Got vinyl? Care for a store full?

Feb. 29—Since opening as a brick and mortar store two and a half years ago, The Local Vinyl has sold more than 10,000 albums. Vinyl sales have grown for 18 consecutive years and show no signs of diminishing.

Nonetheless, owner Eleanor Jones has put the business up for sale. She began Local Vinyl as a popup store in 2018.

"I started it because I thought that Terre Haute needed a record store," she said. "It's doing well on its own. It's at a pivotal point where if somebody really comes in with the right passion and the right capital, it'll just grow."

A music fan would enjoy running a record store, Jones said.

"Most of my customers have way more albums than I do," she said. "There's someone out there who can take what I've learned and what I've built and really excel because they're already paying attention to the albums that are being released, they've already listened to 15 different genres, they're already in this industry without realizing it."

She added, "The customer base is there — the only complaint I got last year was that I didn't order enough albums, which is the best problem to have, especially in this industry. I think it's time for me to take a step back and find someone who is capable and willing to run it."

Jones admitted, "My personality is not made for retail."

She says she'll now focus full-time on bookkeeping, which she has done for the past 15 years and enjoys. She said she's considering some other business ideas, as well.

The Local Vinyl sells both new and used albums. Jones said it's not difficult to find used vinyl in Terre Haute — people have huge collections going back to the days of the Columbia Records club and are sometimes eager to sell them.

As Jones' Akita dog, Chloe, wanders the shop, Jones reflects on how she has expanded her customers' musical tastes — and vice versa.

"If I don't have the musician they're seeking, I can recommend a similar artist," she said. "It's fun inspiring people to expand their own musical horizons just because they happened to walk into the store."

In the same light, Jones said, "My customers have gotten me to dive into jazz, which is something I've never listened to before."

Due to the size of an album, its packaging became part of its experience, as cover art became an art form unto itself. It's a bonus that digital music can't offer.

"You can really witness (the popularity of packaging) in the rise of Taylor Swift," Jones said. "One in every 15 albums sold in 2023 was a Taylor Swift pressing (despite being available digitally). People want to enjoy the physical artwork of her music, the collecting aspect of it through physical media instead of just digital."

The Local Vinyl is Terre Haute's only shop that celebrates Record Store Day, in which manufacturers offer participating shops exclusive album pressings. This will be Jones' third Record Store Day, and she's ordering 208 special albums for the April 20 occasion. She'll also add some turntables to her stock.

Jones will host an open house for interested prospective buyers at 5:30 p.m. on March 18. Her asking price for the business is $75,000. Interested parties can contact her at thelocalvinyl@gmail.com.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.