AUSTIN, Texas — Waterloo Records will have a new home and new management to kick off 2025. 

What You Need To Know

  • The store will move from its current location on North Lamar Boulevard–which it has occupied for 35 years–to a new location five blocks away on the same street in the spring

  • Along with the moving notice, the music store also announced that its owner, John T Kunz, is stepping down after four decades and passing the torch to Caren Kelleher–founder and CEO of Gold Rush Vinyl–and Trey Watson of Armadillo Records

  • According to a news release, Waterloo Records’ current retail location was bought back in 2019, which caused the Austin staple to either face closure or have to move

  • The new location, which used to be home to Louis Shanks Furniture and then a Whole Foods’ office, will allow Waterloo Records to host in-store performances and events

The record store made the announcements earlier this week, and the news was The Austin Chronicle’s cover story on Friday. 

The store will move from its current location on North Lamar Boulevard–which it has occupied for 35 years–to a new location five blocks away on the same street in the spring. 

Along with the moving notice, the music store also announced that its owner, John T Kunz, is stepping down after four decades and passing the torch to Caren Kelleher–founder and CEO of Gold Rush Vinyl–and Trey Watson of Armadillo Records. 

“John Kunz will continue to stay on during the transition, and assist Caren and Trey in carrying on Waterloo Record’s remarkable legacy,” a Facebook post announcing the news said. 

According to a news release, Waterloo Records’ current retail location was bought back in 2019, which caused the Austin staple to either face closure or have to move. 

The new location of Waterloo Records is at 1105 North Lamar Blvd. and will offer “more space for events, improved parking, and convenient proximity to downtown and nearby music venues,” according to the release. 

“Waterloo is my baby - I always wanted the store to live on and have a life beyond me, and it is happening with these new partners,” said Kunz in the release. “I am confident that the new energy and innovation from Caren and Trey, along with the entire Waterloo Records & Video crew, will fulfill the dreams I have always had.”

The new location, which used to be home to Louis Shanks Furniture and then a Whole Foods office, will allow Waterloo Records to host in-store performances and events. 

“This move also reflects a broader narrative that resonates with longtime Austinites—the evolving tension between a city that has been known as a music-driven cultural haven with a small town vibe, to its explosive growth into a tech-driven, globally-renowned urban epicenter,” the release said. “For decades, Waterloo Records has been emblematic of ‘Old Austin,’ a city where live music was king, creativity thrived, and local businesses like Waterloo defined the city’s character. The new owners aim to bridge these two Austins, ensuring that Waterloo remains a cultural touchstone as the city continues to evolve.”