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They Came Back —One Store's RSD 2018 Story

Michael Fremer  |  Apr 24, 2018

Thanks to an anonymous source, here's one record store's RSD story: Comeback Vinyl opened 2014 in Atlanta and just recently moved to its current Alpharetta, GA. location. These photos, showing the line stretched around the block, are from last week's Record Store Day. Clearly customers did "Comeback" to Comeback Vinyl!

The correspondent took the photos and the time to ask people (who started standing in line at 7:30AM for the 10:00AM opening) why they were there. He found, as the pictures, show, a wide demographic that skewed young. He found "a few audiophiles" but mostly people getting back into vinyl.

Most said it wasn't the sound quality that attracted them (hopefully that will come later!) but rather the "coolness" of it and the "allure of physical media".

Most said they either streamed music or played vinyl (bye, bye, CD) and that vinyl was more of a "focused listening session" experience with streaming for other occasions. Music was rock/pop, some jazz and "a smattering" of classical music listeners. Most were familiar with brands Pro-Ject and Rega,

There were some "high end" audio devotees there too, of course but the correspondent found that "absolutely no one" was into the "vinyl vs. CD" or any similar kind of debates. These were mostly music lovers who are back into vinyl.

COMMENTS
thanny's picture
Submitted by thanny on Tue, 2018-04-24 12:46

It's great to see the LP making a comeback! Nothing like flipping through the racks of records looking for long lost treasures or acquiring new ones. And getting home and dropping the needle onto the vinyl...showtime!

redchaser's picture
Submitted by redchaser on Tue, 2018-04-24 14:20

Our local record store Lagniappe Records had a great RSD as well. They posted a very cool time lapse from the first hour inside the store for RSD https://www.facebook.com/Lagniappe.Records/videos/2071708552858417/. Folks were lined up by 7 am. A little later our local vinyl group had a Q&A with Chad Kassem, he's a local boy made good, remarkably interesting guy.

Dave H's picture
Submitted by Dave H on Tue, 2018-04-24 14:36

We were in Ann Arbor, Mi on Saturday and there were lines out and down the sidewalks for every record store we visited.

TommyTunes's picture
Submitted by TommyTunes on Tue, 2018-04-24 17:22

What’s especially interesting about Comeback is that while they have a moderate selection of used LP’s, they have an extensive selection of new albums. It’s not unusual for them to have 10 or more copies of every release each Friday. The store unlike most mom and pop record stores is spacious, clean, organized and well lite and you won’t find condescending snobbish staff but rather friendly and respectful folk.

kruhlin's picture
Submitted by kruhlin on Tue, 2018-04-24 18:44

It is also worth mentioning that Comeback Vinyl maintains a well stocked audiophile section that is arguably the best in metro Atlanta.

HiFiMark's picture
Submitted by HiFiMark on Wed, 2018-04-25 13:00

Was recently in Athens (Greece, not Georgia) and visited Underflow Record Store & Art Gallery. It's a wonderful concept: terrific selection of well-chosen vinyl and CD's (artistic & sonic merit - jazz, classical, rock, avant-garde, and more) along with art-covered walls (rotating artists & genres) and comfortable tables & chairs for sitting, listening and enjoying coffee, wine, or ouzo. Finally, an intimate basement performance space for live music events.
Oh, and the engaging and knowledgable proprietors play just about anything a customer would like to hear. I discovered and purchased music from two terrific Greek outfits making wonderful music combing jazz, Greek folk, and some tasty avant-garde.
Methinks it's the future of music stores. Every metro in America needs this. If I were only younger and more entrepreneurially motivated...

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