Vinyl Fever is part of a coalition of about 30 other stores like ours around the country. It has improved the kind of attention we get from record labels (like getting all the free samplers and 7"ers we get on such a regular basis, and having more access to bands for in-stores). The best part of it is that we share ideas amongst ourselves without concern about sharing secrets, like there would be if we were competitors. With all the hoopla that has taken place in the music industry the past 10 years, it has been quite a saving grace and we’ve made some great friends with some of the best damn record stores in the U.S.
What I most love about this alliance is when the conversations and ideas go beyond music industry junk and into a more universal realm.
This article appears in May 6-12, 2009.
