Treasure Coast, FL | Vinyl record store sales spike amid coronavirus pandemic; surpass CDs for first time: Music makes the world go ’round — especially during a pandemic. With more people stuck at home, the average number of paid subscriptions to music-streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music was up 24% compared to the first-half average for 2019, according to a recently released mid-year report from the Recording Industry Association of America. The report also showed vinyl records outsold CDs for the first time since the 1980s. Treasure Coast record store owners weren’t surprised by the increase in popularity. Saxon Julin, co-owner of Wax Records in Vero Beach, said the number of records sold has been growing since he and his dad, Jason, opened the store in 2014. “Vinyl has been increasing every year,” Julin said, “and then there was another explosion with the pandemic.”
Riverside, CA | Riverside’s Mad Platter record store permanently closes after 36 years due to coronavirus: Nearly every week in the late 1980s, a 20-something Matt Friedlander visited Mad Platter on his lunch break. He and a friend would scope out albums at the record store on Hole Avenue, a destination for Inland Empire music fans known for its wide selection. “I probably have 1,000 records in my garage tucked away and probably a third of them are from going down there and buying used records,” Friedlander said. More than 30 years and a crosstown move later, the Riverside record store announced that a temporary closure that started March 19 because of the coronavirus pandemic is permanent. A social media post announcing the closure on Wednesday, Oct. 7, said that efforts would be focused on keeping sister store Rhino Records & Video Paradiso in Claremont, “vibrant and alive.” Longtime customers and former employees commented with their memories of the store throughout the decades and lamented the end of an era.
Stirling, UK | Shopping Scotland: 10 of our favourite independent stores: Europa Music. More of an institution than a shop, Europa Music has been going for over 38 years, 25 of them in its current location on Friars Street in Stirling. Owner Ewen Duncan champions the warmer sound that vinyl produces, and he regularly brings in so many new records that Europa Music has been officially designated the largest browsable vinyl shop in Scotland. A bit higgledy-piggledy inside, you could easily lose an hour searching through all the records on sale – with a proper feeling of satisfaction when you find one that you were looking for. Europa Music often sees queues out of the door on the national Record Store Day – which is on October 24 this year – but why not give them your custom during the rest of the year, too, and help keep this truly unique store alive?
Paris, FR | Yoyaku opens new record shop and “cultural venue” in Paris: Also operating as a gallery, cafe, and a workshop. Yoyaku has opened a new record shop in Paris, called Chapelle XIV. Chapelle XIV marks the second record shop from Yoyaku, who also run a label of the same name. Described as a “cultural venue”, it encompasses a record shop specialising in electronic music, gallery, cafe and a workshop – with equipment for producing merchandise, record sleeves and 3D prints. Chapelle XIV has been outfitted with a Martion soundsystem, alongside furniture and acoustic panels designed by CNTRL Acoustics. The space will also feature workshops and in-store events, with the aim of bringing together artists to discuss subjects including arts and sociopolitical topics.
Milford, CT | ‘Your mind is going to be blown’: New record store set to rock out in Milford: One of Jay Reason’s first jobs was working at a record store — and now he’s set to open one of his own that he hopes will become a destination spot. Reason’s store — Static Era — held a preview opening last week at 43 River St., and will officially open on Oct. 16. The shop will, of course, offer records, but he said it’ll also have a medley of different merchandise — from band T-shirts and hoodies to Super7 and Funko toys and soaps from South Africa. The business’ name — a nod to the Misfits’ album “Static Age” — is also the same as one of Reason’s labels, Static Era Records, which launched about a year ago…“The storefront is basically an extension of the labels I do, but obviously carrying major label releases, new stuff, toys,” he said. “It’s really just like an illusion of the business and kind of adapting with what’s happening out there with no live shows and no outlets to sell products for some of the bands that we put out in the releases I do.”
Asheville, NC | Asheville business mixes vinyl, food and drinks: Citizen Vinyl officially opened to the public Thursday morning. Inside, patrons will find a vinyl press and recording studio. The business also features a bar, café and record store. The creators of the cafe’s menu said they’re glad the business is finally open. “We are just excited to be open right now and welcoming folks to the space,” Session Café’s Susannah Gebhart said. “Trying to tie into the resurgence of vinyl and bring nostalgic American cuisine to a storage space,” the café’s Graham House said. Citizen Vinyl, which also has an outdoor seating area, is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Gallatin, TN | Bricks help Gallatin landmark Randy’s Record Shop live on after demolition: The building that housed a Gallatin landmark for decades and was demolished earlier this year is living on with bricks available to support the Sumner County Museum. Randy’s Record Shop, established by Randy Wood, opened in 1946. It’s been described as the largest mail-order record shop in the world in 1950s and 1960s. Wood also founded Dot Records. About 500 bricks from the front façade of the former building on West Main Street are now available for $25. About 100 bricks have been sold so far, Sumner County Museum’s Ryan Baker said. “There is interest,” Baker said. “A lot of purchasers are children of parents who remember Randy’s.” ‘The King is Gone’ singer and artist Ronnie McDowell plans on buying a brick with memories of going to Randy’s Record Shop to look for Elvis Presley and other records while growing up in Portland.
