By PATRICK HENDRIX
Staff Writer
A walk into Wuxtry Records, a mainstay in downtown Athens since 1976, will be sure to evoke a few feelings from you: excitement, curiosity, and most of all, nostalgia.
Wuxtry has been buying and selling records for over 35 years and by the look of things, it has not changed much. An array of classic posters coats the walls of this timeless joint. Known for its unique history as much as its impressive collection of records, this place is truly one of a kind.
Famous musicians Peter Buck of R.E.M as well as Danger Mouse of Gnarls Barkley and Broken Bells are just two of the many prominent figures to have manned the counters of Wuxtry. They, however, are not what make Wuxtry records great.
The employees are all approachable and more than willing to share their music knowledge with anyone who comes in, whether you are looking to buy a record or simply in to take in Wuxtry’s distinctive atmosphere.
When asked what makes Wuxtry unique, employee Mike Turner, shared this, “Each record store is made unique by the records carried. Here, we have a wide range of records. The owner, Dan, likes blues, jazz and R&B. John likes psychedelic rock, world music and reggae. I like a lot of punk, post-punk and heavy electronic. Each one of us has our own thing we specialize in.”
As you wander through the aisles of the store, each bin is bound to hold something of great taste. Such is why you should never bring more money than you are willing to spend, because unless you are the most trained of shoppers, chances are you will spend every dime. The near constant stream of music inside the store makes it easy to forget what record you came for, and you may wind up discovering a new band or even a new genre.
In a world of iTunes and MP3s, Wuxtry has managed to survive. Only time will tell what the future holds for the store, but by staying true to itself and the music that people love, chances are Wuxtry Records will be here for a while.