By Justin Flagel
Downtown Cassopolis can now add a record store to the list of recent additions.
(Justin Flagel | Leader Publications Contributor)
Second Hand Groove opened at 149 South Broadway Street on July 2nd. The bright and vibrant music shop features an extended inventory of new and used records, CDs, cassette tapes, stereo equipment, music-related merchandise, posters, decorations, and more.
Owners Dustin and Claire Messner, of Decatur, found themselves moving from the spark of the idea to open a record shop to the reality of standing in their own store quickly, having only just begun to look for locations when coming across the space in Cassopolis.
“Cass was our number one pick to put a record store,” said Dustin, noting growth and change in downtown Cassopolis in recent years.
“I feel like Cass is very community minded,” noted Claire. “Its a good vibe.”
The couple described what they see as a strong team at the Village of Cassopolis, working to recruit and support small businesses and draw more visitors to the town with events and an attractive downtown space.
The Messners had looked at a few buildings in other areas, but the opportunities continued to fall through. With family connections to Cassopolis and knowing the town was their dream location, they had been passing through when they noticed the available downtown building. They contacted the owner and were looking at the space the same day, signing the lease the next day.
“We knew as soon as we came in that this was the perfect spot,” said Claire. “I feel like it all was very quick.”
They recruited family to assist with moving, cleaning, grading, and pricing records and opened the doors 68 days after signing the lease.
(Justin Flagel | Leader Publications Contributor)
Dustin is a lifelong music fan and collector. He had thousands of records ready to go for the store, thanks to years of collecting and operating both an online store and a booth at M43 Mercantile in Bangor.
Opening Second Hand Groove has given the Messner’s the opportunity to fully expand their vision from what started online and in that booth.
Customers are greeted by a clean, light, and airy space, with large windows and LEDs showcasing the entire shop. Vinyl records are divided into used, new releases, and a large section of sealed old stock. Second Hand Groove also offers a variety of CDs, tapes, and 45s. Music related merchandise is found throughout the store in special displays and a kids section. A variety of stereo equipment and speakers are prominently displayed at the front of the shop. Unique collections and discounts are found in the “4 for $10” section and in “Mystery Packs”, offering vinyl and CDs, along with “other surprises”, in plain packaging with descriptive hints written outside to suggest what might be within. A testing station with headphones is set up so customers can listen before buying.
The shop has been designed to make searching the inventory accessible, with rolling bins and clear signage.
Second Hand Groove stands apart from many record shops with its bright environment and cleanliness. Every record has been cleaned by hand before hitting the shelf.
“It’s really important to us that when people come in that they have a good quality experience,” said Claire.
Second Hand Groove continues to buy and sell online. The back room of the store now houses the operations for the online shop, as well as for cleaning and preparing the store inventory.
(Justin Flagel | Leader Publications Contributor)
Dustin has watched physical media grow in popularity in recent years and wants to be a part of helping push that message. Both noted the ways in which physical media sounds different than streaming and forces you to listen to entire albums and discover deep cuts beyond the singles. They want music fans to explore and be able to hold something in their hands, to browse a CD booklet, to read the lyrics and artist notes. The Messners have watched customers tap into memories, holding a record they last owned decades ago, or create new ones, with younger generations coming into the store looking for classic rock.
“I like the cracks and pops,” added Claire.
Second Hand Groove has set out to spread the joy of music and physical media, hoping to build connections with the community and assist collectors in finding the rarities on their wish list.
“Since we’ve literally touched every single record in here, we have a pretty good idea what we have,” said Dustin.
Claire told the story of a recent customer looking for a specific record. He had looked all over England and the United States and ended up finding it in their store.
“He was so excited,” described Claire. “He had been looking for it for years.”
(Justin Flagel | Leader Publications Contributor)
Second Hand Groove has only been open a few weeks, but they continue looking to the future. They have considered hosting events, such as open mic nights and collaborations with other downtown businesses. They also plan to create a local artist section, giving musicians in the area the chance to have an outlet for their releases.
“I’ve always been into music,” said Dustin, describing how he wanted to share that joy with everyone else.
Second Hand Groove also offers buys and trades in the store on music and stereo equipment and a loyalty program for frequent shoppers. Information on that and the rest of the shop can be found at @secondhandgroove on social media.
