MORGAN PARK — The Railway Gamblers will sign copies of their vinyl single at noon Saturday as part of Record Store Day at Beverly Records.
The store at 11612 S. Western Ave. in Morgan Park is open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on the day meant to promote independent record shops by offering special releases. Beverly Records' classic albums number more than 500,000.
Lines outside the door often begin forming around 6 a.m. and some 400 people typically pass through the shop that is stacked floor to ceiling with new and previously-released vinyl along with record players, vintage posters, 8-track tapes and more.
“If you’ve never had that album you want, chances are we have it, and if not, we can order it,” said Jack Dreznes, owner of the Southwest Side record store that opened in 1967.
The Railway Gamblers, a Beverly-based band, will also play a free acoustic concert at 1 p.m. as part of the Record Store Day festivities, according to Matt Fricks the group's lead guitarist, who described the signing as “the stuff of dreams.”
Meanwhile, Cullinan’s Stadium Club will host a spill-over event called the Vinyl Fair at 11 a.m. The bar and grill next door to Beverly Records will be home to a special bargain section of $2 records and give buyers a chance to relax with a burger and beer after browsing stacks of albums.
Dave Benedict of United TV Service in Mount Greenwood will also be on hand to talk about repairing vintage turntables, receivers and speakers.
“For what it takes to feed a juke box for three hours, the savvy buyer can go home with hundreds of hours of analog listening — the best art form in my opinion,” Dreznes said.
