Paradise Found

When The Police released Synchronicity in the summer of 1983, I was at the record store when it opened. “Every Breath You Take” was all over the radio. When I got home, I devoured the lyrics before putting the record on. What drew me in was the lines to the song “Synchronicity II”. Was Sting talking about the Loch Ness Monster? And what did synchronicity mean, anyway? I had to look it up. The public internet was a decade away, so I had to do what every kid did in 1983. I went to the library. That’s where I learned about Carl Jung. He came up with the term. Simply put, it’s when an event coincides inexplicably with something seemingly unrelated, but exceeds coincidence.

Sting and Jung were onto something. From that point on, I looked for these small coincidences. Every once in a while, a synchronous event reminds me to sit up and take notice. This week, it happened after I listened to my old copy of Synchronicity. I’d settled into my writing chair and opened my laptop to go through the notes from my interview with Will Paradise, who owns Paradise Found Records and Music in Boulder, Co.

A story from Will caught my attention. It happened five years ago, shortly after he’d purchased the store (previously named Bart’s Records, a Boulder mainstay). Will was going through a batch of 20,000 45s. The shop door opened, and a customer walked in with one goal in mind – to find a copy of Nena’s 1983 hit “99 Luftballoons”. Will looked down. He had it in his hand.

1983. The Police. Nena. A story about synchronicity after listening to Synchronicity? What are the chances? According to Will, it’s not an uncommon occurrence. “Another time a customer came in looking for Sometime in NY by John Lennon on CD,” Will explains. “I was cleaning it and that very moment.” 

Moments like that are fun to examine and talk about. Like music, which happens to be Will’s favorite subject. It’s why he purchased the store in 2016. “Our store has existed in one form or another for over 30 years now,” he’s proud to say. “I changed the name from Bart’s Record Shop to Paradise Found Records & Music when I relocated the store on April 1, 2021.”

Located in beautiful downtown Boulder, Paradise Found is enjoying the renewed interest in vinyl. Vinyl was the format of choice when The Police and Nena had their hits. By the time Bart’s Records opened in 1993, the music-buying public had turned to CDs. Who could have predicted that almost three decades later, vinyl sales would once again dominate? While he may not have foreseen it, Will’s not surprised. “It’s new for so many younger people. It’s a new experience. It sounds great, and the artwork/ liner notes are cool. What’s not to love?”

Music collections tell a story, and one of Will’s favorite things to do is to visit people’s homes who are looking to sell theirs. Those cherished collections may eventually find their way into the hands of his customers to be adored once again. He’s proud of that. But ask him what he’s the proudest of about his store, and he’s quick to answer. “I am most proud of our amazing staff and the great service they provide,” he beams. “They have helped create an inviting social gathering space that is fun to be in.”

With that said, if you’re looking for your own little fun encounter with “synchronicity,” you might find it at Paradise Found Records & Music. If not, you’ll definitely find something to love.