At Village Revival Records, The Vinyl Collection Never Stops Growing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – When Jamal Alnasr first moved to the United States from Palestine, he discovered a new world of music. At the downtown record store where he took a job as a teen, he had never seen so many titles.
"I said, 'I want to know it, and I want to know it all,'" he said.
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Back then, he spent most of his salary on industry magazines and concert tickets. Decades later, he continues his musical education at Village Revival Records, the Greenwich Village shop he's been running since the 1990s.
"When it comes to music, I'm really greedy," he said.
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Each day, he pores over new releases. His expansive and ever-growing collection includes CDs and cassettes. "I buy a lot of special and private collections from producers," he said.
But the main attraction is vinyl, whose popularity Alnasr says is increasing among music lovers of all ages.
"They miss the actual physical thing," he said. "With vinyl, you really like everything. You discover a new thing every day."
He says music unites people of all backgrounds, making his shop a destination for gathering and conversation.
"I love my community," he said.
He's grateful for the support he's received throughout the pandemic.
"New Yorkers are just amazing. They always have been," he said.
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Though money is tight, Alnasr refuses to quit.
"I'm going to be here, and I'm trying my best. I know myself I'm not getting rich. But I have a lot of vinyls, though," he said.
Village Revival Records
197 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
(888) 499-5591
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