Gavin Vondercrone

Sports Editor 

On the corner of Sixth and Main lies my “secret place.” It displays a simple exterior, a gray row of stores similar to the average American shopping center. In this typical row of stores, however, one in particular stands out. A green and red overhang drapes outside its front windows. Above its front door and in its front window hangs the store’s logo: a black vinyl with a bald eagle in the center. In one talon it holds a baseball bat, while holding a piece of fern in the other.

The name “Main Street Jukebox” surrounds the eagle in white lettering.

Originally opening in 1994, the “Main Street Jukebox” is a hub for music and music lovers alike. The Jukebox specializes in new and used Vinyls and CDs. The store also sells DVDs, VHS, cassettes and other rare collectibles. It serves as a haven for both the nostalgic and the curious.

A feeling of nostalgia attacks my senses upon entering the store. A crisp, yet whitered smell fills the air, making the store feel as used as the music it’s selling. The dreamy, ethereal chorus of  “Comfortably Numb,” by Pink Floyd blasts over the speakers. It’s as if the employees took one of the records off the shelf and played it for the entire store to hear.

My eyes dart around to see the various displays of memorabilia hanging from the wall and sitting in glass displays. From old MF DOOM themed bath mats, to oversized dolls of Andre 3000, to canvas posters of bands like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, not a single inch of wall space sticks out.

The store presents a very simplistic layout. A majority of the products sold (records, CDs, etc.), are organized into four rows of old wooden bookshelves with the shelves facing the ceiling.

Made of unstained wood with a painted white exterior, each section of these shelves can hold dozens of records in place. Under each row of shelves sits a plethora of worn out cardboard boxes and old milk crates filled with records and CDs waiting to hit the shelves. The music itself is grouped together by genre, with each genre being sorted alphabetically by the artist’s last name.

The most used and obscure records can be found in the shelves up against the right wall. It’s ironic, considering that the newer, more pristine vinyls display proudly on the wall the shelves push up against. Seemingly every record’s jacket has been stained with time. Covers that were once a pure white, now brandish a dirt-like stain, with parts of them chipped away as if a mouse got a hold of them.

To the left of that row is my personal favorite. This row contains the majority of the records on display in the Jukebox. One will find records in this row sorted by their sizes: seven-inch, ten-inch and twelve-inch (the most common).

Thousands of records of a variety of different genres are on display in this row. I myself have spent hours searching through them. Occasionally, certain vinyls will catch my eye.

Whether it be the soft, pink color of Tyler, The Creator’s “Igor,” the iconic stop-motion on the cover of “The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack” or standout neon green of Charlie XCX’s “Brat,” one can get lost in the plethora of music in this row of shelves alone.

One will find the third row of shelves as they move further towards the left. This row provides much diversity when it comes to what products it holds. On the right-hand side leftover vinyls that couldn’t fit in the previous two rows can be found. Oddly enough, most of them belong to the jazz genre. On the other side, the collection of CDs begins.

Next to the CDs rests a multitude of different memorabilia. Funko figures for the likes of DMX, The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac on full display to perk the interest of shoppers. It’s the kind of memorabilia that you get a good chuckle out of, while simultaneously admiring the era of pop culture they represent. At the base of this row, plastic boxes full of old VHS and cassette tapes plucked right out of the 1980s collect dust. 

The fourth and final row up against the left wall carries nothing but CDs. Much like the records found in the first row, these CDs personify time. Many of the plastic cases display scratch marks and odd stains, with the booklets found inside often disheveled and ripped in odd places. In spite of these imperfections, this row still holds CDs for some of the most iconic albums in music history.

Whether it be the glistening cover of “Thriller,” by Michael Jackson, the hellish-orange cover of “Dirt,” by Alice in Chains or the classy cover for “Rumors,” by Fleetwood Mac, this row of shelves holds a goldmine of music in spite of its appearance.

Whenever I finish my shopping, I go to the register at the front of the store. Behind the counter stands Tom LeFevre, long time owner of the Jukebox. He’ll typically ask me how my day was while ringing up whatever items I chose to purchase. Every once in a while, he’ll compliment a choice I make.

“That’s a good find,” he’ll say. When he’s finished, he’ll place everything in a brown paper bag with the store logo on it.

The “Main Street Jukebox” serves as an archive for music and pop culture alike. Its plain exterior serves as an ironic contrast to its lively, expressive interior, much like a used piece of music one might find on one of its shelves.