Theoretically, there are no two record stores that are identical. Like a collection of Ethiopian jazz albums, each shop has a distinction from the others, almost as if these stores are as much an expression of self as the albums they’re selling. Some shops lean on a gimmick, some aim to reimagine the shops of the past, while some fall into place suddenly, finding an identity through the individuals who run the shop. In Stuart, Florida, Vintage Vibes Records’ individuality stemmed from a natural curiosity, artistic prowess, and a passion for sharing what they love with their community.
What started as a humble operation to sell owner Karen’s personal artworks and refurbished, hand-painted vintage furniture has become a hotbed for activity in their humble coastal town. Since their journey began six years ago, Vintage Vibes has expanded from a vehicle for Karen’s artistic endeavors into a unique record shopping experience built around an artistic community.
Vintage Vibes dapples in a bit of everything, and their vinyl-lined shelves only begin to tell a part of this story. Glide had the immense pleasure of speaking with Vintage Vibes owner Karen about her journey into the record shop world, how the shop has grown since opening, and how its adaptability has shaped the Vintage Vibes we see today. You can read our entire conversation below.
https://www.vintagevibesrecords.com
When did Vintage Vibes first open, and how has the shop evolved since? What were your initial visions for your shop?
We signed our lease on March 13, 2020, and 3 days later, the world shut down due to COVID. We didn’t really think about it being a bad thing at the time, because we had build-out to do before opening our doors and Florida never really shut down, so when we opened our doors mid April, 2020, we were slammed! Kids were sick of their parents, parents were sick of their kids, and people just wanted to get out of the house, and a new shop was in town!
Our initial vision was to sell vintage items from collectibles to clothing to knick-knacks and to sell my original art, my canvases consist of vintage furniture, upcycled canvas, mannequins, basically anything that would stand still. We honestly became a record store by accident. My husband said, “Bring these couple of crates of records to see if they sell. These were from our personal collection, mostly doubles and albums we just didn’t want anymore. I called home and said, “DUDE, they don’t want my art, all they want is records” … he said, “Let’s ride that wave while it lasts” … and that’s how Vintage Vibes Records was born. We learned to PIVOT!
I want to mention that for 5 years before opening the brick-and-mortar, we sold my art, painted furniture, and vintage collectibles at pop-ups, venues, and events. A few years later, we then decided to rent a “booth” in an antique mall where we sold my art, vintage furniture, vintage collectibles, and always a crate full of used records. We had our booth for two years before opening our brick-and-mortar.
How did Vintage Vibes end up opening up shop in Stuart, Florida, and in the spot you’re in now? What drew you to the town?
We live in a bigger town about 30 minutes away and inland, but we had friends who had a shop in the Coastal Downtown Stuart. We fell in love with the charming coastal town. When a space became available in the plaza they were in, we jumped at the chance, and we signed the lease at 420 S Colorado Ave., Stuart, FL. (Fast forward, five years later, we outgrew our small space in the plaza and moved to a free-standing historical house at 430 S Colorado Ave., Stuart, FL) And that’s where Vintage Vibes Records resides today. Our new space is about 100 feet from our old space at 420 S Colorado Ave., Stuart, FL. The transition was smooth, and people could find us easily at our new location.
Vintage Vibes hosts some interesting events, like your upcoming First Friday Funk series. What can people expect when attending one of these events, and how do you choose your series genres?
When we were in the plaza at 420 S Colorado Ave., we hosted a FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK every first Friday of the month. This consisted of local artists setting up tents in our parking lot and selling their art and handmade goods. We had fun introducing young entrepreneurs to the ins and outs of selling at pop-up venues and events. Our events had a very laid-back kind of vibe, and it was FREE for these new and seasoned vendors to vend. We brought the community together. I had started selling my art at these events, and I wanted to bring it full circle once we had the brick-and-mortar. When we moved spaces, we could no longer oversee the FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK, so I handed the baton to the shop that moved into the old space. FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK is still free and still bringing new artists and the community together.
We wanted to continue FIRST FRIDAY in our new space. First Friday Funk was born. It is an event that takes place on the First Friday of every month. It’s where DJs come to spin their chosen music while my customers shop. We are open til 9 pm on Fridays, and First Friday Funk is just a way to bring the community together to listen to fun music by local DJs while customers shop. The DJs bring their own vinyl, and each has a 15-20-minute set to spin their favs from 7 pm – 9 pm.
We plan on having local musicians play sets on our First Friday Event, as well as the DJ events. We are fine-tuning this and coming up with a calendar of events. More to come soon!!
Vintage Vibes buys and sells plenty of used vinyl. What is the biggest collection you’ve had to sift through, and do you have any stories of finding hidden gems in a used collection?
The biggest collection to date was probably about 5,000 records. Hidden gems are always a rush. Remember, it’s the thrill of the hunt for us too! That’s how this all started, “The Thrill of the Hunt” in whatever you’re collecting. We bought a jazz collection, and there were quite a few records priced $200-$500. They were original first pressings and in fabulous condition. There was one other collection we bought from a former DJ. Lots of hip hop and rap. We found a JAY Z that was worth $500, along with other HIP HOP + RAP albums that ended up being very pricey.
What genres do you stock for new music, and what record labels do you feel you have the best relationships with?
We stock all genres of new music from Punk to Country. We have a great relationship with Warner Music Group.
Do you find that your area of Florida has certain tastes in certain music that most people wouldn’t expect? Personally, who do you think is Florida’s greatest band or artist?
We find it hard to believe that Taylor Swift is NOT a huge market in our town or our shop. Only for RSD does she take the spotlight. Our area loves an eclectic genre from The Cure to John Prine. There is no rhyme nor reason. People ask, “Who’s your best seller?” My answer is, “Which week are we talking about”? Although Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, The Smiths’ Hatful of Hallows, and Billy Joel’s The Stranger are always our customers’ favourites, we can’t keep them in stock. Others are Korn, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, 311… I could really go on and on!
As for Florida’s best band or artist, I’m going with: The Allman Brothers, Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marilyn Manson, and Pitbull, just to name a few.
What is the rarest or most expensive vinyl to come through your doors?
To date, I would have to say it was a Beatles album. The White Album, UK Press, included all four head shots, poster, and OIS. Original owner. $600. A gentleman came into the shop and said I have some records in my car, you may not be interested, they are all from the UK, and most are The Beatles. He was the original owner of several first UK pressings of various Beatles album titles. I felt like I had hit the jackpot that day!!
How much of your selection is your personal tastes vs what you think people are looking for? How do you determine which albums to put out on your shelves?
Great question. I grew up in the 70’s, so we listened to albums. It’s all we had. My favorites were Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Steely Dan, Boston, ZZ Top, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, the list goes on!! Everybody loves all these bands, and they sell every day. But they love more too! With that being said. We are a participating store for RSD (Record Store Day). In our first year, we ordered everything we liked. Huge mistake lol. We found out the hard way that even though people like our personal tastes, they like a lot more too!! Demographics have a lot to do with it as well. When we were in our smaller space and just starting out, most of our customers wanted the OG vintage vinyl. Since moving to our space we’re in now (100 ft. from our original space, but bigger, and more visible to the public), our customer base has increased tremendously, and the new vinyl and newer artists are far exceeding the sales of the used pre-loved vinyl. Not to say vintage vinyl is dying, but now it’s a hard win for the new artists and represses of the vintage vinyl.
Your store also sells refurbished, hand-painted furniture. How do you find these pieces, and how did it come to be that you guys would be more than a record shop?
So this goes back to the first question of this interview. I have been collecting vintage furniture for over 20 years and painting the pieces in my style. Finding the pieces at estate sales, garage sales, and family. That was how Vintage Vibes started. I had customers asking for custom pieces, and that was my side gig while working a full-time job. Because my art, including my one-of-a-kind furniture and vintage items, was my initial vision (even though the records are paying the bills and they get the real estate in the shop), I’m keeping my first love in the shop forever and always. You will still see my painted vintage furniture, my paintings of original art on the walls, and my love of vintage items for sale. Although the records, CDs, and cassette tapes take up most of my time, and I don’t paint as often as I’d like, I still do take on custom pieces by my existing customers who have purchased my art in the past. My customers love that at Vintage Vibes.
Records, there is something for everyone. People love nostalgia, and when they walk in, the first thing they say is, “Wow, it smells like my past in here”! (Patchouli and Clove oil) Then they go on to say, “I had that when I was a kid, or my mom/grandma had that”!
Record Store Day is right around the corner. How does Vintage Vibes prepare for an event like this? What titles have been the most requested this year?
Once the list is out, we prepare by asking our customers what titles they would like to see in our shop for RSD 2026. We take polls on our social platforms and ask customers when they’re in the shop. We also take into consideration what titles are highly allocated and which titles are rare. I’d have to say this year’s Taylor Swift 7” RSD title is the most popular so far. She is ALWAYS a favourite in our shop for RSD. Grateful Dead is popular this year as well. Our top requests for RSD 2026 are… Pinky Floyd, David Bowie, Pavement, The Cure, Charli XCX, Jeff Buckley, Talking Heads, Grateful Dead, and Blur, just to mention a few.
