Local record stores offer tangible, 'magical' vinyl

While the vinyl in used record stores around Capitol Hill may appear undone and withered by time, their vintage vibe and retro sounds still appeal to many.


The reasons for such an attraction to used records are as various and scattered as used records themselves.

"It's just the magic of the process," says James Reese-Mills, customer at Sonic Boom Records, "the sifting through the racks until you find something that looks and sounds awesome."


Jeffery Taylor of Wall of Sound, an eclectically stocked record store located on East Pine Street, also values the tangible aspect of records.


Taylor says enthusiasm for used records stems from "the physical medium of the LP, the actual object to hold in your hands."


One long-time record enthusiast and collector, Mike Nipper, acknowledges that the appeal for some people lies in the fact that records are historical artifacts, which often reveal significant pop culture threads.

Indeed, the enchantment within used records and the process of obtaining them could not be possible without the charm of local record stores. Capitol Hill boasts an abundance of these, such as Gruv Inc., Everyday Music and Zion's Gate—each of which specializes in a unique array of musical offerings. Warm spaces with a scratchy record spinning in the background and walls plastered with band posters define the majority of used record stores located around Seattle.

These stores, however, do not strictly sell records, although Taylor said the industry is strong enough for his store to survive on record sales if need be.

Taylor says this is because CDs will never come near the "magical appeal of a vinyl LP."
The beauty of old battered records has never ceased to attract collectors and enthusiasts, and if the used record industry continues at its current pace, it never will.

Pavan may be reached at vasdevp@seattleu.edu.