Waukesha Record Store Finds New Groove In New Location

WAUKESHA, WI — Walking into Starship Records and Collectibles, 275 W. Main St., is like being in a time warp. Suddenly, it is not 2020 but the 1970s, with Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix posters and stacks of rock records.

What about children of the earlier decades such as the '80s and '90s? For them, there are ample CDs, cassettes, record players, and vintage videogame items to peruse.

Being close to the Antique Mall and other antiques stores provides a throwback vibe. The nostalgia buzz must be strong, because people kept trying to open the locked door Friday. A man sporting a tie-dye shirt stopped to stare longingly into the window.

Owners Crystal Acosta and her husband, Tony Acosta, told Patch they love the enthusiasm. The store will open in the next week or so after moving from 504 Lincoln Ave., where it had been for about seven years. The location has much more space for all the records.

The owners are looking forward to downtown Waukesha events increase foot traffic. Many events were closed due to the pandemic.

Old school is hip

The couple is excited about the new location and new customers.

"Our youngest customer is a 10-year-old who collects Beatles records," Crystal told Patch.

The store generates business from teens and college students looking to fatten up their record collections. There are even people with buyer's remorse looking to buy back something from their younger days.

"We have people who got rid of a collection and now want it back," Tony said.

Popular requests include psychedelic rock and especially the '70s.

"Oh, and old heavy-metal hair bands," Crystal laughed.

Starship Records and Collectibles has a variety of genres such as rock, jazz, polka, R&B, classical, and more. For the jukebox heroes, 45-rpm records are available. There is even a section of holiday music.

"Right now, we have an inventory of a half a million records," Tony said.

Takes you back

A display of a George Michael collection from England was ready to go up on the wall. Tony recalled that the person who owned it was a collector of music. There are also Beatles displays that will be showcased within the store.

The owners said vinyl gives music a better sound than playing it on a cell phone.

Crystal thinks people also love a record because it is something they can touch and has visually pleasing artwork a buyer can look at. Her first 45-rpm record was "The Loco-Motion" by Kylie Minogue; Tony's first record was a Beatles album.

"I had the little suitcase record player, but as I got older I was into other stereo equipment," she said.

The store has old turntables and newer ones complete with Bluetooth connectivity.

Besides jamming to familiar tunes, customers also buy items to take with to concerts.

"One time, Alice Cooper was at Guitar Center, and a couple of girls ran in the store wanting to buy his records for him to sign," Crystal said.

Tony also said that when musicians die, people rush to buy their music. When Prince died in 2016 and country singer Kenny Rogers died in March, there was a rush of customers buying the musicians' albums.

"I think people want something to remember them by," Crystal said.

Updates and opening day updates are available on the store's Facebook page.