In a world of digital downloads and instant media, Euclid Records (19 N. Gore) has transcended the traditional retail model to become a community hub for multiple generations of music lovers. After nearly five decades of business, the beloved record shop in Webster Groves is still spinning at 45 RPM. On June 13, the staff will celebrate the shop’s 45th birthday with an all-day event from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with DJ sets, deals, contests, and free food and drink.
“I am so proud to have lasted 45 years,” says Euclid Records founder and self-professed music fanatic Joe Schwab. “I look at stalwarts like Streetside Records and Peaches, both of which I worked for as a teenager, which seemed to be around forever, and now we’ve outlasted them. It’s hard to believe the store opened when I was just 22 years old.”
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Euclid Records began after Vintage Vinyl (where Schwab was employed as the legendary store’s first full-time employee) bought out Wuxtry Records’ Central West End location at 6 N. Euclid. Schwab was sent to manage the shop before ultimately becoming its owner in 1981.
Since its inception, Euclid Records has catered to casual music fans and audiophiles alike while providing a source for new, used, and special-edition releases. From its renowned selection of jazz titles, indie albums, and soul cuts, to the store’s tent sales, meet and greets, and listening parties, Euclid Records has stood the test of time in a city already filled with great record shops.
In 1988, Schwab moved operations to 4906 Laclede, a larger space that allowed him to establish a mail-order clientele. While CDs were all the rage in this era, Schwab found that customers were still eager to collect music on wax. Pivoting to meet demand, he opened Euclid Records Vinyl Shack in Webster Groves in 1996.
Schwab then moved the needle again in 2003 by folding the Vinyl Shack and the Central West End space into an all-inclusive shop at 601 W. Lockwood in Webster Groves. While lacking the intimate raggedness of the first store, the new location allowed Euclid to keep up with the times and serve a consistent customer base.
The unifying force at Euclid Records has to be the staff, which includes DJs, musicians, music writers, and record collectors who go out of their way to bring the beat to the street and share their knowledge with anyone lucky enough to step into the store. With thousands of memories to choose from, Schwab recalls the people who worked for him, including Jeff Tweedy, Tony Margherita, and illustrator Guy Burwell.
“All of these people have contributed to the success of the store,” Schwab says. “It’s always a bit heartbreaking for me when a long-time staffer moves on, but I know whoever I get to replace them will bring something new to the store. That’s really helped us grow. I’ve learned so much from everyone I’ve ever worked with. It’s been an invaluable education.”
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In 2008, the beloved record added a killer B-side by starting its own label, Euclid Records Records. Since its inception, this label has featured a diverse lineup of releases from St. Louis and beyond such as Sleepy Kitty, Troubadour Dali, NRBQ’s Terry Adams, a Johnnie Johnson reissue, and a vinyl pressing of The Aerovons’ Resurrection, just to name few.
Noticing that Post-Katrina New Orleans needed an indie record store, Schwab opened another Euclid Records in 2010, this time in the Bywater neighborhood of the Ninth Ward. This location, now located at 3301 Chartres in the Big Easy, is still going strong with a slightly funkier vibe than its River City counterpart. With various milestones in the rearview mirror, Schwab stands proud of the store’s legacy while looking to the future.
“We began planning the party in February, the actual anniversary month of the store’s opening. The current staff is culling photographs, phone lists, and store archives with hopes of reconnecting with former employees so that they can come to the celebration. It’s a bit like a high-school reunion in that the party is an opportunity to catch up with former store employees,” says Toby Weiss, a passionate member of Euclid’s team who also handles the store’s marketing duties.
Running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., this Saturday’s party features free beer and non-alcoholic libations, cupcakes emblazoned with the Euclid Records logo, and a storewide sale featuring 20 percent off all used items. The party will also feature live DJ sets throughout the day. As Weiss dove into planning, she knew it needed to be a family affair. As a result, Euclid Records is hosting an album art drawing contest for kids 12 and under.
“We went into the dollar bins and pulled out albums that are on white cardstock. We turned them inside out so that the kids could draw on the back side of the album cover. There will be a first place winner in three different categories. We’re going to have space on the first floor for a kids’ album art gallery. We’ll have that up all summer long,” Weiss says.
With plenty of skips and scratches over the past 45 years, the store continues to foster a deep connection with the music lovers who work and shop there. Throughout its history, it has weathered recessions, cultural shifts, changes in musical formats, new technologies, and even a pandemic. From retro ads and stickers to branded 45 adapters and 45th anniversary T-shirts, collectors can commemorate Euclid Records, which shows no signs of slowing down in middle age.
“We would like for the people who have been coming to Euclid Records for 45 years, the old-timers and loyal customers, to feel good about being part of a milestone moment,” Schwab says. “We are hoping that they’re still coming here. We also want our newer customers to be surprised at how old Euclid Records is and how much history there is.”
