Unique Vinyl Experiences in Paris
Three spots to indulge your love of music, shopping and eating
There are certainly plenty of disquaires, or record stores, in Paris to keep up with the regrowing interest in vinyl. From the collector’s goldmine at Superfly Records (whose in-house label also reissues their favorite rare records at more affordable prices) to the ultra-filtered selection at concept shop Colette, vinyl lovers have come to the one of the best cities in the world to indulge their weakness. To celebrate the upcoming Record Store Day 2015 (18 April), we’ve compiled a few of our favorite spots in the capital city that offer more than just new (or old) vinyl.
La Galerie Balades Sonores
La Fabrique Balades Sonores, the storefront for the music collective (and record label) Balades Sonores run by Toma Changeur, is a go-to for music lovers who want to discover and rediscover. The shop strongly supports emerging artists while maintaining a good stock of vintage records as well. On a recent visit we discovered two new releases (hip-hop girl duo Charisma.com and pop-rock group Tokyo Karan Koron) from Tokyo, brought to Europe by indie label Specific.
La Galerie Balades Sonores is a sister store that functions as a studio for the artist Chicamancha (who does visual artwork for Balades Sonores). It’s stocked with objects she loves (along with some she makes)—from records and turntables to handmade shoes and bags from Spain and even baby clothes—but also hosts rotating exhibitions from artist friends. The shop and studio moves to its new, bigger address starting 18 April 2015, right next door to La Fabrique Balades Sonores in the 9th arrondissement.
Walrus
While customers may come to Walrus to stock up on the newest indie and pop-rock vinyl releases, they stay for the fishy artisanal spreads, coffee and whiskey. Half-record (and CD) store, half-café and bar, the brightly lit shop has a low-key rock’n’roll ambiance and is a great spot to kill time. The store celebrates its one year anniversary this month with special events, such as hosting intimate live sessions from local bands. Visit their Facebook page for up-to-date programming.
Epicerie Musicale
Overlooking the Canal Saint Martin is Epicerie Musicale, a casual Italian épicerie run by a young Italian couple who share a love of good food and good music. Shop for choice cheeses, charcuteries, wines and olive oil (all imported from small-batch Italian producers) or enjoy the canal view with a hot panini in hand. Shelves full of vinyl take up one corner; the owner spins jazz in the morning and picks up the tempo with funky world beats and electronic music as night falls. While Epicerie Musicale closes too early to be considered a bar (around 9PM), the owner tells us that he considers this to be the perfect place to start the night with an aperitif. Visit their Facebook page for almost daily posts on what album from the archives they’re digging at the moment.
Images by Cool Hunting
