Revolve Records kicks off grand opening of new GR store with live show during 'opening ceremony'

With its March 17 opening on the horizon, owners of the new Revolve Records hope they can bring customers more than just a record store. 

Iam Tud is the general manager of the new 800-square-foot Revolve Records, located at 1606 Fuller Ave. SE and says in the eyes of Revolve’s collective ownership, the ‘90s were the golden age of the music industry — a time where the act of music buying itself was a experience. 

“Record sales were up, record labels were happy, pre-internet advances in technology (CDs) helped expand the variety of genres, artists, and reach of music across the country and internationally,” Tud says. 

He says back then, consumers were drawn to unique artist or band names based on album art and in-store promotions, enjoying a tangible project and reveling in the anticipation created in the time between purchase and first play. 

“The anxiety of putting the needle to the record, the warmth of the sound of vinyl with subtle snaps, cracks, and pops, the pain of manually rewind your cassettes,” he says. “Today new music is a click away. There is no experience, no purchasing process. The majority of music is available — somewhere — online for free. We want to restore the intimacy and experience of purchasing music for true music lovers, and music culture enthusiasts. With the vinyl comeback of the 2010s, the time to hit the market was now.”

With an inventory collected over the span of 15 years, Revolve began as a dream turned call-to-action by a local West Michigan deejay who, in the spirit of collective ownership, wants to remain anonymous for the time being. 



He says Revolve is, in part, an effort to respond to a lack of variety in record stores and the foundation in the local music scene in genres outside of adult contemporary, rock, country, pop and electronic dance music, hoping to strengthen the scene and raise the bar for quality entertainment in Grand Rapids. 

However, Tud says it’s not in Revolve’s mission to compete with other record stores like Vertigo or Dodd’s located closer to center of the city, but rather to build relationships and create a local network for both business owners and consumers, who get more than just a product from the entertainment on their shelves. 

“People use music to cope, soothe, and celebrate the lives they live in hope of better days,” he says. “Music brings people together — family, friends, and even strangers. We are here for the people, the community, the artists, and the city.” 

Following its grand opening on March 17 at 11am, Revolve Records will be open six days a week (they will be closed Wednesdays) from 11am to 8pm Monday through Friday, 10am to 7pm Saturday, and 12pm to 5pm Sunday. 

Revolve Records will also hold an “opening ceremony” celebration at the local venue Death House that night at 9pm, with live performances by Wuzee, Shamar Alef, Rosewood 2055, and Joose The Conqueror. Advance tickets are available online here for $10 or $15 at the door. For more information or to start shopping online early, visit www.revolverecs.com or find Revolve on Facebook. 

Rapid Growth Media readers can also get 20 percent off in-store merchandise at Revolve using the coupon above.

Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Revolve Records