Owner: Tom Kohn Monroe Avenue Rochester, NY
In our quest to bring you the most accurate and applicable information concerning vinyl records, we reached out once again to Tom from Bop Shop Records. Tom has been in business since the very early 1980’s but has been working in the music and record industry since dirt. Well, maybe not dirt but a long time.
The cold and drizzly day quickly faded as I opened the poster laden door to Bop Shop Records. “The Traveling Wilburys” (see note later) were blasting . Liz was sitting at the counter. Without hesitation I was quickly told Tom was in basement and would be right up.
I spied a pack of SLP3’s on the counter and several other products we make at Bags Unlimited. *Note to self…remember to thank Tom for being such a great friend and customer.
And, just as promised, up came Tom from the basement, only for us to turn and head back down.
It’s one of those basements that although neat and tidy enough, you could literally get lost in it. It is PACKED with info, music, autographs, posters, and every now and again an empty bottle of something left over from one of the concerts held there.
So, once we got settled, we go back to our last conversation and reiterate that
JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS OLD, IT IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY PRICELESS. Old does not equate to dollar signs.
Like many businesses, records are also a SUPPLY AND DEMAND revenue generator.
Now, just to show you a little bit about why this man knows so much, by the time Tom was 16, he already owned a hefty 3,000 some odd records. He helped start the music radio station at MCC (Monroe Community College) and started the radio station at Sperry High School. He worked for *Rounder Records (see note later) had attended some tech courses at RIT and basically was living the dream!
So, when he opened his first store in 1982, no one was surprised.
BUT, to our delight we had inherited a genius in the music industry who was not afraid to share what he knew….and he knew a lot.
So, what DO we know?
The #1 rule is pretty steadfast:
- OLD DOES NOT MEAN DOLLARS
- MUSIC IS ARTIST DRIVEN
- A RECORD THAT CAN’T PLAY IS USELESS
- ORIGINALS, ORIGINALS, ORIGINALS
Now, this is a little different from the last article. Here we are noting that ARTISTS drive the industry and ORIGINALS beat out anything. Especially if the record(s) is still unopened.
Imports and One of a Kind are next up!
12” Record Gatefold Sleeve
12″ LP Gatefold Sleeve. 25-3/4 x 12-5/8″. 3 mil POLYETHYLENE. Fits over open Gatefold Jacket. 1/2″ slit in the center on one side of the sleeve. 2 equal pockets 12-11/16 x 12-5/8″. The sleeve is open on one short end for Gatefold jacket insertion.
