Right in the heart of the Great White North, there is a record store so enticing and lively it almost feels like a dream. Recordland is located in Calgary Alberta, Canada, and is home to what has to be one of the largest record selections in all of Canada. The shop has been updating its immense catalog for decades now and has found a formula that allows them to line its shelves with new and used vinyl from across genres and generations. Recordland is constantly updating its stock, making it a paradise for music nerds to find that rare gem they’ve been looking for or for new collectors to discover their new favorite album to spin.
Glide had the pleasure of speaking with the good people over at Recordland to discuss their massive selection, how they keep track of it all, and the history of the shop. Check out our full conversation below:
There are many claims that Recordland has the largest selection of vinyl in Canada, is there any truth to that? How many records do you guys carry at a time and what is your system to keep track of all of these records?
Inside the store is approximately 10 percent. We currently have about 1.7 million records on the property. We process them as we’re able and as the market dictates.
How would you describe the selection at Recordland? Can you guys pinpoint where a specific record is in your massive shop and who is in charge of categorizing and cataloging all of these titles?
We pride ourselves on having a staff that has a very diverse taste in music and that definitely has a bit of an influence on our new vinyl purchasing specifically. We all have different areas of focus within the store, so we have a CD specialist, a 7” specialist, etc. We really try to be able to get the right media in the hands of the customer.
How do you keep a balance of new vs used records? Are you guys buying a lot of used collections and if so, what qualifies a record to hit your shelves?
It truly is the greatest juggling act of all time. Trying to keep our fingers on the pulse of what is
happening in the world of music and also trying to keep inspiring new record collectors to enrich their collections with our vast used record selection. We actively audit numerous collections, and the criteria for us actually acquiring the collection varies depending on what it contains. Eraz and Al do their very best to keep the focus on quality and maintaining the stream of records throughout time. Not just facilitating the record of the moment.
When did this love for vinyl start? Were you a big collector growing up and did any record stores from your youth influence how you run Recordland?
Records were a focus of the Cohen family going back to the 60s. Recordland began as a dream of the creator – Armand Cohen. He grew up in Israel, DJ’ing and working at a record-pressing plant. Once the family emigrated to Canada in 1975 the Recordland dream became a reality. The family purchased a stereo system and records before they even invested in furniture.
You guys seem to constantly be updating your shelves, what is your curation process like? Does your personal taste have any influence on the records you carry?
Yes and No. we have a discerning staff that all are able to weigh in on how we purchase new records, but the process is pretty standard with how we allocate and accept use records.
You guys just participated in the 2023 Record Store Day, how important is a day like this to an independent record shop? What sort of behind-the-scenes semantics do you guys look forward to the most on RSD?
RSD are lynchpin dates in any independent record store calendar. It’s always a bit of a roll of the dice to try and get the ordering right for our particular audience. We all share a vibrant record community in Calgary and all of the retailers try to best service their niche.
What is the local music scene like in Calgary? Is there a genre that the area is known for and how does Recordland interact with local acts?
Calgary is a very vibrant and robust music town. We seem to have a thriving indie scene, and we try our best to stock and have local titles available to the best of our ability. We have a great relationship with some of the local labels – like Inner Ocean and Flemish Eye. They have some really incredible titles and artists and keep the conversations interesting.
Being that you guys opened in 1978, you’ve seen the many phases of physical music and its popularity. What has been the most positive change for the vinyl community in recent years and how did it affect Recordland?
Over the last 12 years, the resurgence has increased the global appeal, but Recordland has always been a bastion of records for the true music enthusiast. Recordland has always maintained a focus on the medium and was a willing receptacle for those records that were being traded in for their newer, smaller more digital little brothers.
Can you give us a brief history of Recordland? How has the shop evolved over the years?
The original Recordland started as Armand started selling records out of the house, they would advertise a private collection being sold and people would line up out the door to buy the private collection, and then Armand would start frequenting the Delete Bin stores and curating selections for his customers began. The brick-and-mortar store opened in January of 1986, and has moved physical locations a couple of times now. But the current location is approaching its 30-year anniversary.
Being that you guys already have the biggest selection in Canada, does Recordland have any big plans for the coming months? What can newcomers and regulars look forward to?
Recordland prides itself on being consistent and reliable. We don’t take too many big swings, in order to keep records readily available and reasonably priced for the new or seasoned collector.
