Park Slope resident Heather Carr still believes in vinyl. So for her, a new record shop opening in her neighborhood was a cool development.

“I guess I like not having to have a phone or computer so, you put the record on and then just flip it, and you don’t look at your phone, and you are hanging with your friends, and yeah it’s great,” Carr said, who has a record collection along with her husband. 

What You Need To Know

  • Sterling Records is a new record shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn

  • It is owned by local businessman Gary Giddens

  • The store features records and other music-themed items like t-shirts, tote bags, and jigsaw puzzles

Sterling Records on Fifth Avenue, near Sterling Place, is owned by Gary Giddens. Giddens grew up in London, but has been in New York for 40 years, most of them in Brooklyn. Friend and Depeche Mode, Yazoo and Erasure founder Vince Clarke is an investor. 

“I said to him one day, I said, ‘I think I am going to open a record shop,’ and he’s like ‘I’m in,’ and as soon as he said it I was like, “Ok, well that’s a start,’” Giddens said.

The shop opened earlier this summer, featuring records — vinyl has made a big comeback. There are also CDs, some casettes, books and all types of fun music themed items like tote bags, jigsaw puzzles and t-shirts.

As for the records, there’s certainly a mix of music from rock to punk and beyond. 

“We have The Descendents and we have Taylor Swift, so it’s not really one genre. I feel like, growing up I liked the neighborhood record shop that had a bit of everything,” he said.

Giddens says there are plans to expand into a back room for a coffee shop and utilize backyard space.

Giddens will split his time between the record store and his other local business, the Gowanus Gardens bar and restaurant. It’s a little bit of a juggling act, but he says it’s worth it to follow a dream. 

“I find it quite relaxing even though it’s work and when I’m here, you know there is always something to do, but I like that. I’m not going to play golf or anything, I like music, it’s what I like to do. If I was home right now, I’d have music on,” said Giddens. 

Giddens compared opening a record store these days to opening a shop that sells black and white televisions.

He says once folks get inside the store, they will know they have come to the right place.