In Oklahoma, it’s normal to think that only Oklahoma City and Tulsa have decent record shops because, well, they’re the only ones you ever hear about. In that case, you might want to listen up: a new one has recently opened up in Shawnee called Groov’in Records, 722 E. Independence, Suite H, and, though it may not look like it, if you’re a serious record collector, you should probably get down there right now.
While they might not have any of the typical garage sale finds that casual fans might pick up out of kitschy value, for true music obsessives, their vinyl selection is utterly impeccable, featuring long-forgotten platters of wax, all seemingly saved from a cruel fate that would taunt a true audiophile all the way to their sullen grave.
As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted with a booming score of horror-based tee-shirts and plenty of collectibles, including a Funko Pop figure of Lemmy from the Ace of Spades album cover. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’m still kicking myself hard and deep for not purchasing it right then and there. You win some, lose some, it’s all the same to me…
Going deeper into the store, I made it to the well-stocked record bins, starting with the rack of new copies of horror soundtracks that mingled nicely with the Mariah Carey albums, refreshingly all on gorgeous vinyl. The walls, additionally, were lined with rare soundtracks and even rarer bootlegs, all of which were attempting to light my wallet on fire, if only to burn a bigger hole in it.