A white poster with a picture of a record and the words ‘Funk ‘n Waffles records’ leans against the side of Hair Trends on South Crouse Avenue. The names of various music genres are written on it in black block letters, along with an arrow pointing into an alley. No flashy colors or gimmicks adorn the board, just simple words.

Further down the alleyway, a lone cart sits holding five cardboard boxes. In the boxes lie original vinyl records of some of music’s greatest artists: The Beatles, The Doors, Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra – all for less than $10.

Reading the sign, it might be easy to assume that Funk ‘n Waffles, a local coffee shop known for its music performers, might be selling records. But even though its name is on the sign, the restaurant has nothing to do with record sales. Rather, a local man sells them himself.

The man, known simply as Jim, has been buying and selling records for years, according to Adam Gold, co-owner of Funk ‘n Waffles. As a Syracuse University alumus, Gold remembers buying records from the very same alley when he was a student.

‘We’ve been buying records from him since we were freshman,’ said Gold. ‘He finds them at garage sales and travels to boutique record stores, unique fairs, markets, anywhere he can find records.’

Gold and the restaurant’s other owner, Kyle Corea, got their business’ name on the sign after they helped Jim out of a dilemma.

‘He used to sell them outside of Syracuse Taxi during the day, and they would let him keep the records in their store at night,’ Gold said. ‘But then they lost their lease.’

Gold and Corea estimate that Jim has sold records for about 15 years. They know that he has been selling them in the alley for at least six.

At one point, the business was moved outside, toward ZJ’s Pizza, but Jim apparently missed the feel of the alley. Gold and Corea offered him a new location to sell his records, and while Funk ‘n Waffles receives no monetary profit from the record sales, the duo does get a few perks.

‘He gives Adam and I good record deals, helps around the shops and keeps a general eye on the alley in general,’ Corea said.

The money gained from record sales gets towards buying more records to sell and also supports Jim. Corea said that although Jim uses the money to support himself, that isn’t his main motive in selling the records.

‘He knows everything about records,’ Gold said. ‘He’s got a very good memory when it comes to dates and times and stuff. He can hear something and know the band, the year – everything. He even knows if a sticker label has been changed on an album.’

Gold feels Jim doesn’t want to see the art of vinyl records die.

‘Records are beautiful,’ Gold said. ‘They are almost like a form of art.’

Sophomore international relations and communications and rhetorical studies major Chloe Van Hoose has seen the cart, but never noticed that the records were actually on sale. Rather, she thought it was a showcase of some sort.

‘I thought it was weird that they were outside,’ Van Hoose said.

As it seems, vinyl records seem to be doing the exact opposite from becoming extinct. A new trend seems to be starting. As CD stores carry more records and stores like Urban Outfitters sell record players, the once-defunct medium seems to be shaking off the cobwebs and creeping out from the back of the closet.

Some bands have even released their new albums on vinyl as well as on CDs. Coldplay, Slipknot and Portishead are among the highest-profile artists to release albums this year in both formats.

‘One of my friends only buys music on vinyl,’ Van Hoose said. ‘The sound is more authentic because you get that scratchy sound.’

Van Hoose said that if she owned her own record player she would listen to original records more often. However while the old format resurrects itself, not everyone is ready to turn back the clock.

‘I listened to a vinyl before, and I didn’t like it that much,’ said freshman business major Bruna Barreto. ‘I’d rather listen to an iPod. It’s more practical because you can just plug it in your computer and take it everywhere.’

kaoutram@syr.edu

Published on September 3, 2008 at 12:00 pm