Vinyl's comeback evident on annual Record Store Day
TAMPA (FOX 13) - The way people consume music has morphed throughout the years - from vinyl to 8-tracks to cassettes to CDs to MP3s to streaming.
While most physical media becomes obsolete, vinyl records are making a comeback.
"I think it's here to stay," Mojo Books & Records Buyer Doug Renck said. "We listened to records for 100 years before CDs came out."
Renck has first-hand evidence of the staying trend. He's worked at Mojo Books & Records for five years. The store houses thousands of records and is 11 years old, which matches the amount of time Record Store Day has been around.
"It's a celebration of all things vinyl," he said.
The day has grown, and this year 400 limited vinyl releases will be available on Saturday.
"It's just a big celebration of music," Ed Kurz said.
Kurz has DJ-ed at Mojo Books & Records on Record Store Day for the past five years. He's been around music his whole life and estimates that he has 6,000 records in his collection.
When asked why he chooses vinyl:
"The right record has a full sound, a warm intimate sound," he said. "(It's) like the band is in the room with you."
Kurz loves sharing his passion for vinyl, especially with kids who marvel at his turntables.
"Five, six and seven-year-olds will come up and be mesmerized by the spinning of the turntable and that music is coming out of here," he said.
Renck also sees a trend of newer, younger customers taking an interest in vinyl.
"It's something tangible, physical, organic," he said. "They're discovering new music that might be decades old but new to them."
While newer customers fill the store every day, both Renck and Kurz expect die-hard music and vinyl fans on Saturday.
"People are lined halfway down our shopping center," Renck said. "All of them want some a special release that's only available that day."
"They're talking about their music, talking about their passions," Kurz said. "It's an exciting atmosphere."
ARTpool Gallery - Store opens at 11 a.m.; 2030 Central Ave., St. Petersburg; (727) 324-3878
Bananas Records - Opens at 9 a.m.; 2887 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg; (727) 327-4616
Clearwater Record Shop: Opens at 10 a.m.; 1610 N Hercules Ave., Clearwater; (727) 200-9397
Daddy Kool Records - Opens at 8 a.m.; 666 Central Ave., St. Petersburg; (727) 822-5665
Disc Exchange - Opens at 10 a.m.; 6712 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. (727) 343-5845
Dunedin Records and Audio - Opens at 8 a.m.; 430 Patricia Ave., Dunedin; (727) 423-4108
Kingfish Records - Opens at 8 a.n.; 26024-B U.S. 19 N, Clearwater; (727) 351-5177
Microgroove - Opens at 9 a.m.; 4906 N Florida Ave., Tampa; (813) 667-7089
Mojo Books & Records - Opens at 8 a.m.; 2540 E Fowler Ave., Tampa; (813) 971-9717
Planet Retro - Opens at 8 a.m.; 226 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St., St. Petersburg; (727) 218-7434
Sound Exchange - Opens at 9 a.m.; Two locations: 14246 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa, (813) 978-9316; and 8625 66th St. N, Pinellas Park
St. Pete Records - Opens at 9 a.m.; 1246 Central Ave., St. Petersburg; (727) 490-8861
Steelworker Records - Opens at 10 a.m.; 708 W Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Tampa; (813) 666-4933