About this idea
For many years, I desired to learn the art of DJing on vinyl. In early 2021, with a help of an experienced DJ mentor, research, and practice, I became a DJ: DJ Della Soul. When I commit to doing something, I do not allow myself to quit, only to re-work the idea to make it better.
I fell in love with vinyl during the process of learning to DJ and began collecting records in April 2021. Additionally, as a child, my father was a vinyl collector. I remember weekend evenings vividly from the 1980s. My father would sit in his favorite chair, with a cocktail, and dimmed lights. He would listen to his records and sing along. My father has happy and content. Those records brought him so much joy. He was in a beautiful zone surrounded by music. Vinyl was his therapy. He transitioned in 2008; however, vinyl records are my special connection to him. I am grateful that today I have some of his vinyl records in my personal collection.
Record stores are a vibe. The stories behind the brick and mortar. The people. The music. The sounds. The decor. The feeling I get when I enter one and “dig through the crates.” The warmth and love that I receive when I visit one. The good energy, the good atmosphere. Vinyl has its own culture and following.
Growing up, Crazy Larry’s and Believe In Music were my go-to music stores in my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. I loved the feeling I got when walking through the aisles and combing through the music racks, as well as meeting up with friends while there. Record stores are a community hub and gathering spot, a place to buy vinyl and unique gifts, and a space to enjoy intimate listening and viewing sessions with local musicians and artists. I look forward to bringing the community a place to celebrate music, culture, vinyl, light, love, and energy.
Impact
Those who love music and art will benefit from Della Soul Records. My space will be decorated with art and music memorabilia full of bright, bold colors and light. I want people to feel energized when they enter the store. I want them to hear their favorite music, learn about new artists, and mix and mingle with people with whom they have commonalities. Music has healing power, and I want to unite people with music. The target market is vinyl record collectors of all ages. Vinyl records are nostalgic and this "classic" listening approach is incomparable. Many people are again searching for simplicity in the way music sounds and feels and vinyl records allow for that.
Vinyl record sales have surpassed CD sales by 50%. According to www.BusinessInsider.com (2020), “US record sales in the first half of 2020 totaled $232.1 million, nearly double the $129.9 million raked in from CD sales, according to estimates from the Record industry Association of America.” John (2022) reports that “There is something special about records, something satisfying about opening the album jacket, seeing the fantastic artwork, and studying the linear notes while listening to the album.”
The Company has researched competitors' pricing. Keeping in mind our competition's pricing and the costs of customer acquisition, Della Soul Records has decided on the following pricing strategy: Competitive item pricing with other brick and mortar and e-commerce vinyl and cultural merchandise businesses, as well as market rate store rental fees for listening and viewing sessions.
It will take time to build my brand; however, profits will be generated from vinyl and cultural merchandise sales, as well as rental fees for small listening and viewing sessions for local artists. As time progresses and more people become aware of the space, profits will gradually increase.
References
John, S. (2022). Why Vinyl Records Are Making a Comeback in 2022. Retrieved from
Why Vinyl Records Are Making a Comeback in 2022 | The Manual
BusinessInsider.com. (2020). Americans are spending more on vinyl records than CDs for the
first time since the 1980s. Retrieved from
https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-spending-vinyl-records-cds-2020-data-2020-9?amp
What I'll do with $5,000
The funds will be used to invest in vinyl records in order to build a diverse stock. Additionally, funds will be used to purchase a point-of-sale register, cultural merchandise, marketing materials, and signage. These are a few of the important items necessary to begin my startup business. If there is additional money after purchasing the aforementioned items, dollars will be used to purchase a computer and vinyl music catalog access in order to search for and competitively price items. The funds would be greatly appreciated to make my dream come true.
Links
About Della Marie Levi
My name is Della Marie and I enjoy listening to music, DJing, crafting, collecting vinyl, and edible plant gardening. By trade I am a community school social worker worker, and part time professor at WMU. My goal is to open a quaint and eccentric record store on the southeast side of Grand Rapids, MI.
