Ivan Kurmyshov | AdobeStock
Volunteer-run music shop Marquee Records slings CDs, LPs, and more from behind the blazing billboard of Tarrytown’s beloved music venue.
Top five albums you found in the bargain bin – go.
While physical medium music continues to become an increasingly niche commodity, used record stores are alive and well in Westchester County. Recently opened, Marquee Records adds a new wrinkly to the equation, combining donated wares, a veritable (KISS) army of volunteers, and a support-the-arts cause worthy of any John Hughes movie.
Read More: Visit These Westchester Record Stores to Buy and Sell Vinyl
Opened in November on the second floor of the Tarrytown Music Hall behind the electric glow of its eponymous marquee, the shop originally began as a pandemic record sale run by local musician Greg Jacquin to raise funds for the shuttered music hall.
“I was trying to think of ways to raise some money, and I had been watching the explosion of popularity around vinyl records,” says Jacquin. “There’re a lot of record stores in the Hudson Valley, and I’ve noticed the price has doubled since the beginning of the pandemic, so I was wondering if people would be willing to donate their own collections, because I know record shops are buying them up for nothing then reselling them for huge amounts of money.”
“I figured if we sold these records at a fair price, we would be able to raise a lot of money,” he says, “and it worked out where we raised $8,000 having two sales over three days.” There was still a little inventory left over afterward, so Jacquin convinced Music Hall Executive Director Björn Olsson and the board to keep the project going.
After collecting more donations and stockpiling them in the Music Hall’s upper floor, Marquee Records opened its doors. “The record store is right above the marquee, so, if you look out the window of the record store, you can see the marquee,” Jacquin says. “It’s a great location and gets good foot traffic since it’s right above the Music Hall and has an entrance right off of Main Street.”
Initially, Marquee Records was exclusively available to Music Hall event ticket holders during show nights – trés hip – but starting in December is fully open to the public Tuesday through Saturday. (Don’t get excited, gate crashers, it’s back to audience members only once shows start.)
The shop already features all the goods you’d expect from the platonic ideal record store, including vinyl and CDs, cassettes, 8-tracks, turntables and speakers, vintage posters, instruments and music books, and various memorabilia. You can even snag original art by local artists, who are donating a portion of their profits back to the Music Hall.
Anyone interested in volunteering at Marquee Records can reach out to Tarrytown Music Hall Director of Membership Nancy Zallo. Want to make a (tax deductible!) donation to support the cause? Just shoot the team an email at tarrytownmusichallrecords@gmail.com.
Marquee Records
13 Main St., Tarrytown; 914-631-3390
Tues-Thurs Noon-4 p.m.
Fri-Sat Noon-6 p.m.
