You push open the glass door. Beautiful album art lines the walls. A rare soul album blasts from the speakers. You smile to yourself, watching fellow vinyl enthusiasts flip through the racks, searching for their next gem. A person who seems both friendly and surly sits behind the counter, chatting with their co-worker (who also seems both friendly and surly). They’re talking about some random bullshit you’ve never heard of. You take a deep breath, pausing for a moment to inhale that very specific smell of must.
You’re home.
VinylMapper was born out of a deep love of this feeling. We believe that there’s no better place on earth than inside a record store. They are independent, unique places that foster a soft and creative spirit — a safe environment for music lovers to explore a seemingly endless world of musical possibilities.
But how can you find a quality record store? In a world that’s dominated by tech corporations and algorithms, the Internet has become a mess. They say it’s easier than ever to get information — just type it into that little box in your pocket — except why does this feel impossible? Search for anything online and you’ll get a load of paid advertisements, optimized crap, and a giant pile of digital junkmail.
All hope is not lost. We’ve created something to help sift through the garbage.
We created VinylMapper to become the ultimate resource for finding and supporting independent record stores. Our easy-to-use platform offers everything you’d want to know in regards to a store — location, music specialities, user reviews and ratings, and other information provided by the stores themselves. VinylMapper is a social community for vinyl lovers to find and support independent record stores.
After all, people who shop in these places are specific types of humans. They prioritize physical media, independent thinking, and building a world that operates outside of Amazon delivery trucks. They should have an online community they can call their own. We are creating a social network to encourage community while helping increase business for the little guy.
Join us on this journey, won’t you?