Author Archives: TVD HQ

Beloit, WI | The only vinyl record store in Beloit: In an era where digital music reigns supreme, finding a place dedicated to the warm, analog sound of vinyl records is a rare gem. Tin Dog Records, located at 312 State Street in Downtown Beloit, is one such treasure. As the only vinyl store in the Stateline area, it offers an eclectic and extensive. The story of Tin Dog Records begins with Jeff, the passionate owner whose love for albums dates back to his childhood. Jeff’s enthusiasm for vinyl is evident from the moment you step into the store. The atmosphere is welcoming, the shelves are lined with a diverse array of music, and you can sense the deep appreciation for the art of the album. Tin Dog Records boasts a carefully curated selection of music that caters to all tastes. Whether you’re a fan of blues, folk, soul, country, rock, jazz, or soundtracks, you’ll find something to delight your ears. Jeff takes pride in offering an eclectic variety of titles, ensuring there’s something for every music enthusiast.

Miami, FL | Terrestrial Funk Is Opening a Miami Record Store: Terrestrial Funk’s brick-and-mortar record store opens in Miami’s Design District on Saturday. Miami has a brand-new record store. Terrestrial Funk, the longtime Miami-based record label, is opening a brick-and-mortar pop-up shop in the Design District. Brother Dan, the label’s owner and DJ at clubs and venues around town, announced the shop’s opening on Instagram. The storefront will be at 35 NE 40th St., just across from other locally owned retailers, Dále Zine and Andrew, in a section of the luxury shopping district that’s quickly becoming a haven for Miami natives. “Terrestrial Funk started seven years ago as a label and online record store,” Dan wrote on Instagram. “We started the Miami Record Fair and later ran a mobile record shop out of a 1977 Toyota Chinook. Tomorrow, we open our first brick and mortar at the old Piccadilly building off 40th St. and North Miami Ave. It’s a sight to behold.” Brother Dan has been teasing the shop since at least 2022. It will stock thousands of records from around the globe, including “unfiltered” dollar bins.

Petoskey, MI | Calling all vinyl lovers! Hexagon Records opens in downtown Petoskey: While music fans everywhere have been revisiting their love of vinyl records, Petoskey didn’t have many spots for hardcore collectors. Now, Hexagon Records in downtown Petoskey is helping provide a variety of new and used records. Michael Grigg, owner of Hexagon Records, has always loved music. He even planned to open a record store in a few years after retiring. But when he was laid off from his corporate job in March, he decided to push the opening date sooner. …Grigg has been collecting records since he was young, he said, and while he’s not necessarily a natural-born collector, he’s been finding fulfillment in finding, cataloging and pricing records. Grigg said figuring out the musical interests of the community can be difficult, but talking to customers helps him decide what he’d like to have stocked.

San Antonio, TX | Best Record Store: Southtown Vinyl. Since 2016, Southtown Vinyl has filled a much-needed vacuum in terms of a well-stocked record store south of Hogwild, the dean of SA indie record stores. Not only that — a feat in and of itself — Southtown Vinyl has carved a niche by sourcing and stocking precious DJ equipment such as bespoke turntables, rare styluses and random parts that just need fixin’ — a service sorely lacking locally before the retailer opened its doors. Looks like this beloved vinyl operation is here to stay.

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Sheffield, UK | Grub Records: New record shop opening on Queens Road, Sheffield, with on-site wine bar: Sheffield is set to get a new record shop with a difference. Grub Records is due to have what its owners described as a ‘hard opening’ at the weekend, which will see it opening five days a week on Queens Road, not far from Bramall Lane. The store is being opened by a group of local DJs who are keen to set up a shop for local record buyers. And it will also have a wine bar as part of the facility. The shop is being opened up after an ongoing crowdfunding campaign, which has helped pay for some of the set-up costs. It has been open three days a week selling second hand records for a few weeks following a ‘soft launch’ in June. From this weekend the shop will be open from Wednesday to Sunday each week. Money from the ongoing crowd funding campaign is being used for interior decoration and for stocking the shelves with records.

Bainbridge, WA | Bainbridge record store joins growing trend in Kitsap County, plans new vinyl event: Yes, there really is a big dog inside of Big Dawg Records. His name is Obie and he’s a four-year-old, 170-pound Great Dane who belongs to Big Dawg’s founder, island architect Matthew Coates. “He sits in the front and attracts an enormous amount of attention,” Coates said. “I didn’t set out to exploit my dog in that way, so we take it easy on him. He’s handsomely rewarded with treats.” Obie isn’t the only thing that Coates’ shop, located in The Cove (formerly the Winslow Mall), has to offer. …Big Dawg opened in November 2023. Originally, Coates — who owns the architectural firm overseeing The Cove’s renovations — intended the store to be a pop-up. He planned to vacate the space in December, after a fun month of selling records. But then that month went well. Really, really well.

Edmonds, WA | UK alternative pop faves Haircut 100 to appear at Edmonds’ own record shop Musicology Co Aug. 12: UK alternative pop group Haircut 100 will make a special stop in Edmonds on Monday, Aug. 12, to sign albums and connect with fans before the band’s Marymoor show on Wednesday, Aug. 14. The event will be at Musicology Co record store, located at 420 5th Ave. S., Suite 107, Edmonds. The band is joining New Wave icon Howard Jones and synth pop stars ABC on a North America Tour this summer. It’s the first time in 40-plus years that Haircut 100 will be playing in North America with their original band line-up. “Ever since our last tour in 1982 we’ve been pining to play in North America again, so this is a dream come true for us,” said Haircut 100’s Nick Heyward. “Come down early and get your dancing shoes on, because there’s a lot of catching up to do.” Haircut 100 will feature original/founding members Nick Heyward (lead vocals/guitars), Graham Jones (guitars), Les Nemes (bass) and five additional players rounding out the show with brass and percussion.

UK | For the Record: Rarest and most valuable vinyl records worth up to £800, according to an expert – do you have one: If you’re got a box of dusty records in the loft or shelves of rarely played vinyl, then you could be sitting on a goldmine. The rarest and most valuable records can fetch up to £800 – and now is the time to sell, says expert vinyl specialist James Hancox, a valuer at Gorringe’s Auctioneers. “It’s such a burgeoning market. There’s a resurgence of interest and it’s the perfect time for records – demand has never been higher,” he said. “It’s nostalgia for older people, but it’s also become a trendy thing for young people to listen to and collect records. “There’s a ceremony in putting a record on, as opposed to just looking through Spotify.” James says that records that command the biggest prices tend to be from the late 60s and early 70s, though there can also be high returns for vinyl from the 1950s through to the 1980s. For example, Elvis Presley’s Rock n Roll can fetch £300 for lucky owners.

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Minneapolis, MN | Extreme Noise record store announces 30th anniversary concerts: The volunteer-run punk and metal record store is hosting a series of concerts to celebrate its anniversary. Extreme Noise, the volunteer-run punk and metal record store in Minneapolis, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The collective will mark the anniversary with a series of concerts beginning in July. It announced three shows this week, with each of them taking place at the Cedar Cultural Center. “After months of meticulous curation, we are excited to present a series of shows that embody the spirit of Extreme Noise, celebrating 30 years of our vibrant community,” the record store wrote in an announcement. “The Twin Cities have been through many trials and tribulations since our last anniversary celebration five years ago, and we can’t wait to share these thrilling shows with you.”

San Antonio, TX | Staying in the groove: How San Antonio’s record stores keep spinning. The evolution of how people consume music went from vinyl to digital platforms that provide access at our fingertips through streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music. Such change has seen some record stores vanish completely, but after 96 years vinyl still has a strong connection revolving around nostalgia that keeps audiophiles digging through the record bins. For Francois ‘Mike’ Robles, preserving vinyl is about living up to a legacy. Robles is the owner of Pink Zeppelin Books & Records, a place known for the loud local shows that he hosts, but he didn’t grow up collecting music. Robles inherited his father’s immense record collection dating back to the 1970s after he died from a heart attack in 2020. Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin are the iconic groups that make up most of the large collection, hence the name ‘Pink Zeppelin.’ His father’s collection helped Robles appreciate physical media.

Los Angeles, CA | Incredible LA record store is also city’s lowest rated due to owner: The oldest record store in Los Angeles is also the lowest rated online because of its owner who admits he is an intimidating figure. Sanders Chase has run the Record Collector for more than 50 years and musicians including Michael Jackson, Notorious B.I.G., Frank Sinatra and Quincy Jones have walked through his doors. His store is filled with 500,000 classical and jazz records with another 300,000 in storage. But Chase’s store is the city’s lowest rated record store with 1.9 stars on Google reviews due to his management style. ‘Of course I’m intimidating,’ he told SFGate. ‘See, this is my problem. They’re curiosity seekers. Curiosity killed the cat.’ Chase becomes frustrated when customers do not know what they want and aimlessly browse through his extensive record collection.

Pittsburgh, PA | Unbroken record: The 59th running of a local vinyl and CD convention brought together regulars, first-timers and pros: The Pittsburgh Record and CD Convention brings together music lovers of all ages, from all walks of life and places far and wide, to a town where vinyl is still groovy. At the Pittsburgh Record & CD Convention on Saturday, July 13, vinyl records were not a thing of the past. Instead, they were a way to spark conversations and community connections that simply streaming music just doesn’t promote. This summer’s convention, at the West View Firemen’s Banquet Hall as it has been for the last three years, was the organization’s 59th show in its 28th year. The convention had smaller crowds than usual, according to its organizer Anthony Medwid, but the vendors and customers who attended were highly enthusiastic about the music and the community that comes with it. Medwid said they’ve had customers from other cities, states and countries. Some customers have never been to a record convention while others have been to the same one five times.

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Upper Darby, PA | This Upper Darby Record Collector Has a Store, But You Shouldn’t Stay Too Long. The owner of R&B Records in Upper Darby has an interesting customer approach: if you must come to his store, don’t stay long and know what you want, writes Beccah Hendrickson at 6abc. Val Shively prefers doing business by mail. “This is a landfill, not a record shop,” he said. The store, open since 1990, gives him somewhere to keep his extensive collection. “I sell records. I sell enough to still be here. But I love to buy, that’s my game. That’s me at my best,” Shively said. The older and more obscure, the better. He’s been collecting records since the 1950s. “I heard this record ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ by Elvis Presley when I was 12 years old, and I went nuts. I don’t know what it was. It just hypnotized me or mesmerized me or something,” he said. It’s possible he has the largest record collection in the world, numbering in the millions. And by discouraging the casual customer, that just leaves the serious and curious.

Melbourne, AU | The best record stores in Melbourne: Whether you’re a veteran crate digger, a mild enthusiast or a total newbie, these are the best stores for record-loving musos. Nothing beats going analog and hearing the warm crackle and pop of spinning vinyl. In the wake of the digital music revolution, bricks-and-mortar record stores took a brutal hit, but luckily vinyl has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with sales on the rise. Is it of any surprise? Considering the ‘TikTokification’ of music and the fact everything is now downloadable, heading to a store and sifting through black-wax gems feels somewhat ritualistic. Plus, chatting to record shop owners and picking their brains is like encountering a bastion of infinite musical knowledge. Looking for something that is a blend of David Bowie, Afro-punk and folktronica? They’ve got just the LP. So if you’re a seasoned crate digger looking for an obscure bootleg or just want to pick up your favourite album now that it has been remastered, check out the best record stores in Melbourne.

Columbus, GA | Birds of a Feather: Musicians flock to Blue Canary Records. What took some time to get off the ground has now become a local sensation. When Blue Canary Records owner Brian Cook first opened his Uptown shop’s back room as a music venue, he had to ask local bands and artists to play. Now, the small venue’s performing calendar almost fills itself. Cook says it’s been mostly a word of mouth situation. “A lot of bands and a lot of musicians now know of the record store and the back room and the kind of vibe that we are we’re putting out here,” Cook said. “It’s become kind of talk of the town a little bit.” The owner, who opened his record shop – the only one of its kind in Columbus – in Aug. 2023, admitted it’s not uncommon for him to get a call from a local act asking, “Hey, when can we get on the calendar?” As of now, that wait looks like at least a couple of months. The Blue Canary booking log is currently filled through August and into September. Part of that may be due to the crowd Cook’s shop caters toward.

Alhambra, CA | Alhambra’s Vinyl Shop: Offering ‘oldies’ to the new classics. Being a business owner in Alhambra is a full circle experience for Angelle Laigo. She grew up here, took piano lessons in this neighborhood at Pedrini Music when she was a kid and still sings in the choir at her local church. Her father started a community newspaper here after immigrating to the U.S. from the Philippines. He called it Street News. And here, on Main Street, is Str33t Records — Laigo’s homage to her father’s newspaper, community and her love of vinyl (Fun fact: the full name of the shop’s logo is Str33t Records ⅓, which is a nod to the revolutions per minute that records spin). “Str33t Records is the continuing legacy… of my family,” she says. “It’s a family passion project. I really couldn’t have done this without my entire family.” Str33t Records is right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Alhambra’s Main Street, snuggled between restaurants, boutiques, cafes and entertainment. The standing chalkboard sign at the front of the shop is an invitation to check out the music inside.

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London, UK | Rock and God In This North London Musical Mecca: “God runs this shop,” Derek Burbidge declares. “I rent it from God.” In the mid-1950s, the likes of Elvis Presley and Little Richard wrestled with what they felt to be the tension between rock ‘n roll and religion. As a born-again Christian though, Burbidge fears no such contradiction. …Independent record shops are, improbably, multiplying in recession-hit Britain. A recent report found that there are now 461 in the UK—figures not seen since Derek started business in the 1990s. In order to survive, however, many have diversified: Bradford’s Record Café boasts a charcuterie counter, while The Record Deck snakes along the canal system, bringing the party wherever it pulls up. These are extremes, though most places will serve you a decent flat white as you dig the crates. Burbidge is aware of the trend, but it’s not for him. “I used to sell CDs,” he offers, and then frowns at the memory: “I got rid of CDs.”

Los Angeles, CA | LA’s oldest record store is also its lowest rated: The Record Collector, a longtime stalwart in Los Angeles, has an owner with a very particular approach and business model. On a recent balmy weekday afternoon, Sanders Chase, a professional violinist-turned-record store purveyor, sits behind a wooden desk and watches as several customers stride into his Los Angeles shop, the Record Collector. Their eyes trail heavenward, toward the labyrinthine stacks bursting with thousands of used classical and jazz records — 500,000 to be exact. “Hi folks,” Chase calls out to the group, adjusting his spectacles. “Need any assistance?” The newcomers smile shyly and keep walking around. He then turns to me. “See, this is my problem,” he mutters under his breath. “They’re curiosity seekers. Curiosity killed the cat.” Someone else strolls into the store. “Is there anything I can steer you to?” Chase asks him. The man says no; he’s just looking around. “Make a list and come back, because that’s basically how we do it,” Chase tells him.

Bridgetown, AU | Llama Lounge brings new sounds to Bridgetown: A new live music bar and record store has opened on the main street of Bridgetown. Karma Llama Records opened as a brick-and-mortar store in another location in Bridgetown in late 2022. After hosting a few in-store performances in the first six months, the team behind the venue felt opening a bigger store and incorporating a bar and stage was a natural progression. After 18 months of hard work and renovating an old building they purchased in Bridgetown, they are now celebrating the opening of a live music space and bar, The Llama Lounge, which is incorporated into the Karma Llama Records building at 106 Hampton St. “My wife Tania and myself are music lovers and record collectors,” said Karma Llama co-founder Scott Hyde. “Opening a store was a great way to connect with other collectors and musos and talk music every day.” …The new venue has already proved to be a hit with musicians.

Nashville, TN | Indie Record Store Profile: Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and Books in Nashville: As part of a series on independent record stores, Billboard looks at one of Music City’s enduring shops, while co-owner Doyle Davis discusses Grimey’s contributions to Nashville. Like a lot of independent record shops, Nashville-based Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and Books sometimes offers giveaways for customers, with prizes such as tickets to local shows and vinyl pressings. But given its location in the creative hub of East Nashville, Grimey’s co-owner Doyle Davis says those giveaways have led to some unusual moments. “We’ll take a picture of the winner and tag them on social media when they pick up their prize,” Davis tells Billboard. “One time, we posted a photo of a guy showing off his prize—and [rock icon and former Led Zeppelin lead singer] Robert Plant was walking up the aisle right behind him. When we posted that [photo], all the comments were like, ‘Robert Plant photo-bombed your guy.’”

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Columbia, SC | Legendary Columbia record shop Papa Jazz has temporarily relocated. Here’s what to know. A legendary record shop in Columbia’s Five points has temporarily decamped from its longtime location, but is still spinning just a short distance away. Papa Jazz, which has been at 2014 Greene St. in Five Points for more than four decades, is in the midst of renovations to its space there. As such, it has temporarily moved operations to 747 Saluda Ave., which was formerly home to the Five Points Starbucks. Papa Jazz owner Tim Smith said the record shop is tentatively slated to be at the temporary spot for a couple of weeks. Back in the early 1990s, a car hit the side of the building at Papa Jazz on Greene Street, Smith said. That led to some unique structural quirks at the shop, and Smith said the time had come to do some repairs.

Washington, DC | Byrdland Records Helps Connect Music Fans to Local Artists One Membership at a Time: The record store’s vinyl subscription service, New Columbia Record Club, has continued to grow since it launched three years ago. Monthly, members choose from a curated selection of albums with a specific spotlight on local music. …Byrdland’s idea for starting their own vinyl subscription service began back when Songbyrd was a one-stop shop in Adams Morgan, combining the record store, venue, and eatery in a cramped two-story building. The space constraints, however, kept their vinyl inventory too low. That changed in 2020, when the record shop spun off into its own dedicated space near Union Market. Byrdland gave Lapan and Edmonson the leg room to expand their inventory from 1,000 records to more than 7,000 in the store at any given time. It’s also created opportunities to offer more in-store events, such as concerts, album release parties, and listening parties. “We grew into a larger, more proper record store,” Lapan says.

New Martinsville, WV | Kraken Records Interview: Kraken Records is co-owned by Kim Nelson & Ryan Shifflett and is located at 301 North Main Street Suite 1, New Martinsville. …”I decided to open a physical record store because I wanted to bring something fun and unique to New Martinsville. We had been online for a few years and had built enough inventory to give it a try!” ,,,”The main reason for wanting a physical store was due to my love and passion for music. The physical media has never truly gone away for many of us collectors even though many of the storefronts had disappeared. Now with the resurgence of records, many of the youth are discovering that it is more satisfying to own a physical copy of the music they love rather than clicking a button on their phone and listening through earbuds.”

Houston, TX | Breaking Records: Two Houston Venues That are Revolving Around Vinyl. Vinyl music has outsold CDs for the second year in a row, indicating an upward trend; but it is still a long distance away from its glory days. Its’ growth, however, is probably greater than what many speculate, with vinyl sales accounting for 40% of physical sales in the United States in 2023. To put things in perspective, the RIAA accounts vinyl for 8% of all record sales once you include streaming, but growth is growth. Streaming is king, but its use is hindered greatly when there is no internet. This last week had a lot of people grabbing physical media as power was slow to return and access to the world wide web was limited. If you were lucky enough to have access to electricity, water, and air conditioning, the ability to pass time with some form of entertainment after dealing with hurricane aftermath became extremely important.

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