This morning, I came across a surprisingly profound statement from Warehouse & Distribution Science by John Bartholdi and Steven Hackman—a logistics manual, of all places. It reads,
“Generally there is not much to learn by comparing with an ideal because that ideal might not be practical. And, furthermore, it gives no hints on how to achieve similar performance.”
This speaks to a truth I’ve been wrestling with.
Glitter Records, my own business, is more than just a modern record store—it’s a venture driven by the aspiration to stand for something greater. This dream is fueled by idealism, the kind generously gifted to us by the finest poets, artists, and music makers. Yet, practicality serves as a constant reminder that my vision must also function within the realities of an all-too-imperfect world.
How To Run a Successful Record Store? Balance Idealism and Practicality
When I started my idea for Glitter Records was simple. A smart and sustainable record store driven by passion for music. Create a space where music enthusiasts thrive, and surely the sales will follow, right? Reality often complicates such ideals.
Take a lesson from a North American record store owner I recently read about. He thought hosting live gigs would boost in-store record sales. Unlike book signings, where attendees often expect to make purchases, gigs can end up being free entertainment. While the community-driven ideal is meaningful, it doesn’t automatically pay the rent.
How To Run a Successful Record Store? Learn From the Best
This is where comparison—not with abstract ideals but with those successfully navigating the same challenges—becomes essential. As that logistics manual I mentioned earlier rightly observes:
“It makes more sense to compare a warehouse with its peers. If a peer is outperforming our warehouse, we can examine its facilities and processes to understand why and then try to adopt similar practices.”
Inspired by this statement, I’ve re-applied myself to studying data from the world’s largest music marketplace Discogs. Here I have been tracking changes in physical format listings over time, and observing record-selling businesses that have best adapted to this digital marketplace. Standouts include Japan’s Record City and Berlin’s Record Sale—both of which dominate the secondary market for recorded media. Both have inventories exceeding a million recordings each.
By contrast, Glitter Records has achieved more modest success online. My internet store currently offers more than 26,000 sound recordings for sale, the largest among Australian record stores in the secondary market. I got here after just two years of focused work. Yet, there is more room to grow. Considering Australia’s production of as many as 22 million vinyl records annually during the 1970s, the scale of what Glitter Records can achieve is breathtaking.
Vision Meets Strategy
Currently, my productivity is high but does not rival industry giants like Record Sale, which lists 10,000 new items weekly. One key difference lies in scale—they employ 60 times more people than I do and can mail what I estimate to be as many as 900 orders a day. This realization reinforces one thing, Glitter Records must grow.
Observation Inspires Innovation.
Observation inspires innovation. The vision of Glitter Records as a modern, philosophical record store remains central. But it must evolve along proven paths. Businesses like Record City and Record Sale and their founders Naoki Ienaga and Matthias Gordon offer invaluable blueprints for what modern record stores can achieve online.
My Vision For Glitter Records
Looking thirty years into the future, I can still envision Glitter Records’ humble California Lane storefront thriving. As a physical touchpoint for Glitter Records, the store can act as a cornerstone of Brisbane’s vibrant music culture and a magnet for the global music-collecting community. But imagine this, a seamless collaboration between robots and passionate music enthusiasts in a state-of-the-art warehouse. One dedicated to the preservation, celebration, and promotion of music history. From meticulously archiving century-old shellac recordings to cataloging the rich legacy of contemporary Australian artists on vinyl and CD, such an endeavor is no longer a distant dream. It is within reach. With vision and determination, Glitter Records has the potential to bring this inspiring reality to life.
Promoting and Preserving Music’s Legacy
The future holds incredible opportunities for preserving, studying, celebrating, and appreciating recorded music—a cultural legacy that now spans more than a century. My view is that some of our greatest recorded musical works of art may endure a long time. Perhaps even as long as manuscripts of the teachings of Socrates or Confucius. But idealism alone won’t secure this.
Final Thoughts On What Makes For A Successful Record Store
The challenge lies in striking the right balance—knowing when to follow an ideal and when to learn from proven strategies. Glitter Records is ready to grow by blending visionary aspirations with practical execution, all while staying rooted in the preservation of music culture. A truly successful record store must be more than a dream, it must be a reality crafted through dedication, adaptability, and a deep respect for modern business.
