New York, NY | An East Village record store had the vinyl find of a lifetime—on an island in Maine: Andy Breslau was browsing at Ergot Records a couple of years ago when he stopped short. The East Village shop had an entire section devoted to the relatively obscure folk singer Kath Bloom and her longtime guitarist Loren Mazzacane Connors. “I put out a record by these guys,” Breslau told the man behind the counter. Breslau, who now runs communications at the Alliance for Downtown New York, is a lifelong music fan who ran the short-lived label Ambiguous Records in the early 1980s. …Breslau had pressed 1,200 LPs back in 1982, but with little demand at the time, they went largely unsold. He had hundreds of leftover copies sitting in the basement of his second home in the tiny island town of Vinalhaven, Maine. They’d been untouched for decades.
Melbourne, AU | Spin city: Melbourne is officially the record store capital of the world: With 5.9 stores per 100,000 residents, Melbourne is home to more record stores per capita than any other city on Earth. …For The Record, a new study commissioned by the Victorian Music Development Office, has found that Melbourne boasts more record shops per capita than any city on Earth: 5.9 stores per 100,000 residents, beating Tokyo, London and Berlin. With 119 independent record stores, the city is home to half of Australia’s independent vinyl outlets. The research, delivered by Ethan Holben and Audience Strategies, took a deep dive into Victoria’s vinyl ecosystem, from pressing plants (Victoria produces 66 per cent of Australia’s total) to distributors and retailers who keep local music alive. The findings reveal a city that spins a whole heap of records, and seriously champions Australian music.
Chorley, UK | We should have a plaque to commemorate Malcolm—readers call for icon’s legacy to live on after shop closure: ‘I think we should have a plaque to commemorate Malcolm, maybe a vinyl record-shaped one’ were just some of the many comments from readers upon hearing that Malcolm’s Musicland in Chorley has closed. Updating the store’s Facebook profile pic with a picture of the late Malcolm Allen record store that served the Chorley community and alongside his beloved records, writing etched above the image sadly reads “Permanently Closed.” A reason has not been given for the decision to close ahead of Christmas, but much loved owner Malcolm Allen, who ran Malcolm’s Musicland for over 50 years offering a friendly chat and a supportive ear to all who entered, sadly passed away in July after a decade-long battle with prostate cancer.
Monterey, CA | Recycled Records in Monterey celebrates what is believed to be 50 years in business. If your grandparents had a record player and lived in Monterey, then chances are something in their collection came from Recycled Records – or perhaps is on the shelf there now. Half a century marks the time Recycled Records is believed to have been in existence, but it has changed hands a lot during that time. Still, the same analog attitude is felt when you walk in: A record is often playing on the house system and has a story behind it that shop owners Kellen and Bree Cookson can tell. …The couple has been collecting records individually for about 15 years. Recycled Records stood out to them as the go-to shop when they moved to Monterey County—something they say audiophiles look for in a new town.
Atlanta, GA | CratesATL spins new life into South Downtown: Moods Music owner Darryl Harris expands his vinyl vision to historic Hotel Row. A new record store has opened in the heart of downtown Atlanta. CratesATL, on Mitchell Street’s Historic Hotel Row, opened its doors this past spring, adding a new rhythm to the area’s growing mix of local businesses. The shop joins a wave of revitalization efforts reshaping South Downtown, bringing music, culture, and community to one of the city’s most storied streets. CratesATL is a new offering from Darryl Harris, owner of Moods Music in Little Five Points. For 25 years, Moods has anchored Atlanta’s Black music scene. It’s a shop where crate diggers and casual listeners alike can lose hours flipping through stacks of neo-soul, hip-hop, gospel, hard bop, and acid jazz CDs and LPs. “I wanted to be a part of revitalizing downtown and everything that it’s going to become,” Harris says. 
Port Jervis, NY | All Killer, No Filler: Inside Ironhead Records in Port Jervis, New York: Jesse Traynor opened Ironhead Records to bring underground music to a small city and build a community of “fans of the loud, the heavy, and the underground.” …These are wild times, but it’s impossible to argue that there’s never a terrible time to bring vinyl records to the masses. Even more, as Jesse says, “there’s no time like the present for fulfilling your dreams.” The economy might be crap, but records may just be the elixir for all ills. “Despite the ebb and flow of the economy, vinyl isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving. I think people have realized that they want something real and tactile. They want physical art, liner notes, and the knowledge that 
Keynsham, UK | ‘Cult’ record shop to relocate: After a decade serving vinyl enthusiasts, cult record shop Longwell Records has decided to move to new premises. The Keynsham-based shop will relocate to Clifton Arcade, bringing its 10,000-strong collection, which includes some rare EPs and LPs. Owner Iain Aitchison, who was born in Southmead, spent nearly 30 years working in the NHS supporting people with substance abuse before opening the shop, which previously occupied a shipping container at Wapping Wharf. Speaking to Bristol24/7, Aitchison said the move from Temple Street in Keynsham represents a “
Gen Z’s search for decorative collectibles is fueling vinyl sales: Vinyl records are popular again, but it’s not just audiophiles or nostalgic boomers fueling the resurgence. Gen Z is playing an outsized role in the revival of vinyl sales, which have grown on average by 18% annually in the past five years. About 60% of Gen Z say they buy records, according to Futuresource Consulting’s Audio Tech Lifestyles report. But Gen Z isn’t necessarily buying records for their unique sound. Around 40% of record buyers in the United States don’t own a turntable, noted James Duvall, principal analyst and head of entertainment at Futuresource Consulting. Fifty-six percent of Gen Z fans like vinyl for its aesthetic, while 37% use it as home decor, according to a Vinyl Alliance survey. It’s part of what Jared Watson, an assistant professor of marketing at New York University, calls “
St. Johns, UK | Royal Navy veteran opens new St. Johns record shop: A Navy veteran has opened a new record store in Worcester with thousands of records from his personal collection on sale. Simon Shothouse replaced the submarine he was based on in the Royal Navy with a storefront in St John’s that sells his life-long collection of records. The new shop, This is Vinyl & Vintage at 55 St Johns, features 4,000 old, new, rare and signed records. Mr Shothouse said he decided to start the business after 25 years in the Royal Navy because he thought his collection had become “excessive”. “I am a lifelong fan of music and a very wide range of music,” he said. “I never stick to one genre, and if I like something, I will listen to it no matter who it’s from. “I began to grow quite an excessive record collection, and after I left the Navy, I just had a rough evaluation of it and decided to open 
Tampa, FL | From Vinyl Fever to Daddy Kool: How record stores shaped my life. …Vinyl Fever quickly became a Friday payday tradition. I would go every week to look for the newest imports I had read about in the British music papers. And of course, being the curious person I am, I started conversations with everyone working in the store so I could run my mouth about music. One of the first people I got to know at Vinyl Fever was a guy named Steve, who eventually got so tired of me asking about new releases that his go-to answer became, “Mike… it’s out of print.” (lol) After years of shopping at Vinyl Fever, I started following the adventures of one of the employees, Pete Barless, who went on to open his own record store, Alternative Records, on Nebraska. I became a huge fan of the store and pretty much spent most of my paycheck there on Fridays. (You see 
Accord, NY | Accord Record Store Freakout Spot Opens Holiday Pop-Up in Kingston: Following an unexpected shut down, the beloved shop pops up in the former Fletcher & Lu space on Broadway at least through January. “We wanted to open a record store where people who don’t buy records could go in and still have fun,” says Rob Davis of the idea behind Freakout Spot record store, explaining, “I got dragged to a lot of record stores by my dad when I was younger.” When he teamed up with his wife, Lila Allen, this past January to open a pop-up in the other half of the building that houses Bluebird wine shop in Accord, 
Poughkeepsie, NY | Darkside Records Relocates to Downtown Poughkeepsie: Poughkeepsie record store Darkside Records has moved from its location at 611 Dutchess Turnpike to its new building at 32 Cannon Street in downtown Poughkeepsie. The official reopening of the store on Nov. 21 invited the public to the new location to browse, shop and see how this beloved Poughkeepsie spot has taken their business to new heights. Darkside’s signature bright green walls and endless selection of records, CDs, cassettes, merchandise and much more have found a new home in this upgraded space, marking a new era for Darkside, and one that brings it 
Guelph, ON | Let’s shop in Guelph for the holidays at Royal Cat Records: This little record shop really rocks. Whether you just got your first turntable or you are a seasoned collector, Royal Cat Records has something for your collection. Are you looking for the perfect gift this year for someone special? We want to help. The Guelph Mercury Tribune is featuring local businesses and what they have to offer, just in time for the holidays. 
Dunfermline, UK | New record shop unveiled on Dunfermline’s East Port: In a sound addition to the city, a new record store has opened shop on East Port. Drawn to Dunfermline’s music scene, Spaniards, Antonio Figuerola and Nuria Torres unveiled ‘Veneno Music Store’ on Saturday, a nostalgic shop offering albums for all tastes. Situated between Timpson and Outback hairdressers, the shop feels like an early 00s music store, with rows of VHS tapes, a box TV showing old music videos and even a record-covered ceiling. Antonio said: “I grew up in a record shop because my father owned one in Spain, and I’ve been selling records online for many years. I thought, ‘Why don’t I open my own shop?’ “I found this place, and it was a good price, so I thought 
