LOCAL BUSINESS • Goldie’s Record Company

THE OSIDER JULY / AUGUST 2022

GOLDIE’S RECORD COMPANY

WORDS: CIARA GUTIERREZ PHOTOS: ZACH CORDNER

Owner Danielle Mendicelli

If you’re a regular at Oceanside’s Sunset Market, you can’t miss her. But if you’re a fan of classics on vinyl, then you’ll definitely know her. It took a couple tries before I was able to sit down and talk with Danielle Mendicelli—the music aficionado behind Goldie’s Record Company. It’s no-fault of her own, but a necessity of being a business owner. Her setup consists of crates upon crates of your grandpa’s, mom’s, and best friend’s favorites, so with a collection as eclectic as hers—you don’t really know what to expect. Fortunately, a warm and personable soul pierces through to shatter any and all intimidation—but mystery still remains.

There’s more to Danielle than just the business she’s built from the ground up. And while the story of “how” has been shared, you can find out way more just by asking her “why.” On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in the park, accompanied by the sweet sounds of vinyl, we met to chat more about the angle all other publications have missed. She speaks of her upbringing paying homage to her grandfather, her grandmother, and the city she was raised in. “I take so much pride in being born and raised in San Francisco, because the culture of the city gave me depth,” she recalled. Most idiosyncrasies are attributed to the fond memories of growing up or the loved ones creating those memories, but it’s more than apparent in the warmth of her words just how much love has informed her life.

A bright smile swept across her face as she detailed her grandpa blasting his favorite records first thing in the morning, but selfassuredness sets in as she explained how she’s now able to do that for her own two children. A ways away from the Bay, Oceanside feels a lot like home now, as she’s a favorite at both Sunset Market and Ikigai’s Artist Awakening. “The transition to Southern California was difficult until I met Oceanside. I travel up and down the coast of California immersing myself in different communities, while sharing music, but I’ve yet to find a community as great as Oceanside. The artists and musicians here are talented and authentic. The small businesses are supportive and welcoming of this talent which seems to create a cohesive and welcoming atmosphere, for locals and non-locals alike,” she doubled down on the magic of Oceanside. “The majority of my pop-ups are held in Oceanside because I’ve received unwavering support here from the beginning. In turn, I’ve made the most beautiful connections and created a steady, local client base that not only supports my vision but also helps feed my family.”

Fortunately for Danielle and patrons in the area, the motivation to leave her secure corporate job wasn’t in the hopes of becoming a successful business owner; it was for the freedom to operate. Out of the love for her children, she wants to be present and to show how much beauty is out in the world to explore. Out of the love for music, she wants to provide the opportunity for people of all ages to connect their most tender moments to melodies. And it’s out of the love for others that she reminds the world what kind of things are worth prioritizing. For Danielle, a life worth loving is worth it all.

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