Milwaukee’s Locally Owned Record Stores

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For some of us, every day is Record Store Day. In Milwaukee we are fortunate to have several vinyl-centric shops that cater to that particular addiction. Each record store has its own personality.

The honor roll of defunct shops includes Radio Doctors, Flipville, Atomic Records, Ludwig Van Ear, Earwaves, The Exclusive Company, Great Lakes, Dirty Jack’s, Spin Dizzy, Lotus Land and more. 

Here’s a look at what’s what today. Once again there is change in the air with Bullseye Records closing shop and Irving Place Records taking its place.

Bullseye Records and Irving Place Records

(1627 E. Irving Place)

Luke Lavin has been behind the counter of record stores most of his adult life. Beginning at Mainstream Music at the corner of Farwell and Brady, he moved to Second Hand Tunes. When he heard that Earwaves was going out of business he decided to open Farwell Music in 1996 next to the Oriental Theatre. 

Ten years later a new enterprise bought the building and doubled his rent. It was time to move. “I looked around and found this space was open. It was next to Comet Café which I loved and at the time I lived across the street on Farwell, so it was perfect—just roll out of bed and roll into work,” Lavin says of Bullseye’s location.

Recently Lavin decided to retire but still plans to do pop up events selling records. He turned the shop over to Terry Hackbarth, a familiar face behind the counter at Bullseye. Along with Don Kurtz, Hackbarth will give the store a facelift and a new name, Irving Place Records.

Hackbarth began working for The Exclusive Company in 1998 at the Brown Deer and East Side locations, where he eventually became manager. Hackbarth was already a regular customer when he was hired at Bullseye. Kurtz also worked at Exclusive Company’s Brown Deer and East Side locations. Both have played in local bands as well, adding that piece to the record store puzzle.

Of his decision to close, Lavin says the bookkeeping and filling out forms for the IRS was never anything he wanted to do. “Owning a record store is much less stressful than owning any other business but I just wanted to be in a record store buying and selling records. I think these guys have it figured out that you have an office guy and a record guy with some overlap … and records are heavy,” he laughs.    

Kurtz’s lifelong music passion and financial experience paired with Hackbarth’s knowledge was equally important as their 30-year friendship. And they want to encourage people to keep playing physical music. Kurtz recalls as a teenager taking his purchase up to the counter and getting a disapproving look. “I don’t want that to happen here,” he laughs.

What will Lavin miss most? “Having record collections walk in. The thrill of someone bringing in three boxes of records and you never know what will be in there.” And importantly, he said he will miss the social hub aspect and interaction with the cast of characters who come in the door.

Record Head

(7045 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis)

The Record Head name has called out to vinyl devotees for five decades. Once there were three Record Heads in Milwaukee and the West Allis location remains. Owner Scott Heifetz has seen a lot. He recalls traveling to Minnesota to purchase stock from stores moving from vinyl to CDs—import and prog rock releases that would command today way more than the bargain prices the stores asked for to get to old stock gone. 

Today Heifetz and longtime employee Aletamarie Kelliher oversee record sales that surpass the format’s heyday in the ‘70s. With new and used vinyl, stereo gear and musical equipment available for by, sell or trade the store’s legendary history also includes being a place of employment for members of The Ghostly Trio, Violent Femmes, Couch Flambeau, The Shivvers, The Exotics and many others.

Lilliput Records

(1669 N. Farwell Ave.)

Rising from the ashes of The Exclusive Company location on Milwaukee’s East Side, former store managers Tanner Musgrove and Brian Kirk continued the long tradition while adding a distinct facet to the shop’s personality. The back of the store now includes a stage for DJ sets and live performances, effectively making it an all-ages venue for special events. The Brady Street neighborhood anchor features a mind-boggling selection of box sets, a wall full of 45s priced at $1, stereo gear DVDs and more.

Volta

(5026 S. 74th St., Greenfield)

Like Lilliput, Volta Records also picked up where an Exclusive Company location left off. Jennifer Young and crew are still ground zero for metal with the Metal Haus located inside the shop. And this is still the free-range store it has long been known as—pick a genre and you can find it here. Young says the store’s regular clientele complimented the upgrades and new music geeks stop in all the time.

Acme Records & Music Emporium

(2341 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.)

Ken Chrisien cut his teeth behind the counter at the now-defunct Farwell Music and Bullseye before heading south to Bayview where he opened Acme Records & Music Emporium. The shop’s unique interior is made up of reclaimed materials; a pipe organ guards the stage that hosts in-store shows. An old soul, Chrisien and his canine sidekick Gertie offer a selection of some of the finest, weird music in town. Plans for upcoming in-store performances include free improv masters Dire Wolves to coincide with Milwaukee Psych Fest.

RushMor Records

(2635 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.)

When is a record store more than a record store? When it is RushMor. The tiny corner shop continues the tradition of record store as trading post, information source and neighborhood hub selling punk, prog, jazz, reggae, zines and more. Looking for that rarest of rare LP by Earl Hooker? Check with Dan DuChaine or Bill Rouleau. Rush Mor is also good neighbor hosting pop up events for local makers, a stage for the Bayview Bash as well as connections to the Pumpkin Pavilion, bicycling events and the occasionally concert promotion at local clubs. 

DuChaine sums up the mission statement: “We to try and be there for people, to know it's not always about you—it’s very humbling … We’re very lucky to be able to do this for a living and offer a place for individuals to find a connection to themselves. Music is so powerful. Like a mirror, the store is a reflection of everyone who visits us. People need music, and we will do this for as long as we’re needed.”

The knowledge base of the folks who run this small Riverwest shop, We Buy Records (904 E. Center St.), has more information than the internet can provide. For those record hounds afraid to venture into Thiensville after dark, Stardust Records (106 S. Main St., Thiensville) keeps it simple with shop hours Friday and Saturday afternoons. This corner store offers a human encyclopedia behind the counter named Rocky. Well organized, a great budget section and the occasional gem for Reitman’s personal stash. 

Musical Memories (833 E. Kilbourn Ave.) is a long-running, well-organized subterranean shop calls to mind Greenwich Village. Omen Alternative Music and Media (1310 Milwaukee AVE, South Milwaukee Ave.) mixes used and new industrial dark wave, horror themed. Celebrating the dark side of music and pop culture they celebrate their first anniversary on Record Store Day. 

The Outliers

If your radar is good, there are also places that may not come to mind as first call but may yield gems. Bay View Books and Music (2653 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) stocks used LPs, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes. Half Price Books (5032 S. 74th St. Greenfield and 17145 W. Bluemound Road) includes music among the books as does Downtown Books (624 N. Broadway) and Friends’ Bookseller located inside the Central Library (814 W. Wisconsin Ave.) Rockhaus Guitars and Drums (820 E. Locust St.) has a finely curated section of recorded music with an emphasis on local artists. 

And don’t forget antique malls including Clocktower Antiques (1134 S. 1st St.) and  thrift stores like Value Village, St. Vincent de Paul, Goodwill, the Salvation Army. Butcher covers, Paramount 78s and TV Eye Live have all been found lurking in the dust.