By Emily Bloch
No matter where in the country you might be, walking into a beloved local record shop should feel the same. The smell of old vinyl and decaying cardboard in the air, a group of friends talking about a local show in the corner, an employee behind the counter who could have been an extra in High Fidelity.
For decades, independent record shops have served as a cultural cornerstone for their respective communities and music scenes. They’re a place where people can come together and find a new song that will consume them or an old favorite they’ve scouted out for years. The truth is, these stores offer something Spotify can’t—a physical music experience. Because let’s face it: Crate-digging just hits differently compared to phone scrolling.
The following is a look behind the counter at just a few record shops across the country. We caught up with six shop owners that are making their area’s scenes a little better.
Brittany’s Record Shop
Cleveland, Ohio // @brittanysrecordshop
In Cleveland, Ohio, Brittany Benton said she could only recall a few music shops that specialized in Black music. So she opened her own. Walk in on any given day, and you might catch the shop’s namesake herself vibing to a dub record from King Jammy. Recognized as one of the city’s only Black and women-owned vinyl outlets, Brittany’s Record Shop caters to fans of hip-hop, reggae, soul and jazz.
Whalebone: Why are you here?
Brittany Benton: Before my shop, all of the other shops in Cleveland were mostly focused on rock vinyl. Hardly any quality hip-hop or reggae selections.
WB: What are your favorite words of wisdom you’ve received about owning a record store?
BB: Don’t try to be everyone’s favorite shop. By serving everyone, you serve no one. Find your niche and be a blessing to them. This will help you truly stand out.
Tiger Records
Jacksonville, Florida // @Tigerrecs
It took James Siboni about two years of stockpiling a collection of indie, punk, ’80s New York hardcore records and more before he opened the doors to Tiger Records in 2019. Siboni, who also plays bass for the hardcore band Bane, wanted to bring a solid shop to his North Florida neighborhood. Now, through a mix of selling rare releases, putting out independent records, highly coveted merch drops and hosting local shows, Tiger is a place punks are traveling for—and they’re bringing an extra bag to fill when they do.
Whalebone: What’s your favorite record to listen to on vinyl?
James Siboni: James Brown’s Live at the Apollo Vol. 1. James Brown was the greatest entertainer of all time in my opinion and the performance on this recording is the proof. Play this record on a good sound system and you’ll feel like you’re in the sea of screaming fans. The rumor is that James had an IV backstage and would hook up after gigs in this era because he needed the fluids after sweating so much.
WB: What are some words of wisdom you’ve received about work?
JS: A wise person once told me when going through a box of very old, obscure records, “If the record cover looks like it sucks, it probably sucks. If the cover looks cool, the music is probably cool.” Although there are exceptions, I think about that every day.
Lantern Records
Olympia, Washington // @lantern.Oly
Lantern Records isn’t some jerky record store that will test you when you wear a band T-shirt (none of the stores on this list are, thankfully). In fact, when Heather Hahn opened their space, they wanted to make sure the shop focused on inclusivity and sustainability. Billed as the only women-owned record shop in Washington state, Lantern carries mostly pre-owned vinyl spanning different genres. Identifying as queer, Hahn said it’s important for people to know the shop is a safe space. Lantern hosts weekly in-shop performances and regular art galleries.
Whalebone: What’s your favorite record to listen to on vinyl?
Heather Hahn: Besides Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys because that one is just ridiculous beyond words, my favorite is Inni by Sigur Rós. The sound that reverberates through my system, drives right into my bones. It’s beautiful, haunting and just an unreal live performance. I’ve never had the honor of seeing Sigur Rós perform, so this is one of my favorite listening sessions.
WB: Do you have a memorable shop moment?
HH: It’s a pair. This first was experiencing someone buying their first record and seeing the joy on their face. The second was watching a band form at the shop during a Lantern Lights in-shop performance. It’s an honor to hold an inclusive space for our creative community.
Wax Trax Records
Denver, Colorado // @WaxTraxDenver
Father-son duo Dave and Pete Stidman run an old-school punk record shop that originally opened in 1978. For the most part, the shop still looks the same as it did in the ’80s— down to the old Coke machine. The difference boils down to selection: Wax Trax now carries a large selection of all genres and formats. They say Spotify’s popularity has helped the store expand its reach and interest over the years. Even if shoppers find out about a band digitally, they still wander into Wax Trax to get a copy of something they enjoyed on vinyl.
Whalebone: Why are you here?
Pete Stidman: All things happen by random chance, which sometimes we call luck.
WB: What are your favorite words of wisdom you’ve received about owning a record store?
PS: Bring the new through the lens of the old. Vinyl has a long ass history but you can’t get the kids involved if you’re not carrying their music.
Lavender Records
Ogden, Utah // @lavendervinyl
Best friends Kye Hallows and Blake Lundell decided to open Lavender Vinyl in 2016. They’re a proudly queer-owned shop with a large used and new selection. Tucked away on historic 25th Street, Lavender Vinyl has quickly earned its reputation as a pillar within the community. The shop participates in regular art walks and collaborations with other local businesses, like the local brewery that named a new sour after Frank Zappa and had Lavender sell records at the launch party.
Whalebone: Why are you here?
Kye Hallows: Neither one of us were cut out for ‘traditional’ jobs. We both worked at other local record shops for many years and decided that the only way to make a life out of it was to open up our own shop. We also believe strongly in the importance of a community music meeting place and feel like music connects people unlike anything else. We’re here because it’s truly our lives’ work to connect with community over music.
WB: What’s your favorite shop moment?
KH: When we ran a ‘buy-your-coffee’ campaign for Transgender Day of Visibility, we opened it up to allies if anyone wanted to donate to it, and we raised the entire—large— tab in just a couple of days. When we went into the local coffee shop to pay the tab off, we learned that our local mixed martial arts gym had quietly shown up to cover the tab already. These are moments that remind us how beautiful and important community is. We were able to use the funds we initially raised to hire an LGBTQ band for our upcoming Pride event we’ll be hosting this summer.
Limited To One Record Shop
New York, New York // @limitedtoonenyc
In the East Village, Limited to One focuses on rare, specialty vinyl and cassettes—like a numbered UK pressing of the new Paramore album or an early Japanese copy of Nirvana’s Bleach, to give you an idea. Owner Kristian Sorge says the shop, which specializes in used current indie, metal, hip-hop, punk, garage and more, fills a hole he saw when it came to other record stores. The shop has produced more than 40 store exclusive pressings in its short five and a half year life, along with in-store events and a vinyl subscription service based on a person’s individual taste. The subscription service started as a Patreon offering during the COVID-19 shutdown, but took off in popularity and remains in place.
Whalebone: What’s your favorite shop moment?
Kristian Sorge: Honestly, our favorite moments have been all the friends and people within the community we have met while being open. It feels great to meet so many people who share the love of music that you thought only a few people liked. And then get to meet some of those artists and become friendly with them—we really appreciate anyone who has ever had something nice to say about us, has bought or sold us records, or just reached out to chat.
WB: What’s your favorite record to listen to on vinyl?
KS: This changes all the time but we love bands like At the Drive-In, Fugazi, La Quiete, Griver, Karate, Saetia, Moss Icon, Braid, Get Up Kids, Daïtro, OM, anything on Tree Records, Frodus, Spazz, Swing Kids, Blood Brothers, most of the early Def Jux and Anticon MCs and other smaller artists that utilized the DIY ideal system. Any record that looks like it was made in a garage with friends, we absolutely love.