Fort Myers, FL | Record store, music venue Beach Records to close after 6 years: Beach Records, a record store doubling as a music venue in Fort Myers, is closing after hundreds of shows and many more records sold. Owner Martin “Marty” Bourgeois is going on sabbatical after six years of serving the community with shows and records, reciprocating his love for live music and giving the scene a place to play and buy records. The shop has a vintage feel. Rows of used and new vinyl are packed in wooden boxes labeled in marker over recycled vinyl. Bourgeois sees this as more of a sabbatical than a closure. However, this location, 15560 McGregor Blvd., Unit 8, which has been active since 2019, will close for good. Bourgeois was going to close down temporarily starting in June or July, but his landlord sought to raise the rent by 30% and have him sign a three-year lease, WINK News reports.
Miami, FL | Sweat Records, Miami’s beloved vinyl shop, celebrates 20 years: When Lolo Reskin opened Sweat Records in 2005, she had “no long-term plans” for the vinyl shop. She was 22 years old; her best friend and cofounder, 24. “We just wanted to build this cool thing together because we loved music and we loved our city,” she said. Why it matters: Twenty years later, the Little Haiti shop is central to the community, having grown into a local hub and safe space for residents and tourists alike. Fittingly, ahead of its 20th anniversary Wednesday, Miami-Dade County declared March 12 to be “Sweat Records Day.” Flashback: The independent shop’s first location opened in Edgewater, less than a year before Hurricane Wilma hit Miami. The storm destroyed the building, forcing Reskin to relocate to a temporary space behind the Churchill’s Pub—”a complete landmark” at the time, Reskin told Axios.
Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis’ Outta Wax is keeping vinyl alive and well: Lovers of old-school records in the Twin Cities, listen up: you can get a record made in your own backyard. Alex Stillman is a record presser with Outta Wax. The small business got its start during COVID when Stillman’s business partner, Sara Pette, decided to give record-pressing a spin. “My job at the time was non-existent because of COVID, so I sort of freaked out and wanted to start another business,” Pette said. She also saw a need in the Twin Cities. “When you are an independent artist with no label, it’s really hard to get your foot in the door to get stuff made like this,” Pette said. So, they got their hands on antique lathe machines which grooves music into plastic discs. They also got their hands on a more modern set-up. The record-pressing process begins with a machine called the extruder, which turns plastic into a pre-mold that looks like a hockey puck.
Southampton, UK | HotWax rock record store to celebrate album: An alternative trio rocked a record store in Southampton Wednesday night in a performance to promote their debut album. HotWax performed an in-store gig at Vinilo Record Store in Queensway to celebrate the release of their first album Hot Shock, which was released March 7. The record reached number nine in the mid-week album chart and the band spoke to fans and signed copies after the performance. The alternative rock band members of HotWax are vocalist and guitarist Tallulah Sim-Savage, bassist Lola Sam and Alfie Sayers on drums. When the album was released, the band posted on social media: “After a crazed adrenaline filled year of touring, writing and recording our debut album ‘Hot Shock’ is here. “We’re feeling extremely overwhelmed and proud, from our first gig together nearly 8 years ago to now having our first album out in the world made with the most incredible people feels surreal and we can’t quite believe it.”
Phoenix, AZ | Music Notes: Valley Vinyl. Despite a slew of store closures in recent years (rest in peace, Record High), Record Store Day is still spinning, with this year’s celebration of indie shops taking place on Saturday, April 12. Here is an update on where to go to get your vinyl fix. Zia Records: This Valley staple shuttered its 19th Avenue and Camelback location to make way for its largest store yet, near Grand Canyon University at 6135 N. 35th Ave. Stinkweeds: Finding your new favorite record at this Uptown Phoenix store always came at the cost of comfort, as it attempted to fit its massive inventory in 1,000 square feet of space. Last year, owner Kimber Lanning expanded the store a few hundred feet to host in-store concerts and give customers more elbow room…
New York, NY | These 7 vinyl listening bars are making music the main course: This dining trend from Japan is turning tables. Foodies, it’s time to put music first. Listening bars are popping up all over the city, inviting guests to escape the Manhattan noise and dive into a curated audio experience. Inspired by “kissa” — treasured jazz cafes abundant in Japan — these lounges offer a chance to gather for drinks and bites all while enjoying the magic of a vinyl record player. Equipped with high-quality sound systems, extensive record collections and a cozy, intimate atmosphere, these listening cafes are sure to elevate your dining-out experience.
Marquette, MI | Music enthusiasts unite: Ore Dock Record Show returns for spring 2025: A conversation with organizer Jon Teichman. Marquette’s community vinyl tradition is back as the Ore Dock Brewing Company hosts its first record show of 2025. From March 27th to 30th, music lovers can dig through crates of vinyl, CDs, cassette tapes, and even eight-track tapes at this four-day event, now in its 12th year. Jon Teichman, an event organizer and advisor for the NMU Vinyl Record Club, describes the show as more than just a sale—it’s a gathering for the music-loving community. “We’re coming out of hibernation,” Teichman says. “It’s really become an event you want to attend in person because you never know what you’re going to find and who you’re going to see.” Held in the community room on the second floor of the Ore Dock Brewing Company, the show will feature about 10,000 physical media items, along with music-themed posters.
Bon Jovi releases limited-edition ‘Slippery When Wet’ LPs with actual ‘watery liquid.’ Here’s something that’s making Bon Jovi fans go wild in the streets. The iconic band, fronted by New Jersey rock star Jon Bon Jovi, released a series of deluxe versions of its 1986 best-selling album “Slippery When Wet,” on Feb. 28. This includes digital, vinyl, CD, and cassette reissues of the album, which includes rock classics like “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Among the special reissues is a liquid-filled vinyl disc that’s soaked in nostalgia. As an ode to the LP’s title, there’s actual liquid held between both sides of the transparent disc. Naturally, the internet is abuzz. On a Reddit channel dedicated to vinyl records, one commenter posted a picture of the LP, saying “It is pretty neat, although I’m not a huge Bon Jovi fan, but it’s still cool to have as it fits the album name so well.”
South Bend, IN | Physical media is spinning back, and people are listening: In recent years, there has been an increase in the consumption of physical media. A lot of people have turned to physical media to fight the drawbacks of streaming, like content jumping from one platform to another due to licensing issues. There has been a resurgence especially of vinyl, CDs and DVDs, but more media, like cassettes and VHS, are also regaining popularity. There are multiple reasons why someone would prefer to consume media this way. When it comes to music, fans of physical media often mention the sound quality or the overall feeling of being able to touch and display your music. Additionally, streaming services are not totally reliable—one day your favorite song might simply be unavailable. Listening to music through physical media might even have a benefit for artists. Spotify pays artists between $0.003 and $0.004 per stream, while for vinyl or a CD sale, they could get anywhere from 10-25% of the revenue.
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