Market Scope
L
ooking for ice-skating music? Is lounge, bachelor pad, or Polynesian music your thing? Original Vinyl in Warwick, NY, is the shop for you.
It’s not unusual for serious collectors to stop in with magnifying glasses and research books to look in the runoff grooves for indicators of the elusive first editions and other finds.
Want a working vintage Edison Diamond Disc phonograph with some original quarter-inch thick records to go with it? Original Vinyl is your place.
The glass display case under the checkout counter is their shrine to Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Jim pointed out his two favorites, the never used bottle of Elvis Shampoo and the circa 1965 Beatles Serving Tray. Sorry, neither are for sale.
Pam and Jim Eigo opened their business in 2017 because of their love of, and connection to, the music industry. They currently carry over 100,000 used records, which they sell both retail and online. They just may have one of the biggest selections of rock, jazz, country western, and bluegrass in the area, as well as a growing classical and show tunes section. The Eigos have two shops located in a strip mall in Warwick, and with a wink of the eye to their industry, they’ve named their stores, Side A and Side B. Side A is a traditional record shop that will bring you back to the old days, with albums separated categorically and alphabetically by large white file folder tabs, displayed in vintage custom-made record cases. Pam’s acrylic blackon-white “transfer” art adorns the walls with portraits of musicians such as Dolly Parton, Billie Holiday, and Bruce Springsteen sharing space.
34
Original Vinyl
The Side B store features all of the oddball stuff. In there, you will find a large collection of 8-track tapes, a wall of 45s, the 78s, vintage carrying cases, and new and used turntables. “We are an official ‘Record Store Day’ store,” Jim says. “We purchase exclusive limited- edition new releases made available by the various record labels. We’re looking forward to the “Black Friday” vinyl offerings on November 26th. We had people lined up at our doors at 5 a.m. for our June and July Record Store Day events!” Good humored, Jim loves to share stories about the many fascinating characters that he’s met in the music business. He likes to say, “Every record tells a story, every album cover tells a story.”
