“The original idea wasn’t really to have records,” he says, “but people kept bringing them in, so it sort of took off from there.” With years of industry experience in the industry, Mel’s noticed that in recent times people have been less likely to get rid of their treasures. He puts this down to the resurgence of vinyl. “It’s massive. Hopefully it will keep going,” he says.
Mel’s two sons, Max and Jeremy, both help out in store, making Quality a close-knit family affair. “I’m in charge of all the media stuff. I organise the events and all the promotions,” says Max. Record Store Day is always a big one for Quality, with queues forming out front long before opening time. The guys love to put on a show, have a bit of a lark and give customers some hot discounts and experiences to remember. “I start tossing around ideas about six months prior,” says Max. “And I ignore them for about five months,” laughs Mel.
This year’s celebrations will include an abundance of activities and special discounts. “We’ve got a couple of things happening, but one of the main drawcards is that Mel has a number of collectables he’s kept aside over the years to put out,” says Max. “He’s also just been over to Japan and got a whole bunch of rare records and things that will be available on the day, along with all the special releases. “On top of that we have live music at 2pm – Nick Freer, a jazz guitarist. We’ve also got a music blogger Bruce Jenkins of Vinyl Connection, coming in around 11am to do a bit of DJing and give his knowledge on some of his favourite bands and vinyl. There’s also going to be heaps of competitions and vouchers.” Additionally, a mysterious “secret artist” will be stopping by for this year’s festivities. “Last year The Beatles came into the shop – we dressed up as The Beatles,” laughs Max. This year punters are invited to have a guess at who might be making an appearance, with the winner scoring a $50 voucher. In the lead-up to Record Store Day, Quality will be dropping clues via their Facebook page, so keep your eyes peeled.
If that’s not enough fun and games, there’s also going to be 50% off second hand classical LP’s and a 10% discount on everything in store. If you get exhausted from rummaging through their extensive collection, Lilette café next door will be supplying $2 cups of joe all day long. “We’ll also be posting our Record Store Day special releases on Facebook in the days prior to the event, if people are after particular albums” says Max. Not only does Quality Records… Plus have a massive catalogue, the friendly atmosphere really is hard to beat. It’s just one of the many reasons they’ve stuck around for so long – they make each and every customer feel like one of the family. Record Store Day at Quality will be no exception, and with a beautifully spacious layout, there’s room for everyone.
BY BEL RYAN
