It comes first from a love of a music.
Though I can’t sing a note or play a lick of an instrument, I've always been connected to music. It’s always been a big part of my life whether it’s going to live shows, reading autobiographies, listening to podcasts or pulling out a vinyl record, music has been a constant in my life. I was always a collector, vinyl when I was young, cassettes in high school, then CD’s (where I still have a collection of 3,000+ sitting in my mom’s basement).
A couple years ago, everything reset.
There was an in-store at an indie shop I had never been to. Price of admission was to buy either the CD or Vinyl of the new album. I had nothing to play either on. Vinyl was the choice, got it signed and bought an old record player that week. Just like that, I was back into vinyl and back in record shops. After going to a couple of local shops, I realized a few things:
- Every store is a little different and has its own distinct personality. Nobody is “just a record store”.
- The people that work there are all really cool and eclectic, all come from different backgrounds and ethnicities, and all have a deep love for music. There is no literally judgment. Not even for musical tastes :)
- There is a consistent tie in with the community. Some support local music, some support youth programs, some help bring major artists to the area. And the community reciprocates and supports the store.
- Being an independent record store is F*****G HARD! Nobody got into this business thinking this is how I get to easy street. It’s a day in, day out push and pull to thrive and survive. But all these owners LOVE their business, the customers and music. That’s what keeps them going.
5. Someone needs to tell these stories
What I saw locally holds true in every store I’ve spoken with. What’s true in Boston, MA is true in Jackson, MS and true in Cape Girardeau, MO and true in Las Vegas, NV.
Selfishly...
I also love unique t-shirts and stickers and that’s how this idea selfishly came about. I wanted these shirts for myself. To me, shirts like this mean more when there is an emotional attachment to them. Of course it’s going to be impossible to visit every record store out there so Crate Culture Co brings them to you! Everyone can (and hopefully will!) read these stories and learn about what makes all these stores special. You can also take that extra step and sign up for a membership. For members of Crate Culture Co., you’ll get an exclusive, one of a kind, never to be duplicated, miss it and it’s gone premium t-shirt and die-cut sticker. You can sign up month to month or get discounts by signing up for multi-month packages.
Whether you’re here for just the stories or you become a full-fledged member of Crate Culture Co., we’re happy you’re here. We’ll have some big announcements coming over the next few weeks. Stay tuned and thanks for all your support so far!