Newmarket's 33 1/3 Record Store is a dream come true for owner Rob Davison.
His sister gave him his first record when he was just six years old, Abbey Road by The Beatles. He grew up checking the charts and using his allowance to buy a 45 RPM record every week.
As a teenager, he would frequent record stores and that's something that continued into adulthood, especially Sam the Record Man in Toronto.
"I was there and this young lady asked me what Stevie Wonder album should she buy and I said, 'I don't work here' and she said,'No, but you just look like the kind of person that would know,'" he said.
That interaction inspired him to start his own record store in the Newmarket area. He left his job as a teacher in York Region and opened 33 1/3 in 2016.
The name is inspired by the speed at which a regular record spins, 33 and 1/3 revolutions per minute. A 45, a smaller record, is named that because it spins at 45 revolutions per minute.
The store started in Aurora and moved to its current location at 350 Harry Walker Parkway in 2019.
Originally, it was just Davison running the record store, but after a while his wife, Robin, quit her full-time job to work at the store as well.
While she grew up playing sports rather than listening to music, she has grown to be a music enthusiast over the years. However, the biggest thing that stands out for her in running a music store is the community they've created.
"I used to be in HR, employee relations and so people only call when there's a problem. You go out to a record store and the people (who) go there are happy... it's a complete shift," she said.
Davison agreed that's one his favourite parts of the store and it keeps him excited.
"I pretty much know everyone that comes into the store. I know their musical tastes. We share information, talk about concerts we went to or up-and-coming stuff," he said. "There's a real sense of community at our store."
Of course, the other big thing is records, which have seen a resurgence in interest in recent years.
Based on his experience in the industry, Davison said he believes it's because of the tactile experience and the sense of ownership.
"You don't get the same sense if you download a song or you listen on Spotify," he said.
Records are also collectibles. The album artwork can be a factor in that, which expands to the colour of the vinyl itself. He gave the example of Taylor Swift's latest album Midnights, which was released on four different-coloured limited edition vinyls.
33 1/3 Records carries a wide variety of genres spanning decades and including new albums.
With the resurgence of records, he has also noticed an increasing number of teenagers and young people coming into the store. When asked what about records appeals to young folks, Davison said, "I think it's the same thing that attracted, you know, the other generation. It's being part of something, owning something, you know, supporting the artists."
Later this spring, the store will be moving once again to the new plaza at the southeast corner of Davis Drive and Harry Walker. Davison is hoping to attract more foot traffic in that area.
Work is currently underway in the space to make it into a store and the plan is to open in May after they close the existing shop at the end of April.
