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For the Record: A Vinyl Revival

BLOOMSBURG — In an age where getting music is as easy as pushing a button on your cell phone, surprisingly, vinyl record sales are on the rise. Endless Re...

BLOOMSBURG -- In an age where getting music is as easy as pushing a button on your cell phone, surprisingly, vinyl record sales are on the rise.

Endless Records on East Main Street in Bloomsburg has been around for about six years and owner Nick McGaw says even though sites like iTunes, YouTube, and Spotify are popular, so is his record store. In fact, he compares streaming music to listening to the radio.

"It's a way of listening to stuff casually. It's a way of sort of having music on in the background. But if you love an object, you want to own the object. That's just how people are," McGaw said.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Americans spend around four hours a day listening to music.

People we spoke with say they still like to be able to hold their music in their hands.

"It's a connection. You know, when you have a collection like I have, which is a large collection, it becomes part of your family," Mark Collier said.

"I think it's better to come to a store because you can really browse the selections," Olivia McGaw said.

"When they really love an object, they love to have that thing in their hands, something they can put on a platter, read the notes to and look at. And the great artwork of classic albums, everyone loves that," McGaw said.

Statistics from the Recording Industry Association of America back up those statements. In the last 10 years, vinyl record sales have gone up--way up.

In 2005, fewer than one million records were sold in the United States. Last year, almost 12 million were sold.

"There are just as many people who are passionate about music as there have ever been," McGaw said.

But while record sales are going up, more and more record stores are going out of business. The recording industry's website says there are currently fewer than 1,500 independently owned record stores in the United States.

In our viewing area, there are fewer than a dozen.

Another store that is thriving is Musical Energi on North Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. Even though he knows it's a sign of the times, McGaw says it's disappointing.

"Record stores you can go to and you can page through all the album covers. You can read through the notes on the back of it. That's an experience you can't get except in person," McGaw said.

His customers agree.

"To come to a place like this, to talk about music that you didn't even know existed. Guys like me, I go through everything he has whether it's new or old," Collier said.

McGaw says his favorite part of owning a record store is talking to customers about music and says it lets them take a step back in time for a few minutes of their day.

For the record, Endless Records in Bloomsburg is open Tuesday through Saturday. The store sells new and used records, record players, VHS tapes, CDs, and books.

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