Vinyl music store re-opens in Carlow

A NEW Golden Discs store at Fairgreen Shopping Centre was officially opened on Saturday morning, 18 October, with giveaways, vouchers and events for those who called in. 

Carlow residents have been without a vinyl record shop since 2009, when the previous Golden Discs in Carlow Shopping Centre and Rainbow Records of Tullow Street closed for business.

Store manager Katie Lanagan said her team of six staff is looking forward to meeting locals. 

She said: “We have had a lot of interest over the last couple of years since we left Carlow. The store is a place where people can come in and physically buy their favorite album, their golden oldies, and all the other stuff that we have as well, like merchandise and technology.” 

Stephen Fitzgerald, CEO of Golden Discs, told KCLR last week: “Fairgreen is the perfect home for Golden Discs, and we can’t wait to welcome back familiar faces and meet a whole new generation of music lovers.” Mr Fitzgerald said vinyl sales now make up 40-50% of the income in all stores post-Covid.

Ms Lanagan explained the surge: “Covid stripped everything away from people. They didn’t have freedom. They couldn’t do everything that they wanted to do and all they could do was rely on what they had.

“And a big thing for a lot of people was what they physically had and that was a lot of their music, their old DVDs and stuff like that.” 

She said there’s now a “massive interest” from people wanting to have something that they can physically own again.

She added: “With vinyl, it’s not just the music that’s inside; it’s the artwork on the cover. It’s knowing that it’s mine at home.” 

In other locations, the chain has had popular artists like CMAT come into stores to perform and promote their albums. 

While Taylor Swift and Fleetwood Mac – top sellers in the store – probably won’t make it, Ms Lanagan said they would “welcome 100% all local artists” inside.

“It’s a really nice way for the community to get a closer in-depth conversation with the artists,” she said.

Heading into the busy Christmas period, Ms Lanagan said “it’s all systems go” for the team.

She added: “We’re really excited to get to know all of our new regulars and everyone that’s going to come through our doors. We can’t wait to meet everyone.”

The new store in Fairgreen Shopping Centre is the 23rd branch of Golden Discs in Ireland.