There was much uproar in the music community recently as Urban Outfitters announced that it sold the most vinyl records in the world. Many music enthusiasts are worried that local record stores, which have long been a center of the local music scene, will be pushed out of business by huge corporations such as Urban Outfitters.

I personally love record stores and how they support local artists, provide free performances, and introduce customers to a variety of genres and platforms of music. Cactus Music, near where I lived in Houston, Texas is one of my favorite places in the neighborhood. I do not think that the tremendous sales of Vinyl at Urban Outfitters will hurt local record stores, but instead I believe that it will improve business in record stores all over the world.

Cactus Music. Houston, Texas http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2011/08/top_10_live_performances_at_ca.php

Many vinyl purchases at Urban Outfitters originate from customers who are buying clothes but see the record section and are intrigued by the idea of owning vinyl. Listening to music on vinyl records is an investment and leads to additional purchases. Many Customers who first buy vinyl at Urban Outfitters will later buy vinyl at their local record stores.  By increasing the size of the vinyl record market, Urban Outfitters will actually increase business at local record stores.

Sources:

http://time.com/money/3430117/urban-outfitters-record-sales-hipster/