Dollars & Sense: The return of ownership. After years of renting our entertainment, some consumers are rediscovering the value of actually owning it. I am of a certain generation and grew up owning my entertainment. I bought the vinyl (Billy Joel’s Glass Houses was my first ever), bought the CDs (Aja by Steely Dan was the first in that category), and bought the books as well (my shelves are stacked with old James Patterson books, including a signed first edition of Along Came a Spider). I can tell you about my firsts, but making a list of the “lasts” I bought in each category—now that’s a challenge. Why? Well, because like many other people, for the past 15 years or so, I’ve gradually traded ownership for access.
Lansing, MI | Put your records on: Accessibility and convenience are generational buzzwords, ‘kids these days’ are finding joy in the tedious. Like everything else, the internet changed the music business. First, it was Napster and iTunes. Pandora and YouTube came later, followed by Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music. Add smartphones to the mix, and the hassle of physical media seems unnecessary when on-demand streaming is available. However, that attitude appears to be shifting. “In the last, I would say, four years, CD sales are through the roof,” Clint Harkness, a longtime employee at Flat, Black & Circular, said. Located off Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, FBC buys and sells new and used vinyl records, CDs and videos.
Cedar Falls, IA | High fidelity to music, community: Metro Records continues a Cedar Falls legacy. When someone is looking for socialization or community, they often go to a third space. Austin Wise, UNI alum and the owner of Metro Records in Cedar Falls since 2023, describes third spaces as a spot to hang out and socialize outside of work and home. Unfortunately, the internet has taken up the space that used to be reserved for these places, and third spaces are fading away as more people turn to online socialization instead of in-person. “I believe this has huge implications on our mental health,” Austin said. “I’m constantly trying to turn Metro Records into a third space to help our community.”
Calgary, CA | Gen Z fuels CD comeback at Calgary record stores as Canadian sales rise: Compact discs (CDs) are making a comeback and finding a new generation of buyers and connoisseurs across Canada as teenagers and young adults turn to the once-declining format to find an affordable way to own music. According to Luminate’s 2026 mid-year report, Canadians are consuming more music across the board this year, with all formats seeing a rise compared with 2025. Physical album sales were up 4.2% to 1.7 million units. In Calgary, local retailers are saying that demand for CDs has climbed rapidly over the past few years, reflecting the broader demand for physical media among Gen Z and younger generations.
Worcester, UK | Spin The Black Circle Reopens with Newly Renovated Upstairs Seating and Vinyl Record Store: Spin The Black Circle is turning up the volume on its city-centre space with the reopening of its newly renovated upstairs seating area and expanded vinyl record store! A beloved staple of Worcester’s independent music and café culture, the venue has transformed its first floor to give music lovers and coffee enthusiasts even more reason to visit. The revamped space pairs comfortable, relaxed seating with a curated selection of vinyl records, making it the perfect spot to sip a craft drink, dig through crates for hidden gems, or unwind above the bustle of the city.
Richmond, VA | Richmond’s physical media keeps the past in reach: While streaming services have made movies and music more accessible than ever, Richmond’s physical-media stores offer something a digital library cannot: a tangible connection to movies and music that can be displayed and collected. Cody Denzler, owner of Monster Video and Cut and Run Vintage, designed Monster Video’s store to resemble a traditional video rental shop, with shelves primarily devoted to VHS tapes. The store also carries DVDs, Blu-rays, Betamax tapes and LaserDiscs. After hosting a VHS themed pop-up at Shop Two Three, a collaboration with Studio Two Three, last September, he decided to turn the concept into a permanent business. “A lot of it is just stuff I’ve collected for years,” Denzler said.
Reykjavík, IS | The Icelandic Record Shop With the Best “Bad Taste.” You may have seen the videos of Björk spinning reggaeton behind a CDJ at some point in your doomscrolling and felt jealousy for everyone witnessing it. The Mánakvöld (literally “moon night”) parties are a normal occurrence in the basement venue at Smekkleysa, the brick and mortar incarnation of the legendary Icelandic label Björk founded with her old band the Sugarcubes. Smekkleysa, Icelandic for “bad taste,” need not match the highly curated selection the store holds, a mix of rock, pop, experimental, and electronic records with a healthy injection of new pressings out of the contemporary Icelandic music scene.
Pittsburgh, PA | Amazing Books and Records boosts a literary oasis in Downtown Pittsburgh: Smithfield Street sits on the edge of the Downtown Cultural District. It’s close enough to attract foot traffic from theatergoers, diners, and fans bound for the sports stadiums just over the river, yet a lack of attractions often leaves it relatively overlooked. But a new(ish) business may further boost the street’s appeal as a literary hub. Amazing Books and Records, a longtime local independent retailer, moved its Downtown location from a cramped storefront on Liberty Avenue to a larger space at 320 Smithfield St. in the One Oxford Centre complex.
York, UK | Before HMV: memories of York’s long-lost record shops. News that York’s HMV store is set to close temporarily for a major refurbishment has sparked a wave of nostalgia among readers, with many recalling the record shops where they bought their favourite music over the decades. As reported by The Press, the long-running Coney Street store will close from August 31 until late October while it undergoes a revamp. …While many readers welcomed the investment in the city centre store, the announcement prompted a trip down memory lane as people shared memories of where they used to buy their records. For some it would be Woolworths, but, for many, York’s former independent music retailers were the destination of choice.
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