Customers ‘shop small’ in downtown Newark: At Rainbow Records, everything was 10 percent off. Todd Brewer said business was picking up Saturday morning and noted he had also seen good business on Friday, which was promoted nationwide as Record Store Day Black Friday. Many people came in looking for special-edition records released only to independent record stores. He said turntables seem to be a popular gift this holiday season, adding that he’s noticing more teenagers developing a preference for vinyl.
‘We need that influx’: Small Business Saturday even more important for shops still recovering from hurricane losses: Anyone who’s been to the toneVENDOR Facebook page or who walked by the King Street business around Oct. 9 has seen the piles of debris — or at least the images of it — from what was left of the store after Hurricane Matthew. Owner Dan Sostrom, like so many other St. Augustine business owners, had to dig out ruined furniture, equipment and inventory after at least a foot of water invaded his store. Two days after the storm, Sostrom was looking at a moldy heap of worthless inventory and a long cleanup in his future. “It was an ordeal,” Sostrom said. “It’s been painful.”
Middle-aged introverts behind vinyl resurgence: The stats also show that music plays a central part in vinyl buyer’s lives. YouGov research suggests nostalgic middle-aged people are buying vinyl as opposed to young hipsters: YouGov say: “Two thirds, 66%, of this group say they could not get through day without listening to music, compared to 49% of UK adults in general. A third, 33%, of record buyers say they listen ‘whenever they can’ compared to 25% of over-18s overall.” Vinyl lovers are also more likely to go to gigs, with 68% saying they are happy to pay to see their favourite acts live. And they also condemn illegal downloading, with 59% of vinyl buyers saying it’s “wrong.”
Vinyl records top the popularity charts, From CNET Magazine: The demand for vinyl records — from hipster millennials, retro-fans and musicians — is spinning up faster than ever: There are lots of theories about why vinyl records appeal to millennials. In 2015, Billboard homed in on three: The desire to focus on the music, instead of something that plays in the background. A craving to collect something tangible. And the perception that music sounds better on vinyl. Artists like 12-inch records because they’re a great way to package albums, featuring full-scale art and allowing inserts such as posters, CDs and download cards. It’s one reason indie band Dawes recorded “North Hills” on vinyl in 2009. “There was this dream of holding our own record on a big album sleeve, to see what that looks like and feels like,” says lead singer Taylor Goldsmith.
Burlington County merchants welcome holiday shoppers on Small Business Saturday: John Chrambanis — who owns the Record Collector, an independent seller of collectible vinyl records, 45s, compact discs and other items — said it was hard to say if his business really saw a Small Business Saturday boost and, if so, how much. “It has been busy,” he said of Saturday’s store traffic. “There has to be some increase. I’m just not sure exactly how much.” Chrambanis said small businesses can use whatever help they can get. Shops like his also need to have something special to offer.
Audio rewind: The mysterious resurgence of vinyl and human connection: But what is it that we think about when we consider the study of life? In our minds, is life analog or digital? We live in a world that has integrated one into the other, of course, but as we shift further into the digital era, perhaps there will be a natural reaction to hold onto something analog. Could vinyl’s resurgence be an indication of that reach for something tangible? Sure, it’s easy to use the word “hipster” to discuss a vinyl collection, but more is going on than that.
The records worth more than a HOUSE: 20 most valuable vinyl discs revealed – do you have any? The past few years has seen a surge in the numbers of vinyl records sold as old-school disks soar in popularity. And along with an increase in popularity, values have been shooting through the roof too. “Vinyl is so on trend right now and highly collectible, so it doesn’t surprise me that some command seriously high prices,” said Will Thomas managing director at LoveAntiques.com. “It’s clear the vinyl records that are worth the most are the ones which have been owned by a celebrity or were made in limited numbers, as with most things, the rarer the item is the more valuable it is.”
Vinyl & turntables keep on spinning: According to The Consumer Technology Association turntable sales will hit $194 million in 2016, up from just $19 million 11 years ago. At specialist retailers across Australia sales are booming with both distributors and retailers reaping the rewards. According to Sydney based retailer Len Wallis demand for vinyl and record players is “the highest it has been in years”. “I’d say it’s easily doubled if not more,” Wallis said. Even big brands are getting in the act; Panasonic is resurrecting its legendary Technics record player after taking it off shelves in 2010.
