New Record Store, We Buy Records, Pops Up In Chicago’s Western Suburbs, Westchester, With Promising Business Strategy

Apr 12, 2021 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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By James Currie

During Covid shutdown, pandemic fears and people not wanting to even leave the house, Andy Noble and his business partner Brian Cote are making strides to change that. The two recently opened up a brick and mortar record store in the Chicago suburbs of Westchester Illinois called, We Buy Records. Opening a new establishment is something that almost no one is doing these days and sadly, even with the resurgence of vinyl collecting, many who have been around for years are closing down. But these guys have a new business model in mind and a global pandemic is not going to deter them.

Set up in a sleepy rundown, unassuming strip mall near Roosevelt and Mannheim, the guys are building a start up that record collectors from a tristate area are going to want to visit. Originally scheduled to open last year, the pandemic put the brakes on things. This year, they’re slowly ramping things up and hope to be fully going by the end of the year. As the name states, they buy records, but the bigger part is, they sell records. This small storefront boast record bins full of music from around the world and as the name out front initially caught my attention, I pulled in to see what it’s all about.

For weeks I would drive by and see the place but no lights on, no staff and doors never open. I noticed records moved around and boxes piling up, so I knew something was happening inside, but could never get in. Later, I learned they were still getting established and selling online first with appointments only, then slowly opening up to just Thursday open hours. And short hours at that. Only open from 10AM to 2PM. I called them on the phone number they were advertising for buying records and finally got it.

I had been eyeing a couple records I was seeing through the windows. There was an Alice Cooper and Motley Crue I really wanted and when they finally let me in, got, and found so much more. I’ve been a record collector myself for over 35 years. Ever since I was old enough to put wax on a platter, I was hooked. Every holiday and birthday I asked for it. Then there was a dark time, like most in the mid 90’s, I lost interest and to be honest, needed the money, so sadly sold my collection. I held on to a few jewels, but the other 500+ were loaded up in some guys truck. It left a hole in my heart. What had I done? When times got better in the mid 2000’s, I started building that collection up again and since have surpassed what I had collected but there’s always been those few I let go I can never afford again. You know, those alt-rock & metal legends in the hundreds now.

The store itself, is very modest. Just a ring of grey wooden bins outlining the room with a center section of the same. There is not real order to the vinyl in the bins. I found rock mixed in with country, pop and soundtracks. One side of the room seemed to be more jazz and soul focused and the lower shelves I found out were their dollar bins. The back half of the store is their operations. The place where they sort, price and sell the good stuff online and prepare for shipping.

There are no posters on the wall. No displays or ceiling dangling promos. No countertops full of band stickers as a matter of fact there’s not even a counter to sell from at all! No artwork anywhere except for a cardboard cutout of a 1970’s looking family in the window near the front door. No record players set up for listening stations. No sound system for the shop to play. This is bare-bones, but soon I learned, that’s alright because their philosophy is not based on achieving the classic, “Record Store” vibe, they are no nonsense and that affords them the ability to literally sell vinyl cheaper than anyone else in the Chicagoland area. Low overhead. No staffers.

Speaking with Noble about their business, he described what they have planned. Backspin on Andy, he’s not new to the record business. He first started selling vinyl back in 2000. “We’re here to buy and sell records. We’re in the business of not collecting, but moving records.” He went on with, “We pay a fair price for good quality records. We buy most collections, passing on the Goodwill stuff. We want people to know we are quality record dealers and sell at a really good price.” They buy from several sources like most do, online, walk-ins and private collections they come across. They even do house calls. They base prices on the industry standard of music collecting, cataloging, rating and pricing, Discogs. The online music service that most record collectors and music store retail markets follow. One of the major things that sets them apart from others is not only their selectiveness on quality, but they price what they resell at the lowest end of the rating charts to ensure they’ll be moving things rather than most store do keeping massive inventory laying around at over inflated rates. It’s a smart move and for me alone, is working as I’ll be coming back every chance I get.

Other things they’ll be doing is setting up at record conventions selling their, less than perfect, ungraded records for a discount. Those records will be just $5. Those are not good enough quality to make it to their store shelves or online service, but for those who just want cheap records to play at home, is a nice alternative. This works for people like me who are completists. I don’t necessarily need random Styx and Journey albums, but once I start a collection on one artist, I like to get everything they’ve made to complete my obsession. And since condition doesn’t always matter for those titles, at $5, I don’t complain.

This is Andy’s second record store as he also owns one in Milwaukee. For Brian, it’s his first venture outside of the pizza business. Brian is from the area and they picked this location based on that and that there is nothing else in the area. They got a good deal on the space and have plans for future growth within the store itself. I’m guessing as time passes, they open up to more hours and when the word gets around, the pandemic won’t matter as I see people coming out in droves for this. Actually, I just realized I might be shooing myself in the foot with this article. I mean, this could be my new honey hole.

For more on We Buy Records, visit them at their retail space location in Westchester:

10233 W Roosevelt Rd.

Westchester, IL 60154

Or online at:

webuyrecordsusa.com

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• andy noble, buying records, discogs, Illinois, Record Store, used records, we buy records, westchester

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