Chicago, IL | Wax Trax building gets final landmark recommendation: The former records store is located at 2449 N. Lincoln. The Commission on Chicago Landmarks has approved a final landmark recommendation for the former home of Wax Trax! records. Located at 2449 N. Lincoln, life and business partners Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher opened the WAX TRAX! records store in 1978. Their shared passion for music inspired the retail venture and their personal tastes, creative generosity, and willingness to take risks shaped the store into an international source of eclectic and ground-breaking music. Meeting Criterion 1 for its value as an example of city, state, or national heritage, WAX TRAX! invigorated Chicago’s music scene. With bootlegs, imports, and hard-to-find records, cassettes, CDs, and videos, WAX TRAX! became an international retail destination. WAX TRAX! helped to shape the world’s perceptions of Chicago music.
College Park, MD | As CDepot closes, nostalgia for physical media lives on: Another business bites the dust in College Park. After serving the community for more 30 years, local record store CDepot closed its doors on Friday. Since the late ’80s, CDepot has sold a collection of CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, books, video games and vinyls in its store. Nowadays, customers can easily purchase these types of physical media at a large department store or general retail spot like Target or Walmart, but these companies can never match the charm of a record store. …CDepot is not the only local record store that has gone out of business recently. Last summer, the Record Exchange in Silver Spring closed after more than 26 years. Towson’s Record and Tape Traders—in business for more than 40 years—officially closed in 2019. And Kemp Mill Music in Temple Hills closed its last location in 2017.
Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville record shop open for over 50 years, still thrives with vinyl resurgence: A Black-owned business in the Lackawanna neighborhood has been around for over 50 years. That business is DJ’s Record Shop. Owner Jerry West said he’s been keeping the community listening to hits for decades. The shop has been in its current location at the corner of McDuff and Edison Avenues since 1974 but has been in existence since 1968. “When I started I had less than $50,” West said. West said when he started there were around 14 records shops in the area. Now, his shop is the last one standing. “It’s just something about music I love,” West said. “Like I said I’ve been doing it ever since I was 19.” West said although he’s been around for decades, his sales have gone through ups and downs. But recently with the resurgence of vinyl records things have been good.
Los Angeles, CA | The house where 28,000 records burned: Charlie Springer spent a lifetime building his music collection. The Los Angeles fires incinerated it. Before it burned, Charlie Springer’s house contained 18,000 vinyl LPs, 12,000 CDs, 10,000 45s, 4,000 cassettes, 600 78s, 150 8-tracks, hundreds of signed musical posters, and about 100 gold records. The albums alone occupied an entire wall of shelves in the family room, and another in the garage. On his desk were a set of drumsticks from Nirvana and an old RCA microphone that Prince had given to him at a recording session for Prince. A neon Beach Boys sign—as far as he knows, one of only eight remaining in the world—hung above the dining table. In his laundry room was a Gibson guitar signed by the Everly Brothers; near his fireplace, a white Stratocaster signed to him by Eric Clapton. Last month, the night the Eaton Fire broke out, Charlie evacuated to his girlfriend’s house. And when he came back, the remnants of his home had been bleached by the fire. The spot in the family room where the record collection had been was dark ash.
Annapolis, MD | Naptown Vinyl and Vintage Market Returns to Maryland Hall on February 23: Annapolis music and vintage lovers, mark your calendars! The Naptown Vinyl and Vintage Market is back, bringing a treasure trove of records, retro finds, and classic vibes to Maryland Hall on Sunday, February 23. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Bowen Theatre will transform into a haven for vinyl collectors and vintage enthusiasts. Attendees can browse an eclectic mix of records, memorabilia, and unique vintage items while enjoying music spun by DJ Mikie Love. Adding to the atmosphere, a cash bar and food trucks will be on-site, ensuring that visitors can sip and snack while they dig through stacks of musical history. The event is sponsored by Ledo Pizza Annapolis and Vinyl Meltdown, promising a day of great finds, good eats, and groovy beats. Whether you’re an avid collector, a casual music fan, or just looking for a fun Sunday outing, the Naptown Vinyl and Vintage Market is the place to be in Annapolis.
Bloomington, IN | Meet Jack Kilby, the man behind Bloomington’s monthly record show and tell: It’s the third Saturday of the month. Jack Kilby arrives early to the McCalla School, where he works during the week as a gallery preparator in the University Collections. With him, he brings a crate or two full of vinyl records for people who may not have any, so they can still contribute and participate. The smell of coffee fills the room, a perk of attending the event, and he waits until 1 p.m. for his guests of “Record Show & Tell” to arrive. When they arrive, each bringing their chosen records of the week, they fall into an organic, informal discussion about the songs they selected for that month’s meeting. The group does not follow a particular theme, rather participants are simply encouraged to bring a selection of songs that they care about. While the event is open to all, and is advertised as such, the core group is made up of about 10 Bloomington locals.
Area Resident’s Stylus Counsel: How to Avoid Buying American-Made Records. If you’re a record collector like me, at least half of the records you buy are brand-new pressings. Here in Canada, this usually means that record was either made in this country, the U.S. or Europe. Perhaps more than ever before, this little detail has—or should—become a major sticking point for Canadians. Because yes—new tariffs will mean higher prices for U.S.—pressed records. The 25% tariff on Canadian imports from the U.S. means vinyl records pressed in the U.S. and sold in Canada will become more expensive. Retailers importing U.S.-pressed records will likely pass on the cost to consumers. Expect there to be a shift among Canadian buyers towards records pressed elsewhere to avoid the higher prices. Here in Canada, of course, expect this to be fueled by an additional interest in boycotting American stuff.
Bengaluru, IN | Bengaluru still finds takers for vinyl records: Going by their experience, vinyl dealers in the city believe that this time round, the record culture is here to stay. For nearly 45 years, Ram’s Musique has operated out of MG Road as a music retail store; more recently, it transformed into a vinyl experience centre for budding and seasoned LP collectors in the city. The founder, Ramachandran, is now running it with his son Sangeeth Ram. Over the years, he has had a front row seat to the changing patterns in music consumption. From cassettes being at their peak in the 1980s to CDs in the 1990s and early 2000s, Ram recounts how with the proliferation of digital music—first as MP3s and later, internet streaming platforms—“low quality/compressed music formats satisfied the needs” of consumers. Ramachandran says, “Convenience and accessibility won over quality. People forgot the joy of owning an album of their favorite musician or band. Business became stagnant. Most of our competitors shut shop, but we decided to stay open. It wasn’t easy.”
Follow The Vinyl District on Facebook HERE, Instagram HERE, Threads HERE, Bluesky HERE, and X/Twitter HERE.
