) will sell beer for people to sip while listening to tunes. In addition to a selection of new and used vinyl, the 500-square-foot space will have a small curated selection of books (likely music biographies and rock music books), one rack of cassettes and a few T-shirts, Marchant said in a phone interview Wednesday. The beer, when all of the licenses are obtained, will be available in what Marchant describes as a “baby bar” because of its small size.

Reykjavik, IS | Iceland’s 12 Tónar Named One of World’s Top 10 Record Stores: Music journalist Marcus Barnes has named the Reykjavík institution 12 Tónar among the ten best record stores on the planet. As the author of the newly published “Around the World in 80 Record Stores,” Barnes can safely be considered something of an authority on the topic. 12 Tónar opened its doors two decades ago and has long since cemented itself as an Icelandic cultural institution. Much more than a record store, they also run a record label of the same name, which has over 100 releases under its belt from some of the most notable artists in Iceland. In addition, their cosy store on Skólavörðustígur in downtown Reykjavík has played venue to a number of concerts throughout the years, and the place has become known as an unofficial community centre for the Icelandic music scene.

Halifax, NS | Iconic record store hails town centre’s resurgence: One of Halifax’s longest-serving independent retailers has admitted he was initially sceptical of major investment projects he now believes has rescued the town’s fortunes. Revo Records owner Nick Simonet said that multi-million pound injections into projects such as the £19 million Piece Hall renovation have made all the difference to small businesses like his. The iconic vinyl record and entertainment store, based in the Westgate Arcade which itself undertook a stunning £2 million redevelopment in 2007, is celebrating its 31st year. It’s a stretch of time in which Nick has seen the good, the bad and the ugly of retail in Calderdale. “There’s been ups and downs,” he said, “but what we’ve seen over the last few years is a huge resurgence in the town. The footfall has improved massively and there’s a buzz about the place again.

Plainfield, IN | Multimillion-dollar plan would revitalize downtown Plainfield: This Hendricks County town is working to revitalize its downtown area and is starting with a project on the eastern portion. A new complex will spread about 2-1/2 blocks from U.S. 40 and Avon Avenue to East Street. Town leaders hope it will serve as a catapult to revitalize the downtown area. Business owners are hoping the same. At Rock Bottom Treasures in downtown Plainfield, what keeps business spinning is its unique collection of vinyl records. “They like, of course, the music. That’s the big thing. I also specialize a little bit in video games, retro toys and clothes,” said Rock Bottom Treasures owner Scott Burress. But, because business is business regardless of what you do, there are some challenges. “You need to sell quite a few records to break even and try to realize a profit,” Burress said.

Indianapolis, IN | Best of Indy 2018—Shops + Services: Irvington Vinyl & Books. Like so many others, we took it hard when news broke earlier this year that two favorite local shops were closing: Irvington Vinyl and Bookmamas. Our sadness was, thankfully, short-lived. Lucky for us, and everyone else, both shops now continue under the ownership of Elysia Lucinda Smith. After only three months at the helm, Smith has managed to keep what’s best about both previous stores and add her own spin on things—primarily, adding a hefty dose of programming that involves the neighborhood and creating a space where her neighbors feel welcome to buy, browse, or simply “be.” “People can only use the tools they have access to; and I want to help make those tools available,” says Smith about the shops plentiful in-store resources and programming.

Swindon, UK | XTC albums re-release on vinyl as sell-out show comes to Swindon Arts Centre: XTC fans will be able to see two original band members play this weekend just days after three of the band’s albums have been reissued on vinyl today. Founding members of the Swindon band Colin Moulding and Terry Chambers will play a four-night marathon of sold-out shows at the Swindon Arts Centre over the weekend. And by chance the show coincides with the re-release of three of the band’s albums on vinyl, Apple Venus Volume, Wasp Star, and Skylarking. Red House Records, based in the family-run Holmes Music, on Farringdon Road, will have copies of the newly-made vinyl in store from today. Paul Holmes from Holmes Music told the Adver: “It’s the musical equivalent of an astronomical happening which occurs only once in a lifetime.

Buffalo, NY | Revolver Records rides the rising vinyl tide: Three years ago, when Phil Machemer opened Revolver Records on Hertel Avenue, success for the new venture was far from guaranteed. Streaming services had all but decimated the world of walk-in, local music retail. In the time since Revolver opened, local stores Spiral Scratch and the last of the once-bustling Record Theatre stores closed. And though a handful of local record stores specializing in used vinyl – Record Baron in Kenmore, Black Dots on Grant Street and Rick’s Record Shack on Woodlawn among them – the survival of new independent music retailers in Buffalo – or anywhere, really – seemed unlikely.

Reykjavik, IS | Iceland’s 12 Tónar selected greatest record store in the world: Music magazine NME (New Musical Express) just published an article on a new book by journalist Marcus Barnes on the world’s best record shops. Barnes selects his top ten record shops for NME and lists Icelandic record store 12 Tónar as his number one record store in the world. In the book, Barnes lists 80 record shops worldwide. Barnes writes about 12 Tónar: “Iceland has a sterling reputation for producing incredibly talented, unique artists. This shop is owned by a few of them and its selection is top notch. Add to that the fact that it has been designed so that customers can chill out and socialise with one another and you’ve got a winning formula.”

Chicago, IL | Beverly Records’ Dreznes celebrates 70th birthday: Beverly Records owner Jack Dreznes holds his granddaughter Delaney at his surprise 70th birthday party on Oct. 14 surrounded by family and all of his 14 grandchildren who surprised him at the Frankfort Bowl themed party “Split Happens, Jack’s 7*10 Birthday Bowling Bash.” Beverly Records has remained in the Dreznes Family since 1967 when Jack’s father, John, bought the store for his mother, Christine. The store began as a small gift, novelty and record store and has become one of the foremost go-to record stores in Chicago at the same location, 11612 S. Western Ave.

Elvis Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special’ to Get 50th Anniversary Box Set Release: On November 30th, a comprehensive, deluxe box set featuring a dizzying array of audio and video components will celebrate the special’s 50th anniversary. The five-CD and two-Blu-ray disc set will mark the first time ever that all previously-released audio and newly-restored video from the taping of the special will be available in one package. Spotlighting unused performances and studio outtakes of Presley in his element, the collection also features an entire disc of the legendary sessions for the NBC special, which Presley recorded with the studio musicians collectively known as the Wrecking Crew…Fontana and Moore are both featured in the two-LP vinyl release The King in the Ring, also included in the boxed set. Released in limited quantity for Record Store Day earlier this year, the set showcases the laid-back “sit down” sets from the special, performed in the round for an intimate audience.

Austin, TX | Legendary blues club rolls out po’ boys: Antone’s Nightclub is having a family reunion. On October 23, the legendary Austin blues joint announced that it would start serving Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys, bringing the popular Houston sandwich company to Central Texas for the first time in decades. The po’ boy company was founded by Jalal Antone, the uncle of the club’s founder, Clifford Antone. Starting October 27, the po’ boys will be available at the bar and front record shop, Big Henry’s Vinyl & Gifts, daily from noon-2 am.