Sneak Preview: AnalogPlanet’s Forthcoming Favorite Record Stores Series Will Commence With Our Site Visit to Atlantic Sounds in Daytona Beach, Florida

Super Sounds: Above, the exterior of Atlantic Sounds at 138 W. International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida, where it’s been located for 40 years and counting.

Yesterday, I visited one of my favorite record stores in the country — namely, Atlantic Sounds in Daytona Beach, Florida — and I sat down with owner Mike Toole for a two-hour conversation about his lifelong passion for listening to and selling music on vinyl, the long and storied history of the shop itself, and why Atlantic Sounds has endured and continues to see growth to this very day, ever since it first opened in the exact same location 40 years ago on October 15, 1982.

“I told my dad before I was 10 years old that I was gonna open a record store, either in New Smyrna or Daytona,” the Florida native recounted to me. After seeing a wide variety of customers ranging from young teenagers (both male and female) to those well into their golden years enter the shop and leave with new and/or used LPs in hand during my multiple-hour visit with Mike, I just had to ask: Why does vinyl continue to fascinate each successive generation that frequents Atlantic Sounds? “With vinyl, you get to hear something the way it should be heard,” he believes. (Can’t argue with that logic.)

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Toole of the Trade: Above, Atlantic Sounds owner Mike Toole, in his usual perch near the front of the store, just off to the right as you walk in the front doors.

Me, I’ve personally been visiting Atlantic Sounds for over 20 years and counting, pretty much anytime I’m down in Florida — and I never come away empty-handed. (Yep, I dropped a few bills there after we finished our interview, thanks for asking.) The full story on Atlantic Sounds to come will be the first entry in a new, regular series here on AnalogPlanet, wherein we will feature our favorite and your favorite record stores. Many of you have already chimed in about your own favorite vinyl shops and record haunts all across the globe in another thread on the AP site, but feel free to share them again and/or anew in the Comments section below.

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I can confidently say a good number of those shops will be put into the AP spotlight in the months (and years!) to come. Naturally, I’d love to check them all out personally, and I will frequent as many of them as I can whenever I’m able to travel, but either way, we will hear from shop owners and customers alike, as well as share as many photos — and video too, if you’d like — of the locales as we can. We’ll also let you, the AP faithful, know where to go if you want to visit any of these stores in person, and/or shop there online.

Herein, you’ll find just a few photos taken during my visit with Mike and all the vinyl goodies around us at Atlantic Sounds. My full feature on the shop and Mike’s passion for all things vinyl will post in this new section during the first week of November, so stay tuned. In the meantime, happy hunting!

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The Mikes Have It: Above, Mettler and Toole together in the used vinyl room at Atlantic Sounds. I wore that Tom Petty shirt just for Mike, since TP is one of his all-time favorite artists (and he’s one of my faves, too). Photo by Brandon Jolly, who’s worked for Toole and Atlantic Sounds for over 17 years.

COMMENTS
Anton D's picture

I don't mean to brag,
I don't mean to boast,
but I know every cover on the second to topmost post.

Mike Mettler's picture
Nice! My natural follow-up Q must then be, albeit in a non-rhyming scheme ... how many of those albums do you own???
Anton D's picture

Only one in the next pic down, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

I don't count Mothership because it's a compilation.

rich d's picture

you're admitting you recognize a Lionel Richie album?

Anton D's picture

I can recognize a Yugo, but that doesn't mean I endorse them!

;-D

Really, it just means I am old....and worked in a record store.

volvic's picture

Keep em coming, as a classical, opera and jazz listener, mentioning which genres the store specializes in would be most beneficial for record hunter like myself.

SloppyJoeBuck's picture

When in Columbia, South Carolina, it's well worth checking out Papa Jazz, which has been doing the dang thing for over 40 years. It's a small place, stuffed to the gills, and has an outtasite used selection. Always worth the trip.

Chris Everhart's picture

You absolutely have to visit Mystic Disc in Mystic, CT. Spend some time with Dan Curland, the owner for 39 years. Great selection of new and used vunyl.

Chris Everhart's picture

You absolutely have to visit Mystic Disc in Mystic, CT. Spend some time with Dan Curland, the owner for 39 years. Great selection of new and used vunyl.

Tom L's picture

come on out to St. Louis some time! We have a bunch of excellent record stores, including three of the biggest and best in the USA: Vintage Vinyl, Euclid Records and the Record Exchange.

Mike Mettler's picture
Great shop choices all! Keep 'em coming!!
johsonalex75's picture

You are really appreciated, It is really beneficial for my youngster. I'm looking for unique items, thus I believe this is a fantastic choice like my wearing stuff technoblade

MonetsChemist's picture

... Zulu Records in Vancouver, Canada, doing a wonderful job of flogging vinyl since 1981. Yes we are talking institution class record store here, and that's not to demean our many other great record stores.

Vequaniel's picture

Keep geometry dash lite coming, as a fan of classical, opera, and jazz, specifying the genres in which the store specializes. It is a crowded, confined space with a selection of used books from elsewhere. Always worth the effort.

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