Coventry, UK | Date confirmed when new independent record shop opens in Nuneaton town centre: It will be the first in town for many years. A date has been confirmed when a new independent record shop will open in Nuneaton town centre. Music is the Answer will be based in a unit within Barley House on Queens Road, opposite McDonalds. It is the brainchild of John Fitzgerald and is the third in his independent chain. He announced on social media that Music is the Answer, which will be in one of the units based down the side alleyway, an area that also plays home to Board Game Bunker, will open its doors on Saturday, May 20. …He has documented his move to Nuneaton on his YouTube channel, Brum Reseller, and on it the former cabbie explained that the new shop will have almost 60 records on the wall alone. That is on top of the units filled with records, which will be everything from dance to rock. “There will be hundreds if not thousands of records…”

Oshawa, CA | Kops Records – Oshawa’s home for vinyl records – moves to new digs downtown: Oshawa IS the Music City in Durham Region and King Street East is the epicentre, with two major venues in the Biltmore and Regent theatres across the street from each other, another major space likely opening this summer immediately to the north on Bond Street in the Music Hall, and plenty of bars and restaurants around to complete the picture. The Atria, a home for emerging talent for decades, is on the block and the 6,000-seat Tribute Communities Centre for the major acts is just a block away as well. Now you can add Kops Records to that mix after the record store, a fixture at Simcoe and John streets south of downtown since 2015, moved into new digs at 34 King St. E on May 6. The reason Kops Records moved is simple enough (and relatable to a million other businesses): the lease was up and so too would be the rent.

Hexham, UK | Vinyl Attic owner brings out his own vinyl release: The owner of a Hexham vinyl record shop has released his own LP on vinyl – something which he said has always been a “dream” of his. Jamie Harwood runs the Vinyl Attic, which is housed on the top floor of the Vintage Emporium in Market Place, alongside his wife Moira. The singer-songwriter has now just brought out a self-released LP named ‘FAST TRAIN, SLOW THOUGHTS’ under the musical alias Early Maze. …”As a vinyl collector myself, it’s always been a dream of mine to have my own music out on vinyl, and I’ve finally been able to achieve it.” The LP, which is limited to just 100 copies, can be purchased in the Vinyl Attic. Jamie told the Courant he is also keen to promote independent, self-released music from other bands and musicians by stocking physical copies of either CDs or LPs in a section of the shop. He said all sales from these releases would go directly to the artists.

Kokomo, IN | Driven by vinyl, Indiana record stores make comeback: Record Store Day is like Christmas for music collectors. It’s a day when artists release special editions of their best albums, concert recordings or rare recordings. Most of the releases are on vinyl, some in different colors — greens and blues, swirled oranges and reds. Music fans begin lining up outside their record store of choice sometime in the early hours of the morning. When Goshen’s Ignition Music Garage, 120 E. Washington St., opened at 8 a.m. on April 22, over 100 people were in line. At one point, owner Julie Hershberger pushed out a television cart so those in line could watch old music videos she had recorded on video tapes. She said it was fun for the 40 people near the television. It was a smaller affair in Logansport, where 18 people waited outside The Record Farm…

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As vinyl record sales eclipse CDs, LP pressing plants are thriving: Last year, consumers bought more new vinyl records than CDs. It’s the first time that’s happened since 1987, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The LP industry is booming, but for the businesses that manufacture those records, the last few years have been a bumpy ride. The Burlington Record Plant sits in a narrow industrial building behind a bagel shop in Burlington, Vermont. Inside, a machine that dates back to the 1960s presses vinyl discs, etched with the music of a local soul-folk trio. The press makes one record every minute or so. “Truthfully, I’m… a boutique pressing plant,” said owner Justin Crowther, who’s operated this small shop since 2014. Since the vinyl boom started, Crowther said he’s turned down investment offers and orders from major record labels. That makes him something of an outlier as sales of LPs, and the number of plants making them, have exploded. “It’s great for the business,” Crowther said. “I just hope that it’s not too much too fast.”

London, UK | Phonica Records: London’s spiritual home for electronic and dance: Nestled away in the heart of the ever-bustling Soho, London is a spiritual home for fans of electronic and dance music. Phonica Records, founded by Simon Rigg, Heidi Van Den Amstel and Tom Relleen in 2003, has spent the last 20 years weathering the winds of the vinyl market, providing a space for vinyl nerds, DJs and intrepid genre explorers. Whilst the vinyl market is famously experiencing an uptake right now, 2003 posed a much more barren landscape. “It was the worst time to start a record shop. They were all closing, just as we were opening,” explains Nick Williams, assistant manager at Phonica Records. Despite the harrowing climate, Phonica set out with a dream. “The goal of Phonica is to be the number one dance specialist in the UK,” Nick states plainly. To affirm Phonica’s place in London’s musical landscape, the team immediately set about diversifying its output.

Chepstow, UK | Chepstow tortoise shop and record shop to close owner confirms: The owner of two town centre businesses says negative social media feedback is part of the reason he is closing the shops down. Ian Crosby opened Chepstow Records and the adjacent Tortoise Shop around 16 months ago. “Most people wouldn’t have dreamt of taking on the shops in that climate,” he said. Mr Crosby has “been in the pet trade for years”. While he was setting up the tortoise shop he noticed the vacant store next door. “Why not stick some records in there?” he said. He explained that he had opened his first record shop in Penarth when he was 17. Neither shop, he said, was liable for commercial rates. However, despite this, business had been hard. “Recently it’s been a struggle,” he said. “It’s a tremendous responsibility, particularly regarding live animals such as tortoises. “I don’t live in Chepstow myself and when you’re making very little turnover you question whether it’s sensible to continue. “I’m working seven days a week. Why? That’s what I’m asking myself.

Devizes, UK | Antiques and record stores open in Devizes after leaving The Shambles: A husband and wife duo have opened two new stores in a shared town centre space after relocating from The Shambles. Taylor’s Clearances, an antiques and collectibles shop run by Markus Taylor, and All About The Music, a record store owned by his wife Debz, recently opened in a single premises at Old Swan Yard, Devizes. The pair split the building down the middle and will run their respective businesses from the shared space. Both Mr and Mrs Taylor operated stalls in The Shambles market but decided to relocate into their own premises. The couple said they were excited at the prospect of welcoming both new and old customers into the shops. Mrs Taylor said: “I was quite chuffed to have the unit in The Shambles anyway and I made it my own quirky little space, but the shop just feels a little bit more professional and business-like. “It was a swiftly executed decision, we thought ‘we need to do this’ and the shop came up, so it all moved really quickly.”

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UK | Rubber Ducky Records launches fundraiser after canal boat sinks: A fundraiser has been launched after the destruction of the boat and the loss of nearly 1000 records and equipment. Rubber Ducky Records, the independent record store that was situated in a canal boat, has sunk. According to founder Myles Greenwood, the unique shop’s propeller got caught on a rug or mattress which broke the stern gland ultimately sinking the boat. Greenwood was on a mission to relocate to Manchester ahead of Record Store Day 2023. “Managed to save 3/4 boxes of records but the rest of stock & equipment was submerged. I decided not to go down with the ship but the damage is pretty bad so I don’t know when I’ll be up and running again. But don’t worry I haven’t given up,” shared Greenwood in an Instagram post. A fundraiser was created as a way to help the record shop get back on the water. Rubber Ducky Records suffered a lot of damage and lost around 1000 records and equipment including turntables and amplifiers in the process. Their current goal is £15,000 to get the shop running again.

Pueblo, CO | High Vibes Music & Zen Boutique seeks to ‘keep record stores alive in Pueblo.’ New store offers an eclectic mix of music, yoga and gifts. The former Independent Records store at 420 W. Fourth St. is being given new life thanks to a woman who developed an affinity for vinyl while working there for 13 years. Pueblo native Monica Arrieta and her wife, Kami, are saving the store for vinyl lovers and adding some new twists as they prepare to launch High Vibes Music & Zen Boutique in the coming days. Arrieta worked at Independent Records from 1990 to 2003 and said it was “a good time.” “It was before music streaming and it was bumping,” she said. “There would be lines outside of people waiting to get new releases.” …”When I heard Independent was going out of business, I hauled my cookies up to Colorado Springs to meet with the owner and see what we could do to try to keep record stores alive in Pueblo,” Arrieta explained, pointing out that Pueblo Records and Tapes also recently closed.

Oldham, UK | Oldham’s only record shop relocates into shiny new venue: A vinyl store in Saddleworth which is believed to be the borough’s only record shop has moved. Inner Space Records, which sits in the heart of Uppermill village on High Street, only opened in August 2020 – not long after the first lockdown. But ever since, it has stood as the only vinyl shop in Oldham and Tameside with pride as it offers more than new and secondhand records to browse but musical advice and suggestions from its expert shopkeepers. Owner, Brett Savage, said he felt compelled to open the vinyl store as he felt he got “a kind of musical education” from hanging around the many record shops in Ashton-under-Lyne in his youth – and didn’t want others to be starved of the experience. Brett added: “It was sad that record shops had all but disappeared, as there are none locally in Oldham nor Tameside. “One huge problem with buying online is that you don’t get to browse and you don’t get expert advice from shopkeepers. “Plus, I’ve always thought that was a distinctive ‘vibe’ in record shops.”

London, UK | HMV’s flagship Oxford Street store to reopen: The original central London HMV store is to reopen later this year after a four-year absence. The century-old music shop chain shut its flagship store in 2019 after going into administration. It was then taken over by Sunrise Records. It said the return to 363 Oxford Street was due to a “dramatic turnaround”, with HMV returning to profit in 2022. The store will have different branding and a new layout. The store, which first opened in 1921, became a world-famous presence on London’s busiest shopping street, hosting some of the biggest acts in the music business, such as the Spice Girls. In recent years, the retailer has broadened its focus to include merchandise, music technology, more live music and in-store signings, amid falling demand for DVDs and CDs. HMV said it would bring the new format, called HMV Shop, to 24 new sites and 14 existing stores by the end of 2023.

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