Audiophiles and vinyl enthusiasts will celebrate and revel in music memorabilia at Finders Records for Record Store Day on Saturday.
The worldwide celebration focuses on independent record shops that specialize in selling physical records and CDs. Finders, marking their 12th year as an official dealer of RSD merchandise, kicks off their celebration at 10 a.m. this Saturday. Finders manager Laura Fredericks anticipates RSD to be their best sales day all year.
Fredericks said they typically see customers that both exclusively come in on RSD and visit from surrounding states for specific RSD releases. Finders adheres to all RSD rules, including the “no holds or reservations on products” policy. While no concerts or actual partying will be involved, Fredericks said that the store’s atmosphere is fun and exciting.
“Pearl Jam is the ambassador this year, and they have an exclusive album recorded from their Easy Street studio,” Fredericks said.
Each year during RSD, the featured ambassador is expected to provide record stores with promotional materials and is encouraged to drive awareness toward the sale of vinyl records. Pearl Jam is a Grammy-award winning alternative rock band known for their dedicated fan base, often referred to as “the ten club.” Fredericks speculates that Pearl Jam’s exclusive release will be one of their top-selling items this year.
Besides the Pearl Jam release, Collins expects to sell out of Greta Van Fleet’s exclusive purple vinyl pressing and the new release of “The Crow” soundtrack. Classic artists like Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers are also guaranteed RSD hits due to their popularity and limited number of copies.
The huge demand for exclusive releases boosts the overall sale quantities. Finders begins receiving RSD shipments a month before the celebration. Alumni often come back to assist with RSD customer overflow and display restocks. Brian Collins has worked the past three RSDs and said the only lull in sales happens during dinnertime.
“I think surrounding businesses get extra business and a lot of other downtown businesses are always commenting on the line,” Collins said. “We definitely see an uptick of people getting coffee and lunch right next door at Flatlands.”
The staff limits the total capacity of customers inside the store to 15 because they do not want customers bumping into each other and overwhelming the staff. This year, WBGU-FM is planning to entertain customers waiting outside the shop with a remote broadcast.
“Next year’s general manager, Andrew Vogelpohl, is planning to set up on the sidewalk during the morning rush as long as the weather permits,” Maddy Grimm, WBGU-FM general manager, said.
For customers planning to purchase multiple items, it is recommended they wear or purchase a clothing item from Finders for a discount of 10% off their entire purchase. Collins suggests arriving 30 to 40 minutes prior to 10 a.m. to ensure a good spot in line and a better chance at snagging some of the exclusives.
