“I always liked music and was kind of a nerd about it.
I really liked going to record stores, when they were still called record stores even though they sold cds. I always liked supporting record stores and thought it’d be cool to work in one or own one, but then I’d think about it and talk myself out of it. It would be hard to quit a well paying job, but I just had a paying job. I finally started Rediscover Records in 2010. The catalyst was when I knew ArtSpace was going to be a go. It was now or never. If I was going to do this, now would be the time.
The inventory to start was kind of sparse. Once I decided I was gonna open a store, I was like ‘Wait I don’t really have any shelves. I don’t have hardly any inventory.’ Luckily, I started in a shared space environment those first couple years. That helped me nurture it along.
A lot of those bins I have in the store I built myself. If you looked at them a little closer you can tell the ones that are homemade. There are probably several carpenters and woodworkers in town who are silently mocking me. Ha. Just don’t look at the not square 90 degree corner with a gap in it.
I thought we’d get a bunch of the local musicians to come in, and we do, but turns out we’re kind of a destination place. Really a lot of people come in from all over and all walks of life. I’ll get messages frequently ‘Can you order this?’ or ‘Do you have this?’ I think people like that they have a personal connection where they can message me, it’s personable. Through the store and live shows we’ve done, I’ve made a lot of friends, which I didn’t expect. I try to share cool facts about the music they like or try to share a personal connection about the music they are buying. When I was young I remember the record store guys doing that, and I really liked it, so I try to do the same for the people who come in. Make it personal.”
Rich Wagner is the owner of Rediscover Records (@rediscover_records on IG) on Spring St. in Elgin.
