Dallas, TX | Beloved Dallas record store owner dies weeks after being paralyzed from a fall, family says: The historic Dallas record store announced Penn’s death in a post on social media Thursday. Chris Penn, a beloved fixture of the Dallas music scene for decades and owner of Good Records, died weeks after being paralyzed from a fall, the store announced Thursday. In a post on social media, Penn’s wife, Jenn Penn, said his injuries were too great for him to continue on. He passed away on Wednesday. “My kids have lost their father, I lost my partner of 21 years, his brother has lost his hero, many have lost a dear friend and Dallas has lost a treasure,” she wrote. She described Penn as an incredible force of nature with a heart that always seemed to have room for more connection, love and friendship. “That is who Chris was,” she wrote. “That will be his legacy for our kids.” …”The ways in which our community has shown up over the last six weeks is a testament of the person he was,” she wrote.
Chicago, IL | Chicago independent record stores spin back in an era of streaming: “Fascination” by David Bowie reverberates through the room as customers wander through the aisles of the downtown Evanston store Animal Records, sifting through vinyl records from artists like Janet Jackson to the Grateful Dead. The walls of the room are adorned in pink and yellow stripes with stuffed animals perched everywhere the eye can see. Animal Records owner Greg Allen waves to people as they enter his store, greeting regulars every so often with a casual, “How you doing?” “We’re just trying to keep it a happy, positive place,” he said. “If some people are interested in records, that’s great. But we don’t really care if somebody comes in, even if they don’t buy anything. If they just want to come in and hang out and talk, that’s good too.” Record stores, once a fixture of the past, have had a resurgence in the greater Chicago area in recent years. Not only are these stores a place to shop, but also a place of community for music lovers.
New York, NY | See inside the huge new record store that just opened at Rock Center: The second Rough Trade location inside of Rockefeller Center is officially open! Vinyl lovers, rejoice! Rough Trade has officially doubled down on Rockefeller Center. The beloved indie record shop just opened Rough Trade Below, a 4,000-square-foot subterranean haven for music nerds, merch collectors and anyone who loves a good in-store gig. Located one level down from its existing Rough Trade Above store on Sixth Avenue (yes, they’re calling it that now), this new expansion is all about vibes. There are deep crates of used vinyl, limited-edition CDs, band tees, hi-fi audio gear, Blu-rays, and collectibles galore, alongside a photobooth with a “special twist,” though we’re sworn to secrecy on what that means. But the real headline? The new destination has room for hundreds of fans at a time for intimate, all-ages live performances, building on Rough Trade’s reputation for bringing big names into small spaces.
Beaverdale, IA | Beaverdale record store Vinyl Cup is moving. Here’s where it’s going: Beaverdale’s Vinyl Cup Records has been a hidden gem, but not for much longer. Currently located on the upper floor of the building that houses GoodSons Food & Spirits just north of the Beaver Avenue/Urbandale Avenue intersection, the vinyl records specialty shop will move to a street-level storefront on Beaver Avenue in downtown Beaverdale that was vacated when longtime outdoors outfitter Back Country recently closed. Loved by its patrons but admittedly hard to find, Vinyl Cup originally opened in 2017 in an even more obscure spot: owner Luke Dickens’ basement. He later moved it to a former yoga studio on the second floor at 2815 Beaver Ave. Dickens said that when Back Country owner Jay Kozel announced in February the store at 2702 Beaver Ave. would close after 41 years in Beaverdale he began considering the move. He finally got in touch with the building’s owner to work it out.
Eric Church Teams Up With 100 Record Stores For Album Release Celebrations: Eric Church has teamed up with over 100 independent record stores to celebrate the release of his highly anticipated album, Evangeline vs. The Machine, during the weekend of May 2-4. Fans attending the listening events will hear the new project in full, an experience Church places heavy importance on when creating, and all attendees will have the chance to enter a special grand prize giveaway. The first fans in each store will be treated to a limited-edition Eric Church poster. Full details, including participating locations, can be found here. “An album is a snapshot in time that lasts for all time,” Church shares. “I believe in that time-tested tradition of making records that live and breathe as one piece of art—I think it’s important. “I’ve always let creativity be the muse. It’s been a compass for me,” he adds.
New York, NY | ‘Death to streamers!’: can a New York video store start a revolution? Despite the ongoing Netflix era, Brooklyn’s Night Owl Video hopes formats such as VHS, DVD and Blu-ray will see a vinyl-like revival. They trickle in by twos and threes, spiritual seekers to a temple long thought gone: the video store. Some of these acolytes are sentimental for the days of Blockbuster and famed New York institutions like Kim’s Video. Others are so young that Blu-ray Discs, DVDs and VHS tapes represent novelty, not nostalgia. Either way they’re here, at a small, freshly painted storefront in Brooklyn, to buy movies that you hold in your hand, store on a shelf and watch whenever you’d like – the powerful but fickle newer gods of Netflix, Hulu and Prime be damned. Just in time for Easter, the physical video store has risen again. This month, Night Owl Video in Williamsburg became New York City’s first new physical video store in a long time. The store’s provocative slogan is: “Death to streamers! Physical media forever!”
Chicago, IL | Bookies, author to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day: Some seasoned authors seek idyllic writing scenarios such as a remote lakeside cottage tucked beyond a peaceful valley in Minnesota, far from the maddening crowd. Publishers push their finished products into the market via the web in hopes of finding an audience with their salacious cover art. “Chicago’s grit shapes my characters,” said Beverly author Bob Allen. “Chicago as a home writing base helps me see my characters’ scars, hear ‘dis, dat, dese and dos’ and ‘shoppin’ at da Jewels’ store with da wife.’” Allen relishes every book signing to meet and talk with locals, so the invitation from Bookies of Beverly, 10324 S. Western Ave., to participate in “Independent Bookstore Day” on Saturday, April 26, felt like a homecoming with his fourth literary accomplishment at the ready. Independent Book Store Day is celebrated every year on the last Saturday of April. Allen is featured with his works in a meet-and-greet from 1 to 3 p.m.
Windermere, UK | Lake District spa resort introduces vinyl record sessions: A Lake District spa resort has introduced a vinyl record collection for guests to enjoy. Winander Club at Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa has launched daily afternoon sessions in its top floor bar and lounge, featuring a growing collection of vinyl LP albums. The Vinyl and Victoria sponge sessions – with ‘alternative’ cakes available to order – were inspired by regular Winander Club guests donating their records after a vintage-style turntable record player was installed in the lounge. The aim is to allow guests to indulge in nostalgia while enjoying the panoramic views over Windermere to the Langdale Pikes. The current collection of albums features renowned artists such as Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd from the 1970s and 1980s, through to more recent classic LPs from the likes of U2, Adele, and Oasis. Simon Berry, executive chairman of English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, said: “Vinyl records have always had a unique appeal that many people still appreciate today, offering a nostalgic, in-the-moment experience.”
Las Vegas, NV | ‘Vintage & Vinyl’ Comes To Downtown Las Vegas: On Saturday, April 26 from 12-8 p.m., Downtown Grand will shut down 3rd Street and turn it into a treasure trove for vintage lovers of all ages. Vintage & Vinyl will feature more than 25 vendors selling everything from retro clothes and antique furniture to rare collectibles, one-of-a-kind creations from talented artists, a variety of vinyl, and more. Mikaela Maranhas, Marketing Manager at Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino and Warren White—Event Promoter joined Las Vegas Now with the details.
Nanaimo, BC | Record show in Nanaimo promises to have something for everyone: Show will be at Bowen Park Auditorium April 27. The annual Nanaimo record show will give people a chance to browse and hang out with fellow vinyl lovers and collectors. This year’s show is coming up Sunday, April 27, at the Bowen Park Activity Centre, and vendor space for the show is sold out. Last year’s show attracted more than 400 people. “It was by far the biggest demand for vendor spaces,” said event promoter Jack Tieleman. “You know it’s a success when vendors travel to sell. There will be sellers that have done every one of our shows, to those just getting their feet wet.” He said the show attracts a diverse group of people who love vinyl records and it offers a chance to see thousands of records from dealers around the Island and mainland. “We see kids with parents, young people building a collection, older folks rebuilding a collection and those that have never stopped buying records. The idea of having records in the house appeals across ages and genders.”
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