An Oddity For Everyone

           With the evolution of digital media, you may find yourself confused as to why anyone in today’s day and age would buy a bulky vinyl record when they could simply download the songs and listen to them from their smartphone. Jakob English, a young man from Milton, PA, agrees that his life has been changed forever since first visiting Endless Records with a friend in 2014. “I found that listening to records was a brand new way for me to appreciate music. I just felt a more personal connection to the music I was listening to while holding the album in my hand, compared to just pressing play on a computer, phone, or mp3 device." In addition to this “hands-on experience,” record collectors also appreciate the art work produced on the vinyl sleeves as well as the posters, lyric sheets, and other merchandise that often come tucked inside along with the record. Owned and operated by a man committed to keeping this culture alive, Endless Records has a reputation as one of the premiere record stores in Central, PA



(Figure 1)

            In downtown Bloomsburg at the corner of Main and Center, a brown brick building with the words “Columbia County Trust Co.” etched into a large marble section about a third of the way up, towers over the surrounding block. Tucked away from the street behind a bright green storefront at the base of the red brick building growing off of the old Trust Company's right side, lies a treasure pit that draws in hunters in search of their next big gem. In front of the cash register a large window shines, plastered with bright orange stickers descending E-N-D-L-E-S-S. Next to the bottom S, the letters R-E-C-O-R-D-S extend horizontally in firetruck red. The store’s name placement creates a vertical and horizontal axis. In what would be the first quadrant of the Cartesian Plane hangs a cardboard cutout. (see Fig. 1) At first glance the smears of tan, brown, and black may not reveal much to the eye, but a second glance reveals the silhouette of a musician swinging his guitar in an attempt to smash it like The Who's guitarist Pete Townshend had made famous in the mid- 1960’s.

          As you step inside and the door swings shut behind you, a quick glance around the store reveals various shelves and racks containing records as well as books, VHS and DVD’s, CD’s, and even some cassettes. The words “COMING SOON”  hang over your shoulder, scrawled across the top of a white board clinging to the wall. The artists listed on this board are subject to change and are there as a reference for any customers that may be able to find what they are looking for upon the next shipment's arrival. On the left, piles of books and records lie scattered across the counter, stacked so high that they obstruct the view of the man running the cash register.
 


(Figure 2)

(Figure 3)

       Nick McGaw, a rather stylish man who one may guess to be in  his late twenties or early thirties sits hidden behind these skyscrapers of vinyl and literature. He certainly has his own style. A typical outfit may consist of a sweater vest, some dark blue khaki pants, and the occasional round golf-cap characterized by its short, stiff brim. (see Fig.2) Nick was born and raised in nearby Berwick, PA and following high school went on to study journalism and communications. Nick said that he was first introduced to records by his parents, who owned a few when he was younger. As he grew older, Nick came to appreciate rock music, especially the tunes recorded by Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Neil Young, etc. and began buying his own records because they were cheaper than CD’s. Following graduation, he went on to work for a record label in New York City. While working in the city, he realized that the music and record scene certainly wasn’t disappearing in the large urban areas. Small towns on the other hand, were starting to see less and less shops opening up, and the existing stores were starting to disappear with the availability of digital media on the rise. In 2007, Mugsy’s Record Store in Bloomsburg went out of business. Nick, who had bought his very first record at Mugsy’s (Neil Young’s Decade), decided to move back home and capitalize on his opportunity to keep the culture alive. In 2010, Endless Records opened its first location in a room at the Moose Exchange in Bloomsburg. (see Fig. 3) In 2014, the Moose building went up in flames, and although they were able to salvage a good deal of their inventory, the setback would force Nick and company to take some time off and find a new location.

(Figure 4)

       
   After some time off and some much needed reconstruction, Endless Records reopened in 2015 at its current location on Main Street. The bright green storefront accented with the orange and red resembles The Clash’s London Calling cover (see Fig. 4) far too much to be a mere coincidence. Situated at the front of the store along the right wall, are the “new” vinyl selections. This section contains current releases and remastered reissues from a variety of genres, still sealed in their original wrapper. The price of new vinyl tends to range from about $20-$30. A quick flip through this section may reveal Thin Lizzy, John Coltrane, Metallica, Wu-Tang Clan, or even R.E.M. Along the right wall beyond the new selections, sits a very large C-shaped shelving unit. It stands as tall as the average waist, and its longest side rests against the wall. Classics such as Snoop Dogg’s Doggfather, The Smith’s The Queen Is Dead (both still sealed) and David Bowie's Aladdin Sane hang upon the wall. White file papers arranged in alphabetical order divide this section of records according to the artist’s name. A quick glance through the section reveals used blues, jazz, funk, soul, classic rock, and alternative titles, as well as the occasional Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings recording. Name tags like Hendrix, Beatles, N.Young, Elton John, and Kiss peek out from their hiding places amongst the rest. Crates filled with doubles and even triples of some of the best-selling albums of all time sit scattered beneath the shelves (Led Zeppelin IV, Supertramp’s Breakfast in America, Kansas’ Leftoverture, and The Police’s Synchronicity to name a few). In the middle of the store, adjacent to the C shelves' longest side, rests a small double-sided shelving unit. The one side contains your traditional pop music icons such as The Beatles and some of their solo works, Rolling Stones, Van Morrison and many more. The backside, packed full of large symphonic and orchestral albums from Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Brahms, Anton Webern, Duke Ellington and more, also contains quite the catalogue of old movie soundtracks.



(Figure 5)

                Along the left wall, you will notice the assortment of other items that Endless Records offers. You will notice three large, fire-engine red bookshelves positioned next to each other. The first contains VHS tapes and cassettes. The second case stands layered to the very top with compact discs, and the third, about twice the size of the first two, houses a number of Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Steinbeck novels. Then, as you turn and look towards the back of the store, your eyes immediately jump to four large arrows covered with the words, “Hey, look, over, here." Most customers would likely agree that the arrows mark the location of  hidden treasures. (see Fig. 5)  Beneath the arrows the “cheapies” section await their new owner. Three large tables are set up, each adorned with a red silk tablecloth weighed down by 6 crates. The contents of these crates, referred to as “cheapies” have certainly seen their better days. Although you will find worn corners and the occasional crease, you can't find many of these records for a better deal. You can purchase one record for $2.99 or you could steal John Denver, Whitney Houston, and Ray Charles hits for just $6. Regardless of what genre you may be in search of, the back of store is sure to have a hidden treasure for you.

                When asked what he enjoys most about his job, Nick can’t decide on just one aspect. He remains silent for a moment and then finally replies, “I enjoy most of what I do regarding this job. I like working for myself, and I don’t pay myself a wage. When money needs to be made, it is up to me to help the customer find something they will like.” So, it's no surprise when the door opens and a young girl and her mother enter the store. Nick welcomes them to Endless Records and asks if there is anything particular that he can help them find. The mother tells him that they are just looking for now, turns to her daughter and says, “Go ahead and take a look around, you can take as long as you want.” The daughter smiles and continues flipping through The Beatles albums, picking out Rubber Soul and handing it over to her mother. As they have a look around, the mother holds up an album for her daughter’s consideration, but she just laughs and says, “I already have that one. Didn’t you hear me playing it the other day?” They spend a few more minutes looking around and then head up to check out. Nick reassures that they were able to find everything alright and then proceeds to ring up their records and books. One can only assume that the average customer never leaves empty handed.

             Jakob English has been collecting records for a few years now. He has made his fair share of trips across the state and purchases online, but states that neither compare to supporting your local record store: “Overall, the store has a ton of variety at very fair prices. I have bought some records in there that I am not so sure I could have found anywhere else. I receive friendly service every time I visit, and I believe that Endless Records has an oddity for everyone.” Nick McGaw has definitely seen his fair share of tragedy in this business, but not even that can stop him from keeping the spirit of vinyl records alive and strong. The outstanding customer service helps everyone walk out with exactly what they were looking for. The enthusiasm and appreciation he brings with him each and every day, along with the endless supply of great records make this store the only one of its kind.