Record Store Spotlight

As I watched the official trailer for the documentary Dusty Groove - The Sound of Transition from Petunia Productions, I thought to myself, “this is what it’s all about”. There’s a line in the trailer that says, “Records are physical things that circulate - that...

“They had videos, and they had the ‘sonic’.” Those are the words spoken by Mad Max to the kids waiting for the return of Captain Walker in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. What exactly was the “sonic”? It was a record. There is no electricity in Mad Max’s...

On the day Eddie Van Halen died, a used copy of Diver Down appeared on the wall behind the counter of &Vinyl Records. If you looked closely, you would see two signatures. There could be no mistaking one signature. The long swoop from the last letter, which...

“Well you can call me Dr. Music. Music is my name…” Eric Bloom sang those lines forty-three years ago on the album Mirrors by Blue Öyster Cult. If you go to Fairhope, Alabama, and drive north on S. Section St., just past Greer’s Market and look to the right, you’ll...

Springfield, Missouri’s downtown at night might give the feeling you’ve stepped into a time machine and traveled back a few decades. When you walk down E. Walnut Street toward S. Roberson Ave. you’ll see the light from Hotel Vandivort’s lobby spill out onto the...

Just a few blocks away from the Mississippi River and minutes from Lake Pontchartrain sits a little record store on Magazine Street that’s making a splash of its own. The thing is, NOLA Mix Records isn’t only a record store - it’s also an indie label that will connect...

There are two quotes when I think about Vinyl Tap in Nashville. You can find the first right on their website. “If you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends.” - Cameron Crowe Almost Famous The second is… “Sometimes you want to go where...

LOUIS (holding a record): Now why would you sell it to me and not to him? BARRY: Because you’re not a geek, Louis. LOUIS: You guys are snobs. BARRY: No we’re not. LOUIS: Seriously. You’re totally elitist. That scene is from the 2000 film High Fidelity (I can’t believe...

There’s nothing better than New England on a cool fall day. To pass the time on a relaxing weekend, one can admire the changing foliage and its bright colors or stroll the streets of Boston, looking for a warm cup of coffee and a good deal. If you happen to venture a...

When jazz singer Mary McHugh’s relatives walked into Elk City Records, they did not know they were stepping into a special place. Their “Aunt Mary”, as she was known, had sung in Johnny Hodges band back in the 1930s on songs which included “I Let a Song Go Out of My...

New Orleans is no stranger to music. Its rich history in blues, jazz, soul, and cajun music is too much to capture in the space of a few paragraphs. The city has also overcome hurricanes, floods, and fires. With each setback, it emerges stronger. That is why it was no...

Imagine you owned a record store and received an offer to buy a collection of 10,000 records. As a store owner, you’re always looking for quality used product to stock your shelves with, so you jump at the chance. You’ve done this before, you know the drill, and...