New Down in the Valley Owners Take Record Store for a Spin
In between business appointments, Shawn Bubendorf stopped in to Down in the Valley last week in search of a couple new records.
“I just, I like the mix here,” he said. “So they have some new, some old, good selection of both vinyl and CD.”
He flipped through the neatly-filled record crates clutching an unopened Sonny Terry record that’s destined for his turntable.
“I’ve never seen this one before, it happens to be a blues album,” Bubendorf said.
He’s one of the many shoppers seeking out the store for its diverse musical offerings.
“I grew up with vinyl,” he said. “I was a CD guy for decades and when vinyl started coming back I dabble.”
He’s far from alone.
In today’s world of music streaming and viral fads, customers flock to Down in the Valley for media that’s tangible.
“[Many people are] going back to analog. And they want a physical thing they can hold because everything in their world is kind of fake otherwise, you know, digital. Which is rad, you know?” said Steven Williams, one of the new owners of Down in the Valley.
Williams, a previous employee at the shop, says music will stay at the heart of the business. He joins Scott Farrell, another former employee, as the store’s new owners.
“I think our selection is killer on the music side, the vinyl side,” said Williams. “Nothing like that will change.”
A customer flips through records at Down in the Valley. Two longtime employees recently bought the business.
Outside of the ownership, little at the store is expected to change.
There’s still stacks of used CDs, cassettes and band merchandise.
Smokers will continue to find marijuana pipes and other accessories for their now-legal habits.
Meanwhile, a selection of eclectic toys and gifts will stay on the shelves.
“Pop culture and music — I think it keeps you young being in this environment,” said Farrell. “As I get older, I still feel like I’m closer to my youth.”
Farrell’s passionate about providing music lovers with selections they can’t find in other stores.
“The consumer should just expect that they’re going to come into Down in the Valley and it’s going to be the same great experience that they’ve had,” he said.
That experience keeps customers like Bubendorf coming back to satisfy their vinyl addiction.
“As long as it stays the same I’ll keep coming,” Bubendorf said.
See also: Down in the Valley Celebrates 50 Years
