Philadelphia, PA | The Great Analog Rebellion: We’ve “optimized” our lives to death. Can we please reclaim some joy already? …I’m no Luddite. I bless Silicon Valley every time Google Maps offers an escape route from traffic hell, the pharmacy robo-texts an alert that my prescription is ready, the parking app dings with a reminder to add time to a digital meter, or the bank lets me deposit a check from my own kitchen table. When tech has our backs, what’s not to love? But when it doesn’t, which now feels like 10,000 times a day, it actually gets between us and the lives it was supposed to enrich with mediated ease. All so we can avoid the inconvenience of living in the messy world of human interdependence—paid for with our personal data, which is mined for even more ways to bother us.
Doylestown, PA | Doylestown Record Store is the Perfect Spot to Find Your Next Favorite Vinyl: With the popularity of vinyl records soaring among younger generations, Siren Records in Doylestown is the perfect place to find some new tunes, writes Claire Allard for Family Destinations Guide. If you’re looking for CDs, vinyl records, cassettes, or DVDs, the store has a vast collection spanning every genre of music, both in new condition and slightly used. A step through the brick building’s front doors reveals a musical treasure trove, luring in customers to explore the endless crates and shelves’ worth of items. …Whether you’re interested in folk, reggae, funk, soul, country, pop, hip-hop, jazz, or electronic music, this record spot has it all.
Ipswich, UK | New vinyl record shop to open in historic Ipswich building: A vinyl record shop is set to open in a historic town centre building. Musictakeaway Limited, based in Acle, Norfolk, has signed a five-year lease for 4 St Nicholas Street in Ipswich. The shop will specialise in original and reissue vinyl LPs, 45s, and EPs spanning genres from the 1950s to the present day. “…We could not be more delighted that Musictakeaway has chosen one of Ipswich’s main independent thoroughfares to set up its new Suffolk store, and we know that they are going to put their own stamp on this statement heritage building. …Musictakeaway is now preparing to begin its fit-out of the building and plans to open to customers in the coming weeks.
Nashville, TN | Runout Record Shop Gets Ready to Open in West Nashville: Talking with Michael and Kate Lovett about their new vision for the former Alison’s Record Shop space. …Through the record-store grapevine, the couple heard that Alison’s Record Shop in West Nashville was up for sale. The Lovetts have lived in the neighborhood since 2012 and drove by the place twice a day — and they saw their chance. “This is really a homecoming, and a dream come true for me,” Michael says. Over Labor Day weekend, the Lovetts took a break from sifting through 23,000 vinyl records that were part of Alison’s inventory to talk about their plans for Runout Record Shop. Even from the store’s name, you can tell the Lovetts’ love of music: The smooth place on a vinyl record, between the grooves and the paper label, is called the “runout.” As Kate notes, it is fun to say: “You should run in to Runout.”
Knoxville, TN | Former McKay’s employees are working to bring back a rebranded book and record shop: Here’s what to know: “So excited to finally announce our new project for lovers of books, film, music and more—McBroom’s Closet!” the post wrote on Saturday. Following the closing of McKay’s, a 40-year-old book store beloved by East Tennessee, former employees of the Knoxville shop are trying to bring it back with a rebrand. McKay’s acted as a hub for supplying used books, music and more to East Tennessee, and was mourned across Knoxville after its closing in May of 2026. Some customers even noted the final weeks of sale, “depressing.” However, after hopeful speculation of it’s return from a community that loved McKay’s—specifically their employees—it might be possible.
Oxford, UK | Thief banned from Waterstones and Blackwells after stealing £2k of vinyl records: A man has been given a community order after admitting to stealing vinyl records worth over £2,000 from Oxford shops. Simon Perry, 42, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to multiple thefts from Waterstones and Blackwells between January and April this year. The court heard Perry stole vinyl records and, on one occasion, a record player and speaker, with individual thefts ranging from £65.98 to £468.88, totalling more than £2,000. Perry failed to surrender to court bail on April 30 after being released on bail earlier that month. On August 23, Perry was given a community order to last until August 2027.
Miami, FL | Celebrate 35 years of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” at Technique Records: This New Times free event for members and grunge fans alike will happen on Sept. 23 at Technique Records. …To celebrate the album’s anniversary, New Times and Technique Records are hosting a special listening event for members and grunge fans alike. From 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, guests can hear the album together and attend a panel discussion featuring Carlo Barbacci (Mold! and Homicide Jenny) and members of Grunge Lives Here, exploring its lasting influence. Fans with Nirvana memorabilia or collector’s items are encouraged to bring them along, share their stories and connect with fellow devotees. So pull your favorite flannel out of the closet—don’t worry, there will be air conditioning—and join us.
Los Angeles, CA | VinylCon attendees tell us why “proper ownership and proper preservation” keep them hooked on physical music formats: With consumer formats moving increasingly towards online-only, audiophiles, collectors and casual listeners are all flocking to analogue, as we learn first-hand at VinylCon. At the latest edition of VinylCon in Los Angeles in late August, over 150,000 records were on sale throughout the convention floor. Doug Day had one of the largest booths, with five tables full of bins, flaunting every genre, style, and era imaginable. Day will make similar hauls to shows in Denver and Austin, and he has over 8,000 records for sale on eBay, but he doesn’t even have a turntable plugged in at home. He is interested in collecting, not listening.
Ottawa, CA | Ottawa’s new vinyl night invites you to “d-cide on the B-Side” I’m thrilled to share this gem with you, Apartment613 readers. D‑cide on the B‑Side, one of Toronto’s most engaging music nights, has found a home in Ottawa at Henry Arlington’s Centre for Peak Performance. D‑cide is a participatory vinyl night. Guests bring in records, the bar listens to the A-side together, and then votes to decide (decide, get it?!) whether to listen to the B-Side or move to a record in the mystery pile. But, before the vote is finalized, the floor opens for discussion to see if any votes can be swayed. Arguments are made (some passionate, some silly), stories are told, petty grievances are aired.
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