Inside Business: Rhythm Records | Video

Jim Christianson | 6/19/2012

You won`t find many record players in people`s living rooms anymore. Music has, for the most part, shifted to a digital marketplace but that doesn`t mean vinyl has completely died out. One shop on Main Avenue still markets plenty of classic records.

After nearly a year, Robbie Montgomery is getting settled in his downtown music store. He opened Rhythm Records last July as an outlet for new and used records.

"The used stuff, it`s mostly trade-ins and we buy used LPs. And we go out and search for it. New stuff, we get from the labels themselves."

The store sells a number of rare CDs and decades-old albums.

"There`s so many things that`re on vinyl that you just can`t download or find on CD. Things from the 50s and 60s that are still rare and still sought after and it`s fun to go into a record store and find something you just can`t find anywhere else."

It`s not just old bands from the 50s and 60s that you find on vinyl. Montgomery says new bands are using the same medium as well.

"Pretty much all of the new releases that we get on CD we also get it in vinyl."

Besides marketing dozens of albums, the store also repairs old record players.

"Anything that goes wrong with it, you can usually fix, because they`re not computerized. So there`s usually just a belt or a motor and it`s a pretty easy fix."

What`s not so easy, Montgomery admits, is watching a few of his long-time collectibles go out the door.

"My personal collection has been dwindling over time. But that`s ok. Knowing that I`m here and records come in all the time from other people. Usually I`m not too scared, I`ll find it again."

He says he hopes more music lovers will find something of their own in his shop they can listen to again and again.

Rhythm Records also hosts live music during open mic night on Thursday evenings.

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