Despite the prevalence of MP3 downloads in today’s society, a local record store’s appreciation for vinyl records and a diverse atmosphere allows it to appeal to a broad scope of customers.

Finders opened in Bowling Green in 1971 by owner Greg Halamay and immediately set out to serve the many tastes and interests the community had to offer.

‘I immediately felt the pulse of the demographics in this community,’ Halamay said. ‘That’s basically where our initial mission occurred, just basically to provide as many genres to our audiences and demographics as possible.’

Located on North Main Street, Finders has reason to appeal to music lovers of all genres, selling nearly all things music related, including CDs, DVDs, vinyl albums and various other music paraphernalia. The experience at Finders is a pleasurable one not only for customers, but for the employees there as well.

‘It’s really fun,’ employee Bridget Haley said. ‘You get to see tons of different kinds of people.’

The comprehensive selection of titles in Finders extends the store’s appeal to a diverse sample of customers, all with their own musical interests. This cultural exposure is an aspect of the job greatly enjoyed by employee Jon Torrence.

‘My favorite part [of the job] is interacting with people,’ he said, ‘and the fact that that interaction involves music.’

This desire for interaction and exposure, as well as their appreciation for music, makes Finders’ employees a valuable resource for assistance in obtaining that hard-to-find title.

‘I really like helping people find stuff they have been looking for forever and they can’t figure out,’ Haley said. ‘Then they try to find it here.’

The enjoyment the employees derive from helping others is not lost on the customers either.

‘The people are pretty helpful here,’ customer Jameson Czech said. ‘No one ever really gets in your face about anything, which is nice.’

In staying true to its name, Finders is an excellent place to find music, even when the title is less mainstream.

‘I come here because there is a lot more selection,’ customer Laura Conley said.

In today’s age of the music download, however, it is no longer necessary to visit a brick-and-mortar location to acquire music. Online stores, such as iTunes, offer an extensive library of titles. Customers can purchase songs and download them straight onto a hard drive in a matter of minutes, never even requiring one to get dressed. The more recent introduction of downloadable ‘torrents,’ a form of file sharing often used to obtain music illegally, has enabled individuals to download entire discographies, free of charge. Halamay has felt the effects of this growing trend.

‘The impact has been dramatic,’ he said. ‘Physical sales have almost been cut in half in the last 10 years or so.’

It is interesting to learn then, why record stores like Finders are still able to maintain. The motivations of customers to purchase tangible albums vary from one individual to another, but all tend to carry a tone of respect for the musicians who created them.

‘I like to support the artists,’ Czech said. ‘I still download stuff, but if I like something enough, I’ll buy the album.’

John, a Findlay native who wished to withhold his last name, said he does not download music on principle.

‘Downloading, to me, is not honest,’ he said. ‘There’s no romance in it.’

John went on to say that the ability of a band to achieve a legitimate record deal and produce a tangible album is a measure of worth.

‘Anyone with a digital recorder and Internet access can call themselves an artist,’ he said. ‘Convince a record company you have the talent to make it worth someone else’s while.’

Among Finders’ customers, there tends to be a higher level of respect for tangible albums than for MP3 files. This is particularly true for vinyl, a medium John spoke of with great reverence.

‘When you pick up an album, you’re holding a piece of artwork,’ he said. ‘You’re holding a piece of time.’

In the history of owning the store, Halamay said he has seen the birth, fall and now the resurrection of vinyl.

‘When we originally founded the store, everything was vinyl,’ he said. ‘We have now kind of come back full circle.’

The allures of vinyl, especially to the younger audiences of today, surprises Halamay very little.

‘I think what attracts people to vinyl today is what attracted people 50 years ago,’ he said. ‘The true music lover has an appreciation for what the physical side of the music actually is and provides.’

The vast collection of albums on vinyl at Finders allows them to very effectively serve those with a taste for it. The store’s survival, despite the growing popularity of MP3 files, is due at least in part to its near exclusivity in having the means to satisfy a populous niche market in the surrounding area.

‘There is really no other place in Northwest Ohio where you can find this much vinyl,’ Czech said.’