Lisa Schaffer opened her record store on Mount Carmel Avenue, turning her passion for music into a business enterprise.
GLENSIDE, PA — She's the Vinyl Chickie behind Vinyl Chickie.
Over a month ago, Lisa Schaffer turned an idea into a reality: She opened a record store.
The self-described "music nerd" who also does freelance event photography wanted something that provided a little more stability by opening Vinyl Chickie at 2256 Mt. Carmel Ave., a stone's throw from the iconic Keswick Theatre, where concerts are frequent on the calendar.
"I was looking for a new chapter in my life," she said. "I love music. It's my passion."
On her walls are photos she snapped of superstar Taylor Swift, the legendary Rolling Stones, and other singers and groups at the various concerts.
Big Star, Thin Lizzy, Phish, the Grateful Dead, Green Day, and the Ramones are showcased under the concert photographs, and her record bins feature new and used records, and some gems. She also buys old records.
Vinyl Chickie even features a "Rare Gems" bin with offerings by Black Pumas and her current best seller, Sun Ra taking on Batman. It's an eclectic collection, to say the least. There are also records by groups from the local Philly scene, which Schaffer supports.
This Vinyl Chickie has dabbled in retail before, starting when she was 14 until she was 30, so setting up a record shop made perfect sense. After all, she used to be a regular fill-in at Hideaway Music in Chestnut Hill.
"When I want something bad enough, I go for it," she said. "Anything I've ever set out to do I've accomplished."
The Ardsley resident and mother of two (a 24-year-old son and an 18-year-old daughter who just graduated from Abington High School) decided to take the plunge, sharing a revamped storefront with a few other businesses.
"We're getting great feedback from the community," Schaffer says when a friend enters the store, not knowing it's her record store. "Having records and seeing the beautiful covers brings back many memories for people."
Schaffer said she loves to watch what customers choose when they go into a record store, agreeing with this writer that it's similar to a treasure hunt.
"I'm getting all kinds of music lovers," she said, adding how much she also supports the Philly music scene. "Parents are teaching their kids about vinyl records, CDs, and cassettes. It's nostalgia. Vinyl brings us back to a time when we feel young. I've been searching for my music community," she said. "I've finally found it."
(Dino Ciliberti/Patch)