Move to the Music
Austin's Waterloo Records sets closing, reopening dates for local move
From left to right: Co-ownersTrey Watson, John Kunz, and Caren Kelleher.
What could have been a scary change for Austin music lovers is about to be resolved: Waterloo Records has set a date to move from its location of 35 years, just half a mile away. The move was announced in January, and fans can visit the new shop at 1105 N. Lamar Blvd. as early as Saturday, August 30.
The current store will close temporarily to accommodate the move. The last day to visit the longtime location is Sunday, August 24.
Although change is hard in a city with as many growing pains as Austin's had, Waterloo posted an excited list of new and expanded offerings that visitors can look forward to.
As usual, the store will carry vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, and Blu-Ray. Some going forward can even be plated with 24-karat gold and platinum to make special memorabilia.
This metallic addition is thanks to the new co-ownership of the record store by Gold Rush Vinyl founder Caren Kelleher; Gold Rush has pressed records for artists including Fall Out Boy, Rüfüs Du Sol, Tom Yorke, RuPaul, Charley Crockett, and is practiced in making gold and platinum records. Armadillo Records CEO Trey Watson has also joined as a co-owner, the company announced in January.
Instead of just selling content, there will also be new creative tools to make it, including in-house lacquer cutting (the process of making the grooves in a record), a Dolby Atmos spatial audio mixing studio designed by John Mayer engineer Chad Franscoviak (which can be rented by mixing engineers), and a rentable podcast studio that Waterloo will also use.
Waterloo Records is known not just for its longtime presence in Austin, but for having frequent and notable in-store events. It will now have a new stage built with "flooring from the original Austin City Limits Studio 6A stage, generously donated by KLRU," according to the post. Performances will be taped and shared with "the rest of the world."
Finally, guests are encouraged to stick around even longer with the addition of a bar for beer, wine and coffee, plus seating.
Behind the scenes, all this means that former sole owner John Kunz can take a break now and then, entrusting his new partners with taking some of the workload.
“Now with this transition, all of my boxes are checked: a new larger home, just five blocks away," said John Kunz in a January press release, "Caren and Trey buy in as my new, talented, local music industry partners; all of my team are retained and they will gain the opportunity for store ownership; all of the Waterloo Records hallmarks and traditions continue on, including innovation; and now as a minority partner and not sole proprietor, I get to work less, and play more. So thank you Austin!”
For now, Waterloo Records is open at 600 N. Lamar Blvd. from 10 am to 9 pm.
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