The American dream lives in the small towns that dot the map between these monstrous metropolises. These communities work tirelessly as a unit to uphold their beloved towns, and Milltown, New Jersey, is no different. With a population of just over 7,000, Milltown is a slice of Americana, and every small town needs a cultural hub. Revilla Grooves and Gear stands as a testament to small-town America, proudly providing Milltown with a haven for music-obsessed residents.
What started as a side stream of income has gone on to become a full brick-and-mortar, equipped with audio equipment, records, and unique vintage items. The one-stop shop for everything that populates a music nerd’s mind lines the shelves, along with enough space to host listening parties and other events that bring Milltown together. Since officially opening in 2015, Revilla has yet to slow down, bringing in a constant rotation of new and used media while serving as the centerpiece for art enthusiasts in their town.
Glide had the pleasure of speaking with Revilla Grooves about their humble origins, audio equipment, and how they plan to grow their shop. You can read our full conversation below, and don’t forget to get out there and support your local record store.
https://revillagroovesandgear.com/
How did Revilla end up opening up its doors in Milltown, New Jersey? What about the town drew you to it, and what is the local music scene in the town like?
There really isn’t a local music scene in Milltown. It’s a quite small town, often described as something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. There are a few cover bands that play the 4th of July parade or events at the VFW. The closest music scenes are in New Brunswick and Highland Park. Many of the old school Brunswick and Rutgers kids from the 90s are all grown up and raising their families in Milltown. My wife and I have been in the area for decades. We once rented the apartment above our current shop. I had always noticed how heavy the traffic was on Main St. It often moves at a snail’s pace. It’s the perfect road to put up a big sign that says, “We Buy Records.”
That’s what we did eleven years ago. It was the best form of advertising. Very quickly, the used record collections started pouring in. Even though most folks have never heard of it, Milltown is centrally located to NYC and all the boroughs, Philly, all of NJ, and as far as Delaware and eastern PA. We get requests for house calls to buy collections in all of these places. Our customers have no trouble getting here. They come once, see how easy it is, and become regulars.
What came first for Revilla: the audio gear and repair, or the vinyl? How has Revilla evolved since it first opened its doors?
One correction: we don’t do repairs on site. We send it out to a few different partners. It all started with the records. I’ve been collecting since childhood, worked as a DJ for a decade in my 20s, and had a job at a record store in the 90s. I bought my first collection for resale in 1995. I spent the only thousand dollars I had, and it was a huge failure. It did, however, kick off my aforementioned DJ career. I started selling from my own collection online in 1999, after years of gathering up incredible titles at my record shop gig. It just started taking off. The gear came with the huge 78rpm collection I bought, which included a bunch of tube gear and vintage turntables. I began listing them on eBay and suddenly had a new income stream. Things went so well that I left my day job at a catering place in Milltown and registered the business under the name Revilla Grooves and Gear.
I opened the first location when a tiny and very affordable spot opened up in the middle of town. We outgrew that location in less than three years. When 126 N. Main St. opened, we jumped at the chance to expand. This space was shared with another small business for the first four years, until it was evident we needed to expand again. The now even larger space, which encompasses the entire ground floor of the building, allows us to do so much more. We have expanded the gear section and now have a dedicated DJ set up within it. It is so much easier to have events like Record Store Day and live bands because the room in the back is so big. My two store managers, Brandon Revilla and Brandon Sasway, have taken a great deal of work out of my hands. The book keeps track of all the events and manages inventory for me, so I can focus more on growth and paying the bills.
Revilla buys plenty of used vinyl. What is the largest selection you’ve had to shift through? Do you have any stories of finding a diamond in the rough?
I don’t think independent record stores can survive without sourcing high-quality used record collections. We love our New Vinyl section, but the margins are very, very tight. Used provides better income so that we can do more fun stuff overall. There have been some huge collections, both in volume and in value, over the years. One does not always equate the other. The Bill George collection of 78s, the John Miller 78 collection, the Ancarrow collection from West Virginia, and the Greg Surek 45 collection are all standouts. Both 78 collections were of approximately 20k records each. Ancarrow was around 30k LPs, and the Greg Surek collection was approximately 80k in 45s. All had major pieces. There were some gorgeous and rare 78s that all moved online. Ancarrow was a huge hoarder, and he wrote his name on nearly every record. We bought around 10k, and the rest were returned to NJ and distributed to other stores.
Ancarrow records were everywhere for a while. The Greg Surek collection may have been the greatest 45 rpm collection to come to market in the modern record trading era, and we were very fortunate to have bought it. The amount of amazingly rare records that came out of there was overwhelming.
What is the most expensive/rarest vinyl to come through your doors?
The most expensive record I have ever laid my hands on was from the Greg Surek collection. The Mello Souls – We Can Make It on Mello Records. I am not at liberty to name the price, as it was sold privately. It was over five figures, and it is not a stretch to say, I will never find a record that expensive again.
You guys are proud of your wide selection, but is there a certain sound or genre you would say defines Revilla? How do you balance your personal taste with what will sell?
Between all of our employees, we have an affinity for and knowledge of almost every genre, and that’s represented in our stock. We all take turns choosing music to play, so we are constantly hearing new things. We don’t gatekeep. If you like it, we’d love to have it here for you to purchase. There are a number of us here who love groovy, soulful music, so you will hear a lot of it: Funk, Jazz, Latin, Hip-Hop. There is also a bit of a Punk/Metal/ DIY ethos that underlies the vibe here. I think that comes through and makes many customers feel at home.
On your website, you describe your vinyl selection as “carefully curated.” What is the criteria you look for when putting vinyl out on your shelves, and how do you think it differs from other record shops?
It’s really important that our used records be priced correctly, taking into account condition, pressing, and popularity. Of course, we follow industry trends and use Discogs as a guide, but there are just some titles we can’t price at a high market value because we simply see them too often. We clean and re-sleeve every record, inside and out, before it hits the floor. Criteria for artist and title selection? If we see that it will sell, we’ll put it out, cleaned and fairly priced.
If stuff sits too long, it gets moved, marked down, and ultimately sold in bulk. It’s also very important that we have a great Wall. Wall / Rare records make a small shop’s reputation. We pay really well for rare titles, so regulars will bring us hard-to-find records. We’re very grateful for that.
Along with music gear, Revilla also sells vintage items like rare music memorabilia and furniture. What are some of your favorite items you’ve sold, and what do you look for in these items when deciding if they’ll go out in the shop?
We are working on our “Look What We Found” concept. In the past, we’ve done very well with vintage T-shirts, magazines, and posters, but my personal favorite was the collection of MCM lamps we found in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. This guy collected great records, way too many DVDs and CDs, and mid-century lamps and décor. I bought everything I could fit in the van over two trips and brought it all back to the shop. Some of the lamps were sold, some became store fixtures, and a number went home with me.
Over time, I’ve brought most back to the shop to sell, but it’s nice to have such fantastic, rare pieces at home for a while. We love old, cool, funky stuff here. Movie and black light posters. Colorful lamps. If it feels old and gives off the vibe of time traveling, we love to have it here, at least for a while.
Revilla also sells a wide selection of turntables and other equipment. What is your favorite turntable to recommend to new vinyl collectors? What about a more seasoned veteran?
We love turntables here. There are so many that are fun and sound great. We start the new collector with the Audio-Technica LP120. It’s a bit expensive for a first table at around $400, but it will last a lifetime. There are many great options on the used market under $300 as well. We recommend new listeners stay away from the all-in-one and suitcase players. They provide suboptimal listening and always stop working after a short time.
For the committed enthusiast looking to upgrade to the last table they’ll ever need, we recommend a used and refurbished Technics 1200 MKII. They are the industry workhorse, and they literally last forever if any care at all is taken in their upkeep. There are more expensive turntables, and we always recommend researching whether something more exotic and expensive is necessary for your needs. Still, a Tech 1200 will always turn on, rotate at exactly 33.3 rpm, and sound great in any room.
What is your turntable of choice? What equipment does Revilla use for their listening parties?
Again, the Technics 1200 MKII is used in all three of our listening stations, our DJ setup, and our offices. At the moment, we have a Technics SL 110A as our overhead listening table. There’s a Garrard 301 in our listening room. That’s a beauty in looks and audio. I personally love the VPI brand. The Classic 40th Anniversary Direct Drive is a beautiful deck.
Revilla hosts plenty of cool events, like your upcoming in-store signing with Peter Criss. What can people expect when venturing to one of your events? What other events besides listening parties and in-stores does Revilla host?
Customers can expect to be treated to a fun time in a safe, welcoming environment. Come in, be yourself, and enjoy the atmosphere with other lovers of music. Our listening parties have seen people dancing, drawing, singing out loud, cheering, and even crying. Music brings out the best in us, and we want everyone to feel comfortable sharing that here.
We host signings, live music, and private parties. We’ve had engagement photos and movie shoots as well. We’re open to almost anything fun and positive.
What does Revilla have planned for the future? Are there any exciting happenings you can let us in on?
Growth. We opened the expanded store a little over a year ago. Now we are exploring all kinds of ways to use it and share it. You can look forward to more bands, bigger and smaller. More record release parties and signings. We’re going to partner with local venues like the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville for ticket giveaways and other events. We even have an upcoming standup event hosted by Don’t Tell Comedy in May. Again, if it’s fun and positive, we’re open to trying it. Come on by, do some listening, and help us build this music-loving community, one listener at a time.
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