Williamsburg's Earwax Records moved; Academy Annex moving to Greenpoint ++ more on Captured Tracks store

by Bill Pearis

The new Earwax

Rising rents in Williamsburg is shifting around the neighborhood’s retail landscape. Sound Fix closed on Record Store Day and, a few weeks ago, Earwax left its longtime home of Bedford & N. 5th. (They were one of the first residents in the “mini-mall” there.) The store, which had been on Bedford Ave for 22 years (and at least 10 in the N. 5th space), moved to 167 North 9th St. which is just off Bedford and right next to Japanese market Midoriya. It’s maybe a little smaller than the old Earwax, but the space is nice and it’s mostly vinyl now (though they do still have some CDs.), plus they sell vintage turntables and receivers.

Academy Annex

Meanwhile, another Williamsburg record store is on the move. in early September, Academy Records Annex will vacate its current N. 6th St. locale and be moving to Greenpoint: specificaly, 83 Oak St. (between Franklin and West St.). Academy owner Mike Davis told Greenpointers the new spot is about the same size as its current locations, with “20 foot ceilings and a ton of windows. It’ll actually be a better space when the smoke clears and the dust settles.”

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Only a few blocks from the new Academy Annex will be, the Captured Tracks Store, which is due to open sometime soon at 195 Calyer. (Hopefully in time for C/T’s 5th Anniversary fest.) Label head (and former Academy employee) Mike Sniper spoke with Billboard and what we can expect:

Well it’s going to be a legit, good record store. I don’t just want it to be Captured Tracks stuff, I want it to be all kinds of things — tons of off label stuff from all genres and every other prominent indie label out there, plus tons of reissues. I’ve been going on buying trips and buying lots of collections from London and other places and they’re piling and piling up. Having come from a record store background, it was pretty easy for me to do that anyway. I don’t want to do in-stores, but there will definitely be artist appearances and signings and stuff like that. There will be some cool things that you can only get in the store and we’ll have a good stock of trade publications as well.

In addition to records, the Captured Tracks Store with have “art books and prints and equipment, like vintage pedals, synthesizers and amps.” The opening of this does not mean the end of affiliated record store Co-Op 87 (87 Guernsey). It’s staying open.

The wild card, of course, is Rough Trade NYC, which is still TBA.