Author Archives: TVD HQ

Leeds, UK | The Vinyl Whistle, Headingley: Leeds record store reopens following overnight burglary: A Leeds community has rallied together after a record store was broken into overnight. The Vinyl Whistle on Otley Road in Headingley was broken into in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday) and had its till stolen. Store manager Adam White said that CCTV shows the thief breaking in through the front door at 2.49am, adding: “He was literally in and out in a minute. He’d clearly done it before. “He just took the cash drawer and fortunately left all of the valuable vinyl records.” Mr White added that it appears that a restaurant nearby was also targeted by the burglar around the same time. …Mr White said: “The response from everyone has been really nice. Headingley is full of very good people who’ve been really supportive.”

San Diego, CA | Fuzz Coffee & Records Coming to North Park: A trio of coffee alums and vinyl obsessives are opening their dream business in San Diego’s buzziest coffee ’hood. Who hasn’t daydreamed of one day opening a coffee shop slash record store slash plant shop slash creative community hub? (It can’t possibly just be me.) Rather than simply fantasizing about it, a trio of local musicians and coffee experts are manifesting that Millennial dream. Seancarlo Ohlin, Jonas Reichert, and Christopher Darton had watched fellow musicians and creators leave San Diego in pursuit of what they considered more culturally rich destinations. “We’ve been in the San Diego scene for a really long time,” Ohlin says. …North Park’s not short on coffee spots, but Ohlin thinks the vinyl-meets-java concept will set Fuzz apart. “We know there’s an audience for what we do,” he says. And he’s adamant about one thing—it’s not a listening bar. “A lot of people are expecting that, and there is a lot of that going on around San Diego right now. It’s very cool, but our focus is pressing records and selling records.”

Brussels, BE | Hidden Belgium: Grey Vinyl Treasures. Marthy Coumans travels around collecting rare vinyl by obscure niche bands. Originally based in Breda, he now runs a record store at Korte Nieuwstraat 6 in downtown Antwerp. His store has become a mecca for obsessive music fans, DJs and collectors. The stock includes freakbeat, garage psych, reggae, ska and Belgian beat. You name it, as long as it’s not James Last. Marthy even has a stack labelled ‘Expensive Shit’ for the vinyl nerds. Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium.” He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.

Inverness, UK | Inverness music shop Union Vinyl closes doors after more than a decade in the city centre: An Inverness city centre vinyl treasure trove has been forced to close its doors amidst rising costs and a “massive downturn” in sales, aggravated by the cost-of-living crisis. Union Vinyl’s owner Nigel Graham announced this morning that the Market Brae Steps shop will permanently close after it became unsustainable to run the business. …Commenting on the announcement, the business owner shared his frustration at being forced to shut down a business he loved, which he initially launched with his late mother. “Everything has doubled in price. Even the poly bags and plastic sleeves for the albums…everything doubled. “Every penny that we took in went back into the shop. I never took a wage out of that shop for the last four years. It was all to pay wages and keep the shop afloat and buy stock. “As an independent shop, you don’t really get any breaks at all.”

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Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix record store closing after 13 years: ‘I’ve loved being around music heads.’ The Record Room is closing after 13 years in metro Phoenix. Store owner John Rose says he’s closing the first week in June and hopes to have a new location up and running by the second week in June, although he’s quick to add, “That may be wishful thinking.” That new location will be a bit of a commute, though, from the Record Room’s current location on Dunlap Avenue just east of Interstate 17 in Phoenix. “We’re gonna load it up and move it to Carlsbad, California, and keep going,” Rose says. That’s where he and his wife, Holly, have been living for the past three years, leaving the day-to-day operation of the Record Room to employees in Phoenix, with Rose dropping in when he could. “I can’t be there enough and I need to be there,” he says. “I mean, the business needs its owner’s shadow, as they say. So that was the main reason.”

Portland, OR | A bloody poster of The Cure and ‘a lot of weed’: Logic transforms St. Helens record shop for debut film. “Paradise Records” was inspired by a Central Oregon record shop. With help from a St. Helens, Oregon record shop, musician Logic’s debut film is making its premiere at the Tribeca film festival in June. Written, directed, and starring the Grammy-nominated artist, “Paradise Records,” follows Cooper, who is trying to save his record shop from foreclosure. “The bank won’t give him a loan, someone keeps offering to buy the property — and then the robbery. He’s not having a great day,” the film description reads on the Tribeca website. “Thankfully, he’s got his motley crew of entertaining employees and a lot of weed to help him figure out how to get himself out of this mess.” The film was shot inside Endlessound Records, which opened a few years ago at the 2C’s Vendor Mall in St. Helens before expanding into the current larger space.

Lisbon, PT | Lisbon label Príncipe opens new store and events space: Casa Príncipe encompasses a store, music studio, events space and archive. Lisbon-based label Príncipe has opened a new store and events space. Casa Príncipe encompasses a vinyl and merch shop, a label archive and a shared office with Filhó Único, a local atelier that hand-paints and designs Príncipe’s album art. A recording studio in the basement will be available for Príncipe artists to use. Label comanager André Ferreira told Resident Advisor the idea for Casa Príncipe had been brewing for years when representatives from Save the Night approached the team, asking if they had plans the Jägermeister initiative could help finance. Although the “ambitious” initial plan was reconfigured over time, the Príncipe team eventually settled on a first-floor storefront on Rua Coelho da Rocha. Ferreira told RA that Casa Príncipe plans to host record release parties, installations and other events.

Liverpool, UK | Rough Trade Liverpool: A Unique Community Space. When Rough Trade announced in 2024 that they would be opening a new store in Liverpool, it quickly caught a lot of attention both locally and nationally. Not only for being Rough Trade’s largest store in the UK, but also for opening at a time when music venues and record shops were struggling to survive. Perhaps the sheer audacity to undertake such a task is what made the whole concept so exciting at its launch However, Rough Trade Liverpool is not just a record shop; spread across two floors is a café, a bar with its own signature brew, a large record store, and a live music venue upstairs that can hold almost 400 people. This wide range of spaces means that the place is not just somewhere you can buy vinyl, but also a place where music is at the centre of everything.

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North Staffordshire, UK | New North Staffordshire record shop is a hit with music lovers: A new record shop has opened in North Staffordshire—with queues out of the door on opening day. Mike Stanier, from Burslem, began collecting music on vinyl around 15 years ago and has been hosting a series of record fairs in Kidsgrove Town Hall in recent years, which have regularly attracted hundreds into the town. He opened Blue Collar Record Shop on Congleton Road, Butt Lane, on Record Store Day. The store has been two years in the making with Mike building stock up behind the scenes for the shop. Mike said: “Records have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always liked artwork on records, so to actually discover records was just life-changing for me. “For the past two years I’ve just been building stock up behind the scenes, the house was getting full and it got to the point where it was a little bit too full—so I knew it was time to take the leap and actually open a shop rather than the record fairs.”

Brooklyn, NY | SAS Italian Records in Bensonhurst set to close after 58 years: Closure follows death of founder Rita Conte. After nearly 60 years, a Bensonhurst staple is saying goodbye. SAS Italian Records, 7113 18th Ave., will be permanently closing its doors. The news was announced by Antonio Graziano, a friend of the owners, who posted it on the popular Facebook group Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn on their behalf. “We regret to announce that Italian Records, located at 7113 18th Avenue, will be closing its doors permanently,” Graziano wrote. “We are deeply grateful for the support of our customers over the years. As we prepare to close, we invite you to stop by and take advantage of our storewide closeout sale starting at 50%-80% off all items. Your visit and continued support would be sincerely appreciated.” The store opened in 1967 by Ciro and Rita Conte, who came to Bensonhurst from Ponza, Italy.

Londonderry, UK | Cool Discs Music: Traders welcome street reopening after eight months. Traders in Londonderry have welcomed the reopening of one of the city’s busiest streets after it was closed for eight months. Foyle Street closed in August 2024 to allow for a £4.2m major upgrade to the water and sewerage infrastructure. It is due to reopen to traffic later on Friday, five weeks ahead of schedule. Record store owner Lee Mason said he was delighted to see the street returning to normal after a tough time for businesses. For five months late last year, and with the work ongoing, he said his business was hidden behind huge hoardings. “The barriers from August to December were awful, we had no visibility, the shop wasn’t visible,” he told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme. “As I have said many times, we were down 50% at weekends, and probably about 40% Monday to Thursday. “I am just glad it is done and dusted.”

Denver, CO | Analog Escape: Why Young People Are Embracing Vinyl Records. In a world where everything is fast-paced and digitized, there has been a shocking revelation in the music industry, with many consumers reverting to vinyl records as their preferred way of listening to music. For a time, it seemed vinyl would never return to its original glory when ease of access became a priority and music became available to consumers with the touch of a button. However, vinyl’s popularity has skyrocketed in the last decade, with the younger generations being the main contributors to its resurgence. “It’s just a different experience than going to Spotify,” said one young woman on her way into Paradise Records in Boulder. Another added, “I like that I can get to own something physical, and it’s fun to put it on the little player and watch it spin.” With so much hyper-connectivity to the digital world, youth are turning the tables on what it means to listen to music. Vinyl records are a breath of fresh air in what many consider to be a cycle of constant overstimulation and quick dopamine fixes that the younger generation encounters on a daily basis.

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Bemidji, MN | Sundown Records opens in new location on Beltrami Avenue: Sundown Records, which was launched in October 2023 at 209 Beltrami Ave. NW, opened its doors at 317 Beltrami on Wednesday. What a difference one block can make. That’s what Peter McKenzie is counting on after moving his Sundown Records store into a new space in downtown Bemidji. Sundown Records, which was launched in October of 2023 at 209 Beltrami Ave. NW, opened its doors at 317 Beltrami on Wednesday, May 21. …“It’s at least twice as much space,” said McKenzie, who started the business with his brother, Bill. “I have some more inventory to put out. It will allow me to expand a little bit without expanding too much. I definitely expect more traffic at the new spot.” While vinyl records are the store’s biggest sellers, it also has cassettes, compact discs and videos on VHS, laser discs, used turntables, and retro toys such as Transformers and G.I. Joe products. “We sell a lot of vinyl,” Peter said.

Amagansett, NY | Vinyl Vibes and Rock Legends: How Innersleeve Records Became a Cornerstone in Amagansett: Amagansett’s Main Street is home to InnerSleeve Records, the only record store east of Patchogue. The name of Craig Wright’s business pays homage to a tiny record shop he owned in San Francisco in the early 1990s. Wright has been in business for over 13 years, first in the Amagansett Square and then moving to Main Street, making InnerSleeve Records one of the longest-lasting brick-and-mortar shops in the hamlet. “I’ve been in the music business for most of my life on both coasts,” Wright said, while standing behind the counter of his shop, getting his ducks in a row for his annual Record Store Day event, which is held on April 12 of each year. Record Store Day is when certain releases are only available at independent record shops. ….“I wasn’t actively looking to open a record store, but I always wanted to do something musical,” Wright said. “It was a chance of opportunity…”

Chicago, IL | Chicago’s former Wax Trax! Records building officially gets city landmark status: The Chicago City Council this week officially designated the former Wax Trax! Records building in Lincoln Park an official Chicago landmark. The City Council approved the designation at its meeting on Wednesday. The old Wax Trax! Records building is located at 2449 N. Lincoln Ave., about half a block northwest of the six-way intersection with Halsted Street and Fullerton Avenue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The two-story Renaissance Revival-style building was constructed in the 1880s, the city said. From 1978 until 1993, the building housed Wax Trax! Records. Founders Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher opened the first Wax Trax! store in Denver in 1975, and moved to Chicago and opened the Lincoln Park store three years later.

Amarillo, TX | How one venue owner is helping to keep the torch (or lighter!) burning for area live music fans: …Nestled in between a tattoo shop and vintage goods store on 6th Avenue is High Fidelity Records. While it has a lot of great music on offer in the form of vinyl, CDs and other physical media, High Fidelity also hopes to continue carrying the torch of record stores past through hosting small underground shows that appeal to those of many different walks of life. Ray Wilson, owner of High Fidelity, sat down with me in a cozy corner of the shop to discuss the history of the music scene in Amarillo, how it’s evolved over the years, what role venues like his and others on Route 66 play in keeping the scene alive, his own history as a performer in Amarillo, and all of the great music that you can still catch on a warm summer evening throughout the city.

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Fakenham, UK | Top Tracks record shop opening in Cattle Street, Fakenham: A woman who has overcome breast cancer is opening a new record shop. Racheal Battley, who used to co-own a similar shop in Cromer alongside a business partner, is launching her own store in Fakenham on Thursday. “I opened a record and vintage shop in 2023 with a friend,” Ms Battley said. “It was brilliant, but unfortunately, I received a breast cancer diagnosis and had to pull out and get surgery. “I feel 100pc now and I just really want to push on. I want to make the most of life and grab opportunities when I have them.” Top Tracks is opening in Cattle Street and will be an oasis for all music lovers. The store will sell vinyl records and CDs, as well as other music memorabilia. Music from the 1960s onwards will be stocked at Top Tracks, which stems from Racheal’s own personal collection. “My partner and I are vinyl lovers,” she said. “It has grown out of that really.”

Birmingham, UK | Birmingham vinyl record store reopens in historic arcade: IGNITE record Store—the indie vinyl destination founded by local music legend Rich Perri—has found a new home in Birmingham city centre. For lovers of classic vinyl and Birmingham’s music scene, there’s now a new reason to visit historic Great Western Arcade. IGNITE has relocated there from the closed Oasis Market for a minimum eight weeks’ pop-up. The music store is now surrounded by some of Birmingham’s best independents and boutique stores. Rich is no stranger to the city’s music scene—he worked at the city’s legendary Tempest Records for 12 years from the age of 18, before founding IGNITE at Oasis Market in 2010. IGNITE’s relocation to Great Western Arcade ensures there continues to be an “independent” choice for music lovers…

Phoenix, AZ | Popular Phoenix record store closes its doors after years in the Valley: A long-time record store in Phoenix will be closing its doors for good. The Record Room has been in the Valley for over a decade and has gained a large following among vinyl lovers. The store opened in 2012 in Old Town Scottsdale by long-time Sunnyslope residents John Rose and his wife, Holly. After needing more room to expand their collection, they moved their shop to their Phoenix location near Interstate 17 and Dunlap Avenue. The shop has gained a large following and is known for its intimate live performances and DJ gigs. It also has thousands of vinyls ranging from pop, rock, jazz, and more. Almost every vinyl is used, making it ideal for newbies or those wanting to add to their collection for a bargain. “A record store has been kind of a special place. I just love browsing,” said customer Fred Fisher.

Callander, ON | Callander Bay Records bring the vinyl to the Bay: Vendors from across the province convene at the Elk’s Lodge this Sunday. Prepare to dig through some stacks, because the North Bay Spring Record Show returns to the Elk’s Lodge in North Bay this Sunday, May 25. “Everything is going great, the room is ready to go, and the vendors are looking forward to the event,” said Jamie Strawn, who along with Kristi Pearce, organizes the event. Pearce and Strawn run Callander Bay Records on Callander’s Main Street, and twice a year, Spring and Fall, the two organize a large record show in North Bay. This year, Strawn said there are plenty of vendors from across the province, and there will be a large display of retro video games as well, which is new for the show. Rest assured, there will still be near-endless stacks of vinyl to sift through, so odds are you’ll be able to scratch a few titles off your must-have list. Either way, expect to see plenty of LPs, 45s, CDs, and many collectibles as well. Plus, the Elks are opening the bar for the occasion, Strawn said.

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