Glitter Records is a new music shop hidden in the heart of Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Swinging open its doors in November 2022, the shop is already getting rave reviews from local publications such as The Music. Having run a business selling vinyl online for two years, owner Riley Fitzgerald, 34, shares his excitement over turning his dream into a reality.
At first, he thought that opening a brick-and-mortar shop at a time when many local businesses were closing was too great a risk. However, after coming across a boutique shopfront at 6 California Lane when searching for a new office, it all fell into place.
Glitter Records works hard to find the best quality vinyl for customers
His shop now stocks hundreds of vinyl albums alongside books and Pokémon trading cards. The records in Riley’s shop range from hard-to-find to the bizarre. He also works hard to stock pop classics in great condition and at a reasonable cost.
“Two record collectors have come to me in the past two days that have been under 15 years old,” Riley shares. “They already have their own turntables. It’s not just older people. Another fast-growing group of collectors is those between 18 and 25. And if I can just say this, they have very eclectic tastes. In addition to catering to established collectors, I want to also give these younger music fans the excitement of owning an ’80s record by The Cure or an original 1960s Beatles pressing for the first time.”
Riley is helped in setting the store’s trajectory by recent Q.U.T. graduate Beth Davis.
“Most of the time,” Beth says, “seeking the perfect vinyl can feel like a game of Where’s Waldo, drowning in a sea of the same five types of vinyl, searching from A to Z only to find that the record has already been snatched up or muddled in with the remaining records. Although the hunt does grant a sense of pride, we have thought up a way to maintain the wonder with far less searching. Our specially curated collection of music and pop culture memorabilia has allowed a wealth of customers to find their beloved items, with a few extra wonders in tow.”
The store embraces a new era of vinyl collecting
“My online business put me on the path to opening the shop,” Riley adds, “Everything in the store is also online. No matter where you are I want you to see what other customers are seeing. I am still very committed to our customers in cyberspace. As well as those I am meeting in-store.”
Before he opens the store each day Riley spends up to three hours packing a growing number of online orders. He is not alone, however. He shares that he is often helped in the shop’s mail room by his mother Suzanne Fitzgerald and her pet pomeranian Taco. “I couldn’t do it without their help,” he shares.
While the store’s to-do list is still a long one, the shop is definitely open for business.
“There is still so much more I want to do,” Riley says. “If you have not come in yet please come in and introduce yourself. We have new records coming in all the time and I am listening very intently to what the local community tells me they want. I also hope many returning customers will take pleasure in helping us continue to evolve.”
Glitter Records is open 9 am to 3 pm every Thursday to Sunday.
Visit Glitter Records’ online store here.
