24 Music Week 10.08.12 RETAIL


www.musicweek.com


Owner: Glenn Evans VINYL SOLUTION


Give us a brief history of the store… I started selling records in Swiss Cottage Market in London in the 1970s. Vinyl Solution was founded in


1992 in Oakleigh in Melbourne's southeast as a tiny shop that served the local area. In time, the stock grew considerably and, by the end of the 1990s, we were trading on the net and dealing worldwide. In 2002 we moved to much larger premises in Cheltenham where we have been ever since. There are three Vinyl Solutions - one in the UK, one in California, and ourselves - but we're unrelated.


How are independent record stores doing in Australia? Times are fairly tough for everyone at the moment and new stores that open do tend to struggle, with some closing within the first year. But the industry are still fairly healthy with over 30 stores operating


throughout Melbourne and many more nationwide. Some are specialist stores, particularly in the popular dance/techno genre, but there is still a lot of general shops. Even though times can be


tough, the basic principle is still sound - if you can get good stock, you will generate sales. We buy collections regularly and are still finding good stuff on a reasonably regular basis.


How is business today compared to when you first opened and previous years? Business is as healthy as it was 20 years ago but it is much more diverse than in 1992. Internet sales now represent a much larger proportion of sales than they did 10 years ago and a healthy internet presence generates larger local and international sales. CD and DVD sales are much


slower than they were but the core business - vinyl - is stronger than it has ever been.


INTERNET VS HUMAN


Shop5/10 Park Road, Cheltenham, Victoria 3192 Australia t +61 3 9585 0133 wvinylsolution.com


“Business is as healthy as it was 20 years ago but more diverse... Vinyl is stronger than ever” GLENN EVANS, VINYL SOLUTION


Around 20 years ago people couldn't understand why anyone wanted to buy a record instead of a CD, now even people who have no personal interest in vinyl understand it's attraction. They are beginning to understand that vinyl has superior sound and they appreciate the tactile quality of a record.


How can retailers combat the rise of digital downloads and tough times at the moment? Digital downloads have had a serious affect on the average High Street store with CD sales


suffering considerably but it doesn't affect our business in the same way. Retailers can combat the


effects of downloading by making sure they are properly diversified. Don't put all your eggs into one CD jewel case. When people come into the store they enjoy the experience of looking and touching records. It’s also important that items


listed on the web are correctly graded and described so that people get what they expect when their package arrives.


Is there anything that you think the music industry or government could be doing to help indie retailers? Indie retailers tend to be small businessmen but not 'small business', which, in Government terms, means a business with around 20 employees. Most of


us are sole traders with only one or two employees, if any, and tax breaks are generally aimed at larger industries. We get very little in the way of


tax breaks and no support from local councils or governments but an appreciation of the costs involved in running an independent shop would be helpful when it comes to working out tax rates and small business incentive benefits.


How confident are you about the future? I'm confident that, as long as I can find good stuff to sell, there will always be a market. As the years go by, appreciation for the golden age of popular music - from around 1955 to 1980 - continues to grow. Finding music from that era and making it available is my primary focus.


This week’s High Street Hero Jason Moore takes on his digital rivals ...


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WE SAID WE LIKED... RIHANNA Talk That Talk


DAVID GUETTA Nothing But The Beat GLENN RECOMMENDED... VARIOUS Motown Chartbuster Vol.5


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