Tiverton Record Store Offers Vintage Vinyl

Get ready for a taste of nostalgia at this local music shop.

Steve's Record Store in Tiverton, Rhode Island is home to plenty of vintage vinyl ranging from classic rock, blues, jazz – "a little of everything," said owner Stephen LeComte.

Steve's Records opened in 2015, inspired by a lifetime of passion for music.

"I started collecting vinyl LP's when I was in grammar school, my first purchase was by Herb Alpert and then onto the Beatles and Rolling Stones," LeComte said.

LeComte even had a short career as a roadie for a group of regional punk/new wave bands which also drove the desire to open the record store.

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Over the past decade or so, many new, younger artists are also releasing albums as teens and twenty-somethings grow interest in collecting and playing records.

"It's encouraging to see many young faces buying beautiful vinyl that will last forever if handled with love," LeComte said.

How you treat records is very important, and according to Lecomte, it can cost you.

"Punk and blues sell for high prices if in near mint to mint condition," he said. "You can make a $500 record worth $20 just by mishandling it."

However, if you do take care of your music collection or you have an eye for unique pieces, the payoff can be incredible.

Check out this shellac 78rpm record made in 1906. Not only is it old, but it's super rare and extremely valuable. Lecomte sold it to a collector in San Francisco for $2,400.

"It is one of only six known copies to exist. I discovered it in Somerset," he said. "Keep in mind how very fragile these shellac records are, they break if set down to hard. Rare, to say the least."

You can search for treasures among the shelves of Steve's Record Store Thursday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.