Like most any other massive collection, it all started with one. Recycled Records owner Paul Doege says that first record “was a gift for Christmas, and it was a Shari Lewis record."
Paul bought Recycled Records when it was a little shop on Wells Avenue, back in 1980. And the collection grew. How many albums, CD's, DVD’s and cassettes are crammed inside his shop in Midtown? “I'd say probably...uh, 50,000? Maybe 100,000. Somewhere in there." That's a big difference Paul. "Well it is, but counting them is something I'd rather not do."
How does he keep track of it all? He says he doesn't. And now it doesn't matter. Next month, he's leaving this all behind. As he told me, “I would like to have another chapter, you know? And this will always be home for me though."
Paul has owned Recycled Records for 39 years now, at different locations until finally settling in Midtown…where it didn't matter that CD's and downloads overtook sales of vinyl. Inside, the store never changed. He says that’s because "There was still stuff you could find on vinyl that you could never find on CD or you couldn't download. And there still is!"
He's already sold the place to some employees, his managers. What's inside stays, except for his personal stash of several thousand additional records, now filling every spare space. Reno's ultimate vinyl nerd is parting with those, like a favorite John Lennon album: "On the back of it you can have John making faces, and sticking out his tongue. I mean, this is what records let you do that other things just don't. You can't do this on your phone."
After 39 years, how does he leave Recycled Records behind? Sadly, he says, “But I'll be OK." At that point he teared up a bit, “A little bit. I can't help it."
Thankfully, Recycled Records will stay open…because the experience of rifling through bins in a record store is still the gold standard of finding your music. And it’s definitely more fun than clicking an icon on a screen.
