Dayton, OH | Belmont record shop moves to the Oregon District: ‘I underestimated how emotional I would be.’ After nearly five years and two locations in Dayton’s Belmont neighborhood, Blind Rage Records — “Dayton’s Third Best Record Store” — is moving to the Oregon District. Its last day in Belmont was Friday, June 27. The store’s first day at the new location, 508 E. 5th St., is Saturday, July 5. The opening coincides with the “Independents” Day Block Party in the Oregon District, an annual celebration that supports independent businesses and local street vendors. Blind Rage Records was originally located at 734 Watervliet Ave. in Dayton. After eight months, it moved a few storefronts down to 740 Watervliet Ave., a bigger location with a stage for local and touring bands. …Although Blind Rage is as much a venue as it is a record store, the new location doesn’t have an obvious stage. While that doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be shows in the store’s future, the focus is on the records.
Shepherdstown, WV | Admiral Analog’s Audio Assortment finds new home, plans expansion to inventory. Admiral Analog’s Audio Assortment closed the doors to its storefront at 141 East German Street on June 15, after seven years in the location. Over the following four days, the business underwent a move to a location down the street, at 119 West German Street. On Friday, the business opened its new doors to the public. “It was a whole lot of work,” said owner Andrew Barton. “We’re not completely done yet, but everything essential to us selling and being in business is here.” According to Barton, this is the second move his 11-year-old business has had to make. The reason for this move, to the former home of Dickinson & Wait Craft Gallery, is to enable the business to expand its inventory. The new location is over twice the size of his previous one.
Bethlehem, PA | ‘Super excited!’: New Bethlehem record store looks to open in time for Musikfest. A retail shop coming soon to Northampton County is music to the ears of vinyl record collectors. Railroad Records, offering vinyl records, CDs, books, memorabilia, antiques, vintage clothing and more, is expected to open in early August at 335 Vine St. in south Bethlehem, owner Asa Blynn said. Blynn, 26, has been collecting vinyl records since he was 13 and previously worked at a couple of local record businesses, including a former Carbon County farmers market stand. “I had a lot of fun and learned a lot over the couple of summers I spent there,” Blynn said of the farmers market stand. “The owner gave me store credit, and I was just a young teenager. So, it was an awesome experience. About three days a week, I’d also go to an awesome shop in Allentown, called Double Decker Records. The shop closed a few years ago, but the owner became a friend of mine, and I got kind of a degree in running a record store…”
Minneapolis, MN | After 37 years, Hymie’s in Minneapolis spins its last record: After nearly four decades of serving the Twin Cities’ vibrant music scene, Hymie’s Records has decided to close its doors. Originally opened in the 1980s, the Longfellow neighborhood shop once praised by the Beastie Boys and Rolling Stone, announced that it has no plans to reopen. Adam Taylor, the store’s fourth owner, bought Hymie’s in 2019. Taylor says that throughout the pandemic, record shops around the Twin Cities were hit hard, experiencing financial hurdles that put some out of business. While Hymie’s managed to stay afloat, Taylor says that added financial pressures chipped away at the business’s future. “Rent is astronomical. I can’t afford 4,000 bucks a month,” Taylor said, “I’m out of spirits. My tank is empty.”
Phoenix, AZ | Vintage record store in metro Phoenix must move ‘before the bulldozers come.’ Here’s where: Uncle Aldo’s Attic record store is closed. But not for good. It’s changing locations in Mesa. “Before the bulldozers come,” as owner Desi Scarpone frames the situation, having taken a break from packing up the contents of its current home at 6016 E. McKellips Road to talk about the move. Scarpone had hoped to keep his independent record store, whose stock-in-trade is used and vintage vinyl, open through the end of June. “But we were in a time crunch,” he says. “So we’re here moving everything out. A few moments ago, someone came by and wanted to come in. I’m like, ‘I’m really sorry. We’re closed.’ It’s just a giant mess, and we’re trying to get it out before the bulldozers come.”
US | 8 Once-Loved Music Stores That No Longer Exist: Remember record stores? They mostly exist today as a novelty and an excuse for people to brag about their sound wave knowledge, but there is nothing like the feeling of popping your favorite record on. And from the ‘50s to the ‘80s, the record store was a music lover’s paradise. Want to jump back in time? Take a look at these eight record stores that no longer exist today. Tower Records: There’s probably no better place to start. Tower Records popped off in the ‘60s and made it over 40 years before it finally shut down. In Los Angeles, the chain’s Sunset Strip location was storied for its celebrity sightings (I hung out there constantly as a teenager, hoping to spot one) and its center-of-the-universe pulse. Many people give Tower credit for creating the concept of a music mega-store.
Grand Rapids, MI | New Grand Rapids store sells, repairs vintage audio equipment: Bring Back Analog, a new store in Grand Rapids, specializes in retro audio gear from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. It looks like the ’80s threw up inside, and that’s exactly how Steve Huizinga would describe the decor of his new store in the Grand Rapids area. Bring Back Analog, the new store open now on 28th Street SE, is an audio equipment store. But not just any audio equipment. The store mostly specializes in retro audio equipment. “There’s not much in Grand Rapids or the surrounding area focusing on vintage audio or just used audio gear,” said Huizinga. “…nobody’s really making a lot of audio gear in that mid, in that mid range.” The store has an array of audio equipment built in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. …”There’s a lot of media out there that’s brought this back, reinvigorated it,’ said Huizinga. “You think about ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ I mean, he’s walking around with a Walkman.”
Chattanooga, TN | Vinyl Alert: The Metro Chattanooga Record Show Coming Soon To Ringgold. Jack Lightfoot knows a thing or two about vinyl records. “I started collecting in 1969 when I was a nine -years -old,” he said. “And I’ve never stopped collecting. I love records way more than I should.” Lightfoot, the owner of Jax-Wax: Quality LP Records, is ready to share his immense knowledge of vinyl records and LPs. He and multiple vendors from surrounding states will be offering up collectibles and classics July 19th, as he hosts the Metro Chattanooga Record Show at the Colonnade in Ringgold GA. With an effervescent personality, infectious smile and fantastic white beard, Lightfoot can talk to you forever about music, bands, audio equipment and sound. It’s his passion and how he connects to others. “I love record shows because there’s a social aspect to them,” he said.
Joplin, MO | Vinyl sales are spinning back in style: Vinyl sales are on the rise in Joplin and worldwide. Americans are taking a step back in time when it comes to how they listen to music. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl sales have increased by 10 percent over the past decade, marking their 17th consecutive year of growth and reaching $1.4 billion. Locals from Dig It Record Barn express their excitement about the music. “Vinyl has been a big part of my life,” says Bill Crook, a customer at Dig It Record Barn. “I have over 500 pieces of vinyl myself.” Bill Crook is from Joplin. He is out shopping with his wife for his birthday tomorrow and says he wants vinyl. “Putting the disc on a turntable and watching it spin while the needle hits it is like music to my ears.” It’s also music to the ears of the store owner of Dig It Record Barn, Lynn Brennfoerder, who says he is seeing an increase in sales across all age groups.
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