How to join the Record Store Day groove
Plus: Top news of the week — Wegmania hits Charlotte; DEI officers out at UNC?; Appeals court sides with bar owners; App State chancellor to step down
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Looking to get started with vinyl? LP collector shares insider and pro advice to get you crackling
By Jay Ahuja
Today is Record Store Day 2024, and LP enthusiasts will arrive early and may have even camped out overnight at local shops to jumpstart their collections.
Artists including the Beatles, David Bowie, U2, Talking Heads, Paramore and Noah Kahan are releasing limited-edition albums to help celebrate and support independent record stores.
Some Charlotte stores are even setting up portable toilets and garbage dumpsters, as fans are expected to bring collapsible chairs, grills and tables to tailgate as if they were attending a professional sporting event. Several store owners expect large crowds and urged folks to park where it was safe and legal or even use ride-share services.
Want to join the fun? Here are some tips from my own collecting experience and from local store owners:
Local record shops, such as Lunchbox Records shown here, often have turntables for sale. Be sure to invest in a good needle, store owners say. (Jay Ahuja photo)
◼️ Invest in a good turntable. Get one with a counterweight on the tone arm and a first-rate cartridge. You get what you pay for. More importantly, a cheap one will wear out your records quickly.
Jimmy Parker, of Repo Record, is Charlotte’s OG vinyl seller and has owned the business for 35 years (it’s been located on Commonwealth Avenue for the past 11 years). His first bit of advice for LP collectors is to “buy a good turntable with a good needle.” A needle can run anywhere from $50 to $200, he says.
I have a Denon turntable, but Audio-Technica, Fluance and other brands are also worth consideration at a similar price. Local record stores often offer a selection of turntables for slightly less than online sites.
◼️ Set up a listening room — and include comfortable seating and room for your LP collection to grow. Invest in quality storage. My room is a pedestrian home office/home theater/listening room. I store my LPs in crates, because I prefer to flip through them like I would at a record store.
Ikea offers Kallax record racks that are more traditional, sturdy, affordable and widely endorsed by LP collectors. They come in several configurations to fit just about any space.
◼️ Make a list of albums you want. Be selective because you may eventually run out of space. Scott Wishart, who owns Lunchbox Records, advises collectors not to “get sucked into all the rare and collectible stuff. Just buy the music you love.”
My tastes lean toward classic rock, alternative, blues and reggae. It helps to keep a list of what you own and what you want, either on the Discogs app or on your phone, so you don’t buy duplicates. I learned this the hard way, when I bought a second copy of The Kinks’ “Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround,” so I gave one to the guy who got me started in LP collecting.
◼️ Shop locally and set a budget. There are several outstanding record shops in the area. Hardy Boys is my go-to place. They have three locations. The newest one, in Camp North End, has become their flagship. Noble Records in Matthews, Premium Sound and Lunchbox Records, both on Central Avenue, and the aforementioned Repo Record, are also excellent. Stores seem to be popping up everywhere. On my way to a kayaking trip on the Catawba, I ran across Revolver Records, a funky little shop in downtown McAdenville. National bookstore chain Second and Charles has a few local stores with a selection of used LPs for sale.
Until I started to run out of room, I went to a record store nearly every weekend. I enjoyed the thrill of the hunt — finding something I wanted in good condition at a reasonable price. It’s critical to inspect used records for warping and scratches. Look at both sides closely before purchasing. One reason I like to buy locally is that local stores tend to stand by their product.
I also buy LPs online. Little Record Shop is an eBay site I’ve bought from and always had flawless experiences. It’s not the same as in-person, but if you are looking for a specific album or artist, it can streamline the process. Lately, I’ve purchased albums at concerts. It helps to bring along a tote bag or LP box to keep them in good shape. Avid record collectors and sellers also scour Goodwill, Habitat Re-Stores, and Salvation Army stores, as well as garage sales and estate sales.
One thing is certain, from the very beginning, it’s wise to organize your LPs. I group them by artist, but if your collection becomes massive, you may consider filing them by genre or even the year they were released.
◼️ Store your records vertically, never stacked. Stacking can cause warping. Protect your album covers with 3-millimeter outer plastic sleeves. Otherwise, over time, they will get dull and damaged. I prefer the kind without a flap. Serious collectors suggest replacing any paper inner sleeves, which can mar LPs over time, with poly-lined or rice paper sleeves to protect the discs themselves. These can be bought in bulk online.
Dean Hardy, of Hardy Boys Records, is also a fan of slip mats or record pads, usually made of felt or cork, noting “they are not essential, but they do cut down on static.” Some record stores offer their own version.
Finally, be sure to clean your records before and/or after playing them. This will help keep your LPs and needle in good shape to provide years of enjoyment. Smith, at Noble records, recommends the Spin-Clean Record Washer as the best way to maintain your LPs. I use a Sonic Broom. Both are available online.
◼️ The choice between new or used vinyl is entirely personal. I collect both. I like vintage albums that have the original artwork, sleeves, booklets, and posters. I also buy digitally-remastered, 180-gram releases and limited-edition color pressings. They look great and, while some folks insist that the sound is not the same, I cannot tell.
It may seem counterintuitive, but old or new, jet black or colorful, I appreciate that all LPs require me to get up out of my seat every twenty minutes or so to hear the flipside. Perhaps because of this, I find that I listen to LPs with more intent and attention to how songs flow from one to the next in a way I haven’t in decades.
Jay Ahuja has lived, worked and played in Charlotte since 1986. He has one wife, two stepsons and two dogs. He’s had two sports travel guidebooks published and produced a documentary film, “Live From The Double Door Inn.” He works for WDAV 89.9FM, the region’s classical public radio station.
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This week in Charlotte: Charlotte violent crime drops; Rea Farms area rezoning passes; NC gamblers lose $66M; Red Line rail revamp
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
DEI officers out at UNC schools? (WUNC) A UNC Board of Governors committee approved a policy change that could result in the removal of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officers from all 17 UNC system campuses.
App State chancellor to step down: (Watauga Democrat) Appalachian State University Chancellor Sheri Everts announced she is stepping down at the end of this week, citing “significant health challenges.”
Politics
Appeals court sides with bar owners: (Ledger on X/Twitter) An N.C. appeals court ruled that it found insufficient “science and data” supporting Gov. Roy Cooper’s Covid-era decision to keep bars closed while allowing restaurants to remain open with restrictions.
Local News
Charlotte Art League replaces leader, gets new board: (WFAE) Amid leadership turmoil, financial struggles and potential eviction, the Charlotte Art League has appointed Kate McAllister as interim executive director and a new board of directors after the previous board resigned.
Crime stats: (WBTV) Violent crimes in Charlotte fell by 1% in the first quarter compared with a year earlier, while overall crime rose 3%, police said. There were also 34 homicides in the first three months of 2024, up from 26 in that period in 2023, a 31% increase.
South Charlotte rezoning approved: (Fox 46) By a 10-1 vote, the Charlotte City Council approved a rezoning request by Childress Klein and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for 905 homes and a middle school in the Rea Farms area. Neighbors said they worried about the effects on traffic and stormwater.
Business
Wegmania arrives: Wegmans announced that it is entering the Charlotte market with a 110,000 s.f. grocery store that will open in Ballantyne in 2026. The chain’s N.C. district manager discussed the plans in a 7-minute Charlotte Ledger Podcast episode, and we looked closer at grocery competition in south Charlotte and what it means for consumers and competing stores.
Business group CEO resigns: Charlotte Regional Business Alliance CEO Janet LaBar is stepping down, the organization announced. No explanation was provided.
From The Ledger family of newsletters
Monday
An airport dress rehearsal for people with disabilities: The Wings for All program at Charlotte Douglas International Airport helps individuals with intellectual disabilities practice airport procedures and boarding planes, offering them and their families preparation and confidence for future trips.
Post soccer-game confrontation: After last Saturday’s Charlotte FC game, a dispute between leaders of fan groups Blue Furia and Carolina Hooliganz resulted in the leader of Blue Furia being taken to the hospital with facial injuries.
Charlotte gets new oldest restaurant: As Green’s Lunch, Charlotte’s iconic hot dog spot, closed last year, the title of the city’s oldest restaurant now goes to Providence Road Sundries, dating back to 1933.
Wednesday
Pining for lower interest rates: A Charlotte resident purchased a fixer-upper home in Enderly Park for $375,000 to $400,000 but ended up with a 7% interest rate for her mortgage. It’s a scenario many homebuyers are facing, reflecting the city’s rapid growth and limited housing inventory.
North Carolinians lost $66M in sports bets: Despite a surge in gambling activity in North Carolina, residents collectively lost about $66M, although nearly one-third of the $659.3M in bets were made using promotional offers.
Innovative ideas in SouthPark: SouthPark unveiled its “SouthPark Forward 2035 Vision Plan,” featuring 64 ideas aimed at enhancing the area’s appeal and accessibility.
Friday
Is south Charlotte over-groceried? The announcement of Wegmans in Ballantyne this week has residents asking if the south Charlotte grocery store market is oversaturated.
Truist requires workers to report 4 days a week: Truist announced that employees will be required back in the office four days a week starting this fall, with other major uptown employers like Bank of America and Wells Fargo possibly following suit.
Commissioner says Novant wouldn't discuss partnership: Mecklenburg County Commissioner Arthur Griffin expressed frustration after Novant Health rebuffed his attempts to discuss partnering with the county to address health disparities, leading to a motion to delay a public hearing on Novant's plan to borrow $785M in tax-free bonds.
🎧New podcast episode: On a recent episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Glenn Proctor shares his experiences as a Marine, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and a certified life coach.
Ways of Life
Paul Grier, an unsung basketball talent from Charlotte, found success on and off the court despite facing racial barriers. He passed away in February at 87.
Transit Time
A Red Line reboot: CATS is considering extensive changes to the Red Line commuter rail project, including station location adjustments, increased frequency, modern rail vehicle options and potentially higher costs.
Futbol Friday
Analytics add up for Charlotte FC coach: Not only did statistical evidence help Coach Dean Smith unlock players’ confidence, it also offered some insight into another side of Smith — the geekier side.
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Jay - love the story about vinyl. thank you!