By: Liam Real
Wuxtry Records Store Manager Nathaniel Mitchell
(Photo courtesy/Liam Real)
You walk into Wuxtry Records in Athens, Georgia, and store manager Nathaniel Mitchell greets you with a warm “how’s it going?” as he sorts through a new shipment of vinyls. As you enter you immediately hear music playing over speakers and notice thousands of records and their artwork. It almost feels like a museum with records all over the walls and throughout the aisles. Decorative vinyls hang from the ceiling, adding to the spectacle of the store. Most of all, you get a welcoming feeling from Mitchell and the staff, who immediately offer any help finding what you need.
It is Wednesday afternoon, one of the busiest times of the week for Mitchell, when the store receives its midweek shipment. Mitchell estimated he gets about 20 boxes of records a week, which must be sorted. Then Mitchell and his staff have to re-stock everything that has been sold.
Mitchell said he was very passionate about music and vinyls even before his job at Wuxtry Records.
“Both my parents, both from the classic rock generation, and both of them into music, and I would say in our house growing up, probably had about 2,000 records,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell grew up around vinyls and fell in love with them. He started to buy records for himself in the 1990s, he said, when a lot of people believed they were outdated and started to get rid of them. He said during that time they were very cheap and he still enjoyed that format of music.
Now, everything has changed. Today, vinyls have returned and become a popular format for purchasing music once again, especially with the younger generation who did not grow up with it. Mitchell said he is happy younger people are starting to buy vinyls and appreciate the format. He is not shocked that vinyls are still being purchased and believes there is something to be said about the artwork of vinyls and how well they play, if you have the right equipment.
Vinyls give a unique way and vibe to listening to music. Young people buy them because they like the unique style, and older consumers grew up with them and it feels nostalgic.
In a world constantly advancing in technology, vinyls have somehow stayed around. According to a survey done by statista.com, in 2019, 35% of vinyl buyers in the United States were between the ages of 18-35 years old.
About Wuxtry Records and its history
Wuxtry Records store front, at 197 E. Clayton St., Athens, Georgia
(Photo Courtesy/wuxtryrecords.com)
Wuxtry Records in Athens, Georgia, has been open since 1976, coming on 50 years. Wuxtry Records brings musical history to Athens, by keeping the vinyl business going locally and having famous people working at the store, like Peter Buck of R.E.M.
Wuxtry Records is full of music from many different eras of music and every genre you could name. Mitchell estimated that the store has about 25,000 records, so it stays busy. He also said that if you include CDs the total should be around 30,000.
Mitchell’s Passion
Mitchell said he appreciates the history of the store and how it has stayed in business for so long. It is a big part of why he loves his job, saying it’s amazing how there have been three generations of people that have come to the store.
Mitchell loves his job and cares very deeply about the vinyl business. He will always be there to help anyone find what they need and give advice about records or equipment. Mitchell said he always felt like the type of job he was best suited for is somewhere that felt like a “mom and pop” independent store. Combining his love for vinyls and the rich history of Wuxtry Records makes his job perfect for him.
“It’s something that matters a lot to me. It’s very important to me, you know the fact that this small business has been around for so long.”
Source info:
Nathaniel Mitchell (Wuxtry Records Store Manager)
706-369-9428