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Business & Tech

Algonquin Records Celebrates 35 Years in Business

With small businesses closing left and right, this is truly a milestone.

During the last decade, downloading may have become the preferred method of acquiring music, but long before there were CDs, MP3s and iPods there were vinyl records. Although records have decreased in popularity and many stores stopped selling them or went the way of Woolworths and closed for good, records have remained popular with collectors and some stores kept with the times without abandoning their original vision.

Algonquin Records, which recently celebrated its 35th anniversary, is a Des Plaines staple and testament to the loyalty of music fans across the decades. Owner Dan Malapanes is an avid music lover who opened Algonquin in 1976. The store now carries new and used records, cassettes, CDs, DVDs and used books in prices that range from as low as .25 cents for used items to $80 for new box-sets. Customers can find anything from Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass to children's story books to the latest Kings of Leon release, all on vinyl. 

"I used to ride my bike up to the store every Saturday to get a WLS top 40 survey," said customer Eric Gustafson. "I rummaged through the used record bins on a regular basis with limited funds. Dan was a guy you could sit around and talk music with. I'm amazed that after the folding of major chain record stores in the last decade that Algonquin Records is still in existence after 35 years.

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Gustafson’s joy for talking music at Algonquin Records is an example of one of Malapanes’ favorite things about owning the store, who said he loves “finding titles for people, and discussing the arts with my favorite customers."

Gustafson credits Malapanes for surviving in a changing business. "To see the store stocking records again is a beautiful come-full-circle story," said Gustafson. "And that's coming from one of their oldest customers!"

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Algonquin Records celebrated its anniversary by participating in Record Store Day April 16, which is a nationally celebrated ‘holiday’ for independent record stores. Participating stores received new releases and customers had the chance to interact with other collectors and music enthusiasts. Malapanes was surprised to see a line of people waiting outside for the store to open.

He feels that “good prices, good service, comfortable atmosphere as well as occasionally stocking hard to find items” are the reasons for the longevity of the store; however, offering gift certificates and special orders certainly doesn’t hurt with keeping old customers and bringing in the new ones.

Check out Algonquin Record's website for the latest releases and most up to date hours.

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