Wuxtry Records facts for kids
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| Music retailer | |
| Industry | Record store |
| Founded | March 1976, Athens, Georgia, United States |
| Headquarters | Georgia, United States |
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Area served
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Worldwide (ships to US and international destinations) |
| Services | New and used music sales |
| Owners | Dan Wall and Mark Methe |
Wuxtry Records is a cool independent record store located in Athens, Georgia. It has been open since 1976, making it one of the oldest record shops around! The main store is right in downtown Athens.
This company was started by Dan Wall and Mark Methe. Over the years, they have opened a few different locations. Mark Methe still runs a Wuxtry store in Decatur, Georgia, which opened in 1978. There's even a comic shop called Bizarro-Wuxtry upstairs at the Athens location. It sells rare comics, unique toys, and other fun stuff!
Wuxtry Records has been a big part of Athens' amazing music scene for over 40 years. Many famous musicians and artists have worked there. These include Peter Buck from R.E.M., Kate Pierson from the B-52's, and Danger Mouse. Top magazines like Rolling Stone and USA Today have often called Wuxtry one of the best record stores in the U.S.
Contents
The Story of Wuxtry Records
Wuxtry Records was founded by two friends, Dan Wall and Mark Methe. They both moved from Chicago with a dream to open a record store. They wanted to open it in a fun college town.
Dan and Mark loved music and records, but they didn't know much about running a business. They almost chose Morgantown, West Virginia, but a friend told them about Athens, Georgia. They visited Athens and decided it was the perfect place!
Where Did the Name "Wuxtry" Come From?
The unique name "Wuxtry" comes from an old comic book. It was called Boy Commandos by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. In the comic, paperboys would yell "extra!" to sell more newspapers. But with their Brooklyn accents, it sounded like "wuxtry"!
Wuxtry's First Locations
The very first Wuxtry store opened its doors on March 1, 1976. It was on Foundry Street in Athens. They sold new LPs (vinyl records) and cassettes. They also bought and sold used records, books, and comics.
Just three months later, the store moved to its current spot on Clayton Street. It has been there ever since! Mark Methe opened another Wuxtry store in Decatur, Georgia, in 1978. He still runs that store today.
For a short time, there was even a third Wuxtry location in Athens. It was on Baxter Street, but it is now closed. In 1989, the Athens store moved into a bigger space next door. They started selling posters and T-shirts along with records and CDs.
Bizarro-Wuxtry and Sidecar
In 1992, the store's books and comics section became its own shop. It was named Bizarro-Wuxtry, after Bizarro World from DC Comics. This comic shop opened upstairs from the record store.
The very first small corner spot where Wuxtry started is now called Sidecar. Since 2013, Sidecar has sold only discounted vinyl records.
Famous People Who Worked at Wuxtry
Wuxtry Records is famous for having many talented musicians work there.
- Peter Buck, the guitarist for the band R.E.M., started at the Decatur store. He then moved to the Athens shop. There, he met Michael Stipe, who would become R.E.M.'s singer. They both loved punk rock music. In 1980, they started R.E.M., which became one of the biggest rock bands ever!
- Kate Pierson was one of the first employees at Wuxtry. She became famous in the 1980s as part of the band the B-52's.
- Brian Burton, also known as the Grammy Award-winning musician Danger Mouse, worked at the store in the 1990s.
- John Fernandes, a member of many Athens bands like the Olivia Tremor Control, worked at Wuxtry for over 20 years.
- Other artists who worked at Wuxtry include Mike Richmond from Love Tractor, Mike Green from The Fans, and Dana Downs from Go Van Gogh.
Wuxtry's Awards and Recognition
Many well-known publications have named Wuxtry as one of the best record stores in the U.S. These include Rolling Stone, Vinyl Me, Please, Business Insider, and USA Today.
See also
