MUSINGS OF A LOCAL By Iris Mead - WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND

WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND – You never know what you’re going to find in a small village!

That old saying has come to life on Main Street in Margaretville where Pressing Matters, a vintage record album shop owned by Brian Smith, opened in the summer of 2023 on the corner of Main and Walnut St. having moving across the street from its former space on the second floor of the Commons Building, Margaretville.  The collection of more than 10,000 record albums needed a place of its own where collectors, customers and the curious could browse among the varied and eclectic collection.
In 2021, when he purchased what he thought was a small collection of records from a basement in NYC, it turned out to be a U-Haul full of albums, far more than expected. So, he moved them into his computer repair shop in The Commons building and turned it into a record shop. There he has spent years sorting and cataloging and adding modern releases including metal, punk and rap music to the collection, that originally consisted of rock, jazz, and classical albums with some rare first pressed records, which he specializes in. Some of his albums are 50-60 years old and range in price from $5.00 to thousands of dollars. There are even a few boxes of 70-year-old shellacs, heavy glass records from the 30’s and 40’s in the collection. Brian has some very interesting and rare ones that he likes to talk about, including a Beatles album, called “Spicy Beatles Songs”, a very rare test pressing with nothing on the cover and no label on the record itself. The story behind it is very interesting even if you aren’t a Beatles fan.  

After moving the collection to the new space, visibility and traffic increased dramatically. His customer base varies with the seasons and the visitors to our area, and younger generations of listeners have started to show interest in actual records and albums.  He feels that the cleanest and truest sound is best heard on a record since the quality of sound has diminished with each new form of music distribution.  Records remain the highest quality of audio reproduction in existence. Since tape became widespread and CDs came into being around 1983, distributors pressed less and less vinyl records making the era of the 80’s and 90’s rare and more valuable.  

Brian and his wife, Kelly, who has a store of her own called Honeybee Herbs & Apothecary in the Commons Building, moved here in 2015. When the space upstairs in the Commons Building became available, Brian rented it as a recording studio and computer repair shop.  He has been interested in music, recording and promoting rock shows his whole life, as well as selling recording equipment.  As he states “I’ve dabbled it in my whole life.”  After moving here, he has held two music festivals, The Run Far Fast Fest, with associates from NYC, concerts attended by mostly hardcore punk bands and their fans from downstate and intends to throw another one this year in August.  Brian and Kelly are members of a recording project called “The Gravetenders” which can be found on the usual digital music sites. 

After getting settled in Margaretville, Brian noticed that there was a need for computer repair throughout the area and started a business.  He continues to do basic computer repairs onsite in the store.  He also has guitars and accessories and used drum kits as well as recording equipment for sale in the store.  When wandering around the store you might get the feeling of being back in Haight Asbury or Greenwich Village.

Everyone is welcome to stop by and take a look at the collection and “talk shop” with Brian at 762 Main Street, Margaretville.  As he states on his website,  Open Odd Hours, Appointments & Chance.