Vinyl Resurgence Continues
WDCB’s Gary Zidek catches up with Julie Hughes the owner of the just-opened Mudroom Records in Glen Ellyn to talk about what it’s like selling vinyl in 2023.
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Last year, for the first time since 1987, sales of vinyl records surpassed those of compact discs. According to the end of year report from the recording industry association, music fans purchased more than 41 million records, totaling $1.2 billion in sales. That's up 20% from the year before. And it’s not just a one year fluke, record sales have been going up for the last 16 years. Perhaps, after 35-plus years of independent music shops closing … maybe now is the right time to open a record store.
Glen Ellyn resident Julie Hughes thought so. She just opened Mudroom Records in downtown Glen Ellyn.
Mudroom Records owner Julie Hughes
It might be 2023, but stepping into Mudroom Records feels like a throwback to the pre-Napster days of record stores. There are posters and music lyrics on the walls. The album bins reflect contain a mix of older and contemporary releases. Hughes is hoping the store becomes a hub of sorts for music lovers.
A look inside Mudroom Records in Glen Ellyn.