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Sorena Dadgar
Staff writer Sarah Gallo holds her bounty of fresh record finds from Raleigh's finest shops. Gallo's favorite pick, "Let It Be" by the Beatles, set her back a meager three bucks.
As Raleigh is known for being an artsy city, filled with coffee shops, hookah bars and record stores, it is only appropriate for any college-aged vinyl collector to explore local record stores. Travelling to three local record stores, two within walking distance to campus, has opened my eyes to the well-developed vinyl scene Raleigh has to offer.
1.) Schoolkids Records, Avent Ferry Road:
Schoolkids Records is the very definition a music lover’s hidden paradise: a wide variety of music posters decorate the walls, a checkout counter that doubles as a bar sits at the front of the store, rows of CDS and crates among crates of both used and old records fill the space.
Located on Avent Ferry Road, Schoolkids’ close proximity to campus offers music lovers easy access to both new and older music. The record shop also features live music, based on the availability of local and non-local bands.
Current manager Chip Kloss left his former Monday-Friday day job last January to work three nights a week at Schoolkids, surrounding himself with music, beer and good company.
“I have been a music fan since I was a kid,” Kloss said. “I saw the Beatles on TV when I was young and I think from that point on it just sunk in me. I’ve been collecting ever since.”
Schoolkids caters to a wide variety of people, which makes Schoolkids a safe place where people of any demographic can unite around their shared love for Zeppelin, Beck, Tom Petty or what have you.
“In this gig I get older kids and young kids that are white, black, Puerto Rican — it doesn’t matter,” Kloss said. “It’s a huge palette of people and as they sit at the bar I get to hang out and talk with them.”
Schoolkids brings in approximately 10 new titles each week, along with used titles customers can sell or trade. Kloss notes that college kids are buying older records, such as Marley and Zeppelin, which he bought and listened to in high school when Kloss was known as a music buff.
More than just a store, Schoolkids is a safe haven where music lovers can bond over beer and good finds.
Record Bought: “Ouroboros,” Ray Lamontagne
2.) Reader’s Corner, Hillsborough Street:
Walking into Reader’s Corner, one can see nothing but shelves among shelves packed with books. Crates filled with classic records lie in the center of the space, with thrifty prices any college student can appreciate. Outside the front of the store lies more shelves of used books, along with crates of $1 and $3 records.
Reader’s Corner leaves nothing but choices for the average record collector, as crates house everything from smooth jazz to metal. Even though the indoor/outdoor space seems cramped, the store features a generous amount of both new and used records for collectors to hunt through.
Conveniently located on Hillsborough Street, Reader’s Corner is a place record-collecting students can pop in between or after classes for a quick dose of vinyl therapy.
Records Bought: “Let it Be,” The Beatles, “Revolver,” The Beatles, “Crosby, Stills and Nash,” Crosby, Stills and Nash
3.) The Record Krate, Saint Mary’s Street:
Tucked away in its own little alcove, The Record Krate is unique in that it feels not like a store, but a basement full of a vinyl collector’s treasures. Decorated from the outside with string lights, and inside with posters and antiques, The Record Krate eludes coziness. Owner Adam Perk opened the store four years ago, after leaving a previous job.
“I taught art in public school but my hours kept getting cut, so I decided to leave and I’ve always liked records,” Perk said. “After I quit my job I had a lot of free time, so I went shopping all over the state looking for records for myself. I just started selling at pop-ups and I opened the store and here we are now.”
The Record Krate offers a wide variety of music, catering to collectors of all ages.
“We get some high schoolers and college kids, and we also get some seniors in here,” Perk said. “Vinyl champions come in and they get so excited when they find cool stuff.”
Perk adds that the store sells records across a wide variety of genres, as the store has a diverse display of music. Offering both new and used records at fairly inexpensive prices, the Record Place is a place where vinyl collectors can find anything from ‘80s disco, to classic rock to modern day-pop records.
Record Bought: “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” U2