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 in Athens, Georgia. It has been open since 1976, making it one of the oldest record shops in the state! You can find its main store in downtown Athens. Dan Wall and Mark Methe started Wuxtry Records. They have opened several locations over the years. Mark Methe still runs a Wuxtry store in Decatur, Georgia, which opened in 1978. There's even a comic book shop called Bizarro-Wuxtry on the top floor of the Athens store. 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. Magazines like Rolling Stone and USA Today often say Wuxtry is one of the best and most important record stores in the U.S.
Contents
How Wuxtry Records Started
Wuxtry Records was founded by Dan Wall and his business partner Mark Methe. They both moved from Chicago because they wanted to open a record store. They were looking for a good college town to set up shop. Dan and Mark loved music and records, but they didn't have much experience running a business.
They almost chose Morgantown, West Virginia, which is home to West Virginia University. But a friend told them about Athens, Georgia. They visited Athens and decided it was the perfect place to stay. The name "Wuxtry" comes from an old comic book called Boy Commandos. In the comic, paperboys would shout "extra!" to sell newspapers. Their Brooklyn accents made it sound like "wuxtry."
Wuxtry's Journey: Locations and Growth
The very first Wuxtry store opened on Foundry Street in Athens on March 1, 1976. It 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 location in Decatur, Georgia, in 1978. He still runs that store today. That same year, the company opened a third store on Baxter Street in Athens, but it has since closed. In 1989, the Athens Wuxtry store moved into a bigger space next door. They started selling posters and T-shirts in addition to records and CDs.
In 1992, the books and comics part of the store became its own shop. It was named Bizarro-Wuxtry, after Bizarro World from DC Comics. This new shop opened upstairs from the record store. The very small original corner location now sells only discounted vinyl records. It is called Sidecar and opened in 2013.
Famous Musicians Who Worked at Wuxtry
Wuxtry Records is famous for having many well-known musicians work there.
* The guitarist Peter Buck started working at the Decatur Wuxtry store. * He later moved to the Athens shop. * There, he met singer Michael Stipe. * They both loved punk rock music. * In 1980, they started the band R.E.M.. * R.E.M. became one of the best-selling rock bands in history.
* Kate Pierson was one of the first people to work at Wuxtry. * She became famous in the 1980s as part of the B-52's.
* Brian Burton, known as the Grammy Award-winning musician and DJ Danger Mouse, worked at the store in the mid to late 1990s.
- Other Artists
* John Fernandes, from many Athens bands like the Olivia Tremor Control, worked at Wuxtry for over 20 years. * Other artists who worked at Wuxtry include Mike Richmond of Love Tractor, Mike Green of The Fans, and Dana Downs of Go Van Gogh.
Why Wuxtry Records is Special
Wuxtry Records has been recognized as one of the best record stores in the U.S. by many publications. These include Rolling Stone, Vinyl Me, Please, Business Insider, and USA Today. It's a place where music lovers can discover new sounds and find rare treasures. It also has a rich history of helping famous musicians get their start.
