PILSEN — Believe it or not, vintage vinyl isn't the top seller at Pilsen's new record store.
"It's Taylor Swift's '1989,'" Pinwheel Records' proprietor Scott Schaaf said Tuesday. "You know, 'Bad Blood' is a really great song."
Schaaf and girlfriend Kim Foreit officially opened Pinwheel Records, a new and used record store, in a vacant store at 1722 W. 18th St., just steps from the 18th Street Pink Line station two weeks ago.
Schaaf said he was surprised that the pop princess' new album reigns supreme even in Pilsen, a haven for artists.
"These are not teen girls buying the album. These are guys — dudes — who just really like the album," said Schaaf, 32. "We're at a point in pop music where guilty pleasures are becoming less of a thing, which is great."
The Pilsen proprietor promises he isn't judging his customer's vinyl buys.
Pinwheel Records has an entire section dedicated to Huey Lewis & the News' 1983 album "Sports." [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
"There's no judgments at all," Schaaf said. In fact, Pinwheel Records has an entire section dedicated to Huey Lewis & the News' 1983 album "Sports." The record, which spawned four Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts, has famously been panned by critics as decidedly corny.
"I love that record, I do, but it's there to set a tone," he said. "We're just dorks that love music and we want you to love your music, too."
Pinwheel Records recently opened steps from the 18th Street Pink Line station in Pilsen. The Wesley Willis painting is by artist Derek Erdman. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
Pinwheel Records carries new and used vinyl, used CDs, used cassette tapes, restored vintage turntables and knick knacks. Schaaf is also featuring rotating artwork from local artists and hosting in-store performances from local and touring bands.
Used records are typically priced $0.25 to $30 and the average new vinyl release costs about $21, Schaaf said.
The $0.25 bin at Pinwheel Records in Pilsen. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
At the new shop, which features more than 2,500 vinyl records, Tame Impala's "Currents," their latest release, is also trending, along with vintage Paul McCartney, which Schaaf attributes to the Sir Paul's recent Lollapalooza appearance. Vintage Pink Floyd and Talking Heads are selling well, too.
Cassette tapes featuring '90s hitmakers — Whitney Houston, Seal, Red Hot Chili Peppers — are also proving a popular pick.
"It's nostalgia," Schaaf said.
Pac-Man is a big draw at Pinwheel Records, a new record store in Pilsen. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
Grand opening Saturday
The all-things-vinyl store will celebrate its grand opening Saturday with help from the White Sox's mascot Southpaw from 1-2 p.m. The shop's name is the owner's "subtle little shout-out" to the White Sox's exploding pinwheel scoreboard.
Starting at 2 p.m., Chicago-based bands Brontosaurus and Meat Wave will rock the store. The celebration, which will include food and a raffle, is free and open to the public.
The pay phone in Pinwheel Records plays a different song everyday. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
Schaaf first confirmed plans to open the shop, a venture spurred by his "pre-midlife crisis," in June. He moved to Pilsen from Lincoln Square in May.
To make the move, Schaaf left his job of seven years at Meeting Tomorrow, an audio visual company based in Ravenswood, and crowd funded $9,000 to help open the shop thanks to an Indiegogo campaign.
Before Pinwheel opened last month, Pilsen didn't have a store dedicated to selling records like a lot of other Chicago 'hoods, but some of the neighborhood's vintage stores do sell records in addition to other merchandise.
The record store, which had been vacant for months, previously housed El Potrillo Western Wear. Pinwheel Records is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays.
Pinwheel Records in Pilsen features artwork by local artists, including work by artist Anna Kinsella. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
Pinwheel Records, a new and used record store, at 1722 W. 18th St. in Pilsen. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
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