Finding his groove

New store owner preserves, promotes the sweet sound of vinyl

By TS Targos

Correspondent

                  Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Tim Townsend opened Black Circle Records – a store specializing in music, record players and music memorabilia from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

                  Townsend said he hopes the store will provide a connection – between his love of music and memories of the era – with the public.

Vintage vinyl and more

                  Located on the first floor of the Landmark Center Building in Lake Geneva, Black Circle Records is a throwback to record stores of the 60’s – the store buys, sells and trades only vintage vinyl albums and “45” singles – there are no cassette tapes or CD’s in sight.

                  Formerly an art gallery, the small, well-organized store has several racks of carefully packaged records – rock, pop, jazz, blues, R&B, country, movie soundtrack and comedy recordings from the 1950s through the 1980s.

                  The shop also carries numerous 60s era record players and turntables – all completely restored by Townsend, who also offers turntable repairs and parts including belts and needles.

                  The store’s walls are filled with framed album covers and posters of rock, jazz and blues artists and concerts.

                  A display case houses an eclectic collection of music memorabilia.

                  Adding to the atmosphere, music from the 60s, 70s and 80s plays on the store’s sound system.

                  Townsend said the store’s initial inventory – 2,000-3,000 albums and singles – came out of his vast personal collection. The tough part, however, was deciding what he could part with.

                  “It was hard going through records to choose which ones to sell. I kept asking myself, ‘do I really want to sell this one?’ It was tough,” he said.

                  In addition to albums by popular artists as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Led Zeppelin and Miles Davis, the shop also offers some rarities:

                  • Unusual Beatles  recordings, such as a record made while the band was recording the Abbey Road album as well as a recording of the band’s 1964 appearance at the Hollywood Bowl, and;

                  • A 1940 pressing of the original soundtrack of the Wizard of Oz, which Townsend believes is the first movie soundtrack ever sold on vinyl.

                  Townsend is adding new inventory from customers looking to sell their old records and sometimes makes real finds. One recent addition is a “45” recording of the Beatles’ first press conference from their first visit to the US in 1964.

                  “It was specially made to be played by radio stations and is still in its original packaging – it is extremely rare,” he said.

Inspiration for opening

                  Townsend said that starting the store is something he wanted to do his entire life. He believed that a record store always seemed “like a great way to share my love of music with everybody and keep the memories and this music alive.”

                  Townsend grew up in the 70’s and fell in love with the music of that time. As he got older, he started to appreciate different genres of music – including jazz and R&B. He also began to appreciate the talents of singers like Billie Holiday, whose voice Townsend said “made you pay attention to what she was singing about.”

                  For Townsend, it is the lyrics he wants people to remember.

                  “In those days, musicians sang about was going on in their lives, what was happening in the world…you really don’t get that as much with the new music these days. The talent and songs of musicians from the 60’s and 70’s are what this store is about…it is a lost art,” he explained.

Starting up

                  Only recently have things fallen into place, allowing Townsend to pursue his dream and open the store.

                  A welder by trade, he moved to Lake Geneva three years ago from Illinois. After being in the area awhile, he said he realized it could be “a perfect place to open a record store. Lake Geneva didn’t have one and the closest places were in Milwaukee or Chicago. This motivated me.”

                  Over the years, Townsend had been saving up to open a store, but being a single parent made it tough.

                  Then last June, Townsend’s grandmother died.

                  “She really wanted me to make this happen and unbeknownst to me, left me a small sum. She was making sure that if I really wanted to open a store, there was something to help me get it started,” he said.

                  At the beginning of October, Townsend began moving in inventory. As fate would have it, he was laid off from his welding job later that month.

                  Townsend said since he had already come this far, he was not going stop. He decided to move forward and opened the store in January.

                  “If the store works – excellent; if it fails, at least I tried and I won’t regret it the rest of my life…I could always go back to welding.

                  “I didn’t come into this with the attitude that I am going to strike it rich selling albums. I just want to be able to make a living and share my music and keep the memories of the music alive,” he said.

Focus is on customers

                  Since opening, Townsend said the store’s customers have ranged from high school students to grandparents. He is surprised at the knowledge younger people have of 60s, 70s and 80s music.

                  “It’s really cool that a whole new generation is getting into this music,” he said.

                  Townsend said that the coolest thing though, is when older customers come to the store, flip through the albums, and he sees their memories flood back.

                  “I have seen husbands and wives come in to store, browse for a while. Before they leave, I’ll hear one of them remark ‘when we get home, let’s pull those old records out and start listening to them again.’

                  “Boom, right there…that’s what I want. Since I’ve been open, I have been hearing this more and more,” he said.

                  Most memorable was a recent visit by an older female customer.

                  “She came into the shop, started looking through the records and mentioned that she hadn’t seen anything like them in years. While looking at the 45s, she commented how she once had owned this record and another…then she started to tear up,” he explained.

                  When Townsend asked the customer if she was OK, she replied, “Don’t mind me – I used to have all these records and 45s, but I gave them all away years ago. Now I see them all again and it brings back all these memories.

                  “That’s what it’s all about…the way the music touches people. These old tunes had brought her to tears,” he said.

                  Townsend said he did not even mind that the customer didn’t buy anything, though she promised him that she would return soon.

Getting the word out

                  Townsend said that he is “still kind of fresh out the gate yet” and has done only limited amounts of marketing – posting flyers and passing out business cards.

                  “So far what has worked is word of mouth and it seems to be traveling like wildfire. It’s because I am something new and there is nothing like this around here – it brings out the curiosity in folks.”

                  In addition to selling vintage recordings, Townsend said he would like to help promote local musicians. He has been telling local bands about the store and offering to help publicize their recordings and upcoming performances at the shop.

                  “Over the years, I have had a lot of friends in bands, and I know how tough it is to get your name out there and get noticed,” he said.

                  Last month, he started inviting local artists to play at the store on weekends. During Winterfest, the Repetes played their guitars in the shop and on Valentine’s Day weekend, John Ludy Puleo, a Frank Sinatra-styled singer, entertained customers.

                  Townsend is looking to arrange a Grand Opening event and is talking to city officials about arranging a celebration that would include a concert with live bands at Flat Iron Park during a weekend afternoon. If it works out, he would like to arrange for local bands to play similar concerts in the summer.

            “If I can use my store to bring more live music to Lake Geneva, then excellent,” he said.