Blog Articles
BJ’s Records
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
For something to be able to stand the test of time it needs to be so unforgettable that generation after generation find their own personal reasons to fall in love with it. Like the feel of a record in your hands with a lifetime of memories etched into its stitching, or the sound of plastic crinkling as you grip tightly to that vintage comic book you’ve been saving for. With the rise of the Internet, we are slowly losing touch with classic memorabilia such as records, CD’s, comic books, vintage magazines, etc. It is a unique experience walking into BJ’s Records where you immediately get a sense that nostalgia is cool and that original music and collectables brings us all a certain degree of comfort. There is something so familiar and timeless about BJ’s Records – just ask their loyal customers of all ages.
BJ’s Records offers everything you could imagine in one eclectic space. With a CD & LP area, a main rock CD section, and collectables of all sorts, your visit to the record store is truly a journey through musical time. You can buy, sell and/or trade, or simply browse through some of your favourites. However, BJ’s Records is more than records and CDs, their experienced and expert staff are available for instrument repairs, turntable lines, vinyl accessories, audio/video installations, and much more. And don’t forget, their vintage collectibles are outstanding.
Owners Bill and Dan were both born in Barrie, and have grown up living and breathing music. Dan has had the luxury of doing what he loves all of his life, starting with his first job at a teen record store located in Downtown Barrie. Later, he set off to be a professional musician from 1968-1984, living life on the road as a drummer in a band called “Lisle”, playing all over Northern Ontario. Lisle was known as a Canadian Rock Band and in 1974 they had a single on the Top 20 Chart called “Shelly Made Me Smile”.
It was when Dan returned to Barrie, after his adventurous journey on the road, that he met and became friends with his business partner Bill. The pair met at Records on Wheels where they spent hours collaborating and dreaming of owning their own record shop one day. It wasn’t until a Barrie record store, known as Big Johns, went on the market that Bill and Dan’s dream came true. They have since rebranded and renamed the joint BJ’s Records, invoking their own musical impositions into the space. For nine years BJ’s Records has been giving customers their memories back. Whether it’s someone searching for a fond memory in an old record sleeve, or a new music fan just trying to find something to believe in, BJ’s Records is valuable resource to us all.
