Another missing link
Fans of a new niche market entry in Pictou County will be singing the praises of this one. In a business move that goes against the tide of mass marketing trends, a local man has opened a record shop in downtown Stellarton.
Dennis Balesdent, owner of Ohm-N Audio, says he’s been a music and audio enthusiast for much of his life. He felt a store specializing in sales of musical selections — in particular a wide range of vinyl records in all sorts of genres — was something missing from the area.
That’s something missing from many areas, considering the shift in the music industry toward digital copies of artists’ music in recent years. Much to the chagrin of fans who love flipping through bins of album releases, the record store has nearly disappeared from retail offerings in most locales.
In Pictou County, for example, any aficionados interested in a hard copy of new music are down to one large department store with a modest selection of CDs, along with some gift stores or other specialty shops that carry a couple of releases, often of local or regional appeal.
As far as vinyl LPs are concerned, used albums are often a staple of yard sales and flea markets.
That’s another interesting aspect about this new store, located on Foord Street and set to open early in May — the vinyl record might have somewhat been superseded by the compact disc and digital music files, but happily it never went away. In fact, in recent years it’s enjoyed a resurgence, with audiophiles seeking out copies of classic recordings and many musical acts serious about their sound quality often releasing an album in both vinyl format and compact disc.
And while some might see renewed interest in vinyl as nostalgia, it’s a bit of that but a whole lot more.
Since the advent of digital music, many people with a fine ear for musical reproduction have championed the older analog recordings as having a much richer, warmer sound.
The smaller MP3 digital music files in particular failed in offering the full depth of a recording. The industry, with the wonders of electronic distribution on its side, and the ability to carry thousands of songs in a small portable device, managed to turn music into a business where quantity trumps quality.
Of course, not everyone will agree with that assessment, but those who do will agree wholeheartedly.
It’s no wonder devotees of rich sound would look back to the older formats and technology that’s designed specifically for playing music.
And that’s another integral part of this new business. He’ll also service the components such as turntables, amps and speakers that deliver high-quality sound. As Balesdent told The News, instead of people settling for OK sound, he wants people to be able to listen to the music the way the artists intended.
Stores like this aren’t easily come by; most music lovers in the past few years would have had to travel to Halifax.
It just goes to show the possibilities in the retail business world. Find what’s missing, and fill the gap.