Fellow Del Ray Business Owner Helps Crooked Beat Records Find New Home

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Crooked Beat Records is no stranger to being relocated over its 26 years. Owner Bill Daly told Patch "health hazards" forced the record store out of DC's Adams Morgan in 2016.

It had been in Alexandria's Old Town North for seven years until this year, when it relocated due to pending redevelopment — a tip from a fellow business owner helped find the next home for the shop.

Now Crooked Beat Records is open in a new location at 2417 Mount Vernon Ave. in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood. The Del Ray Business Association held a ribbon cutting Friday for the relocated store.

Crooked Beat Records was formerly located at Montgomery Place, a building with various business tenants. In the spring, developer Carr Companies received approval for a redevelopment of Montgomery Place into a mixed-use development.

That left Crooked Beat Records scrambling to find a location.

Daly said businesses had a previous deadline of June 30 to vacate the building. Since only about half of businesses have left, that deadline was extended as businesses try to find new locations.

But Crooked Beat Records found a location with help from a frequent customer.

Helen Daly, who is a co-owner with her husband, told Patch that Cheesetique owner Jill Erber helped the store find the new spot. Crooked Beat Records is in a downstairs space next to Cheesetique's Del Ray location.

In Del Ray, Helen Daly says there is less of a fear of being relocated due to a building tear down. In addition, Del Ray had less of a commercialized feel than another location Crooked Beat Records was considering in Alexandria.

"The feel of the neighborhood to me, it just has a cool vibe: the restaurants, the mom-and-pop stores. That's part of the reason this [store] has a neighborhood feel," said Helen Daly.

Gayle Reuter with the Del Ray Business Association said it was big for Del Ray to gain a business like Crooked Beat Records.

"We know he's a destination business. We know he's bringing people from all over. He's got a great fanbase, so we are so lucky he came to Del Ray.

Alexandria City Councilmember Kirk McPike, who attended the ribbon cutting, remarked, "It's great to see a business like yours coming to Del Ray. You fit the vibe, you fit the feel here in Del Ray, but more importantly you're going to bring people here that are going to enjoy the community and support some of our other businesses."

Crooked Beat Records dates back to 1997, when Bill Daly first opened the store in Raleigh, North Carolina. It relocated to DC's Adams Morgan in 2004, then Alexandria in 2016. The business specializes in vinyl records largely in the alternative, classic rock and punk rock genres, which has drawn a fanbase of frequent customers. Customers can also find items like posters and apparel. Current hours are 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

"There's been some new people that come in and are curious," Helen Daly added. "We've felt so welcomed already in the neighborhood."