Paradise on Pearl

In an era when purchases are often little more than impersonal mouse clicks, Boulder music lovers can still experience a deeper connection.

Will Paradise (first LP purchased: Jethro Tull’s “Benefit”), purchased Bart’s Records in early 2016. “I had started collecting records as a young kid but had never owned or even worked at a record store!” Will recalls. His passion for music and strong business acumen meshed, and in April 2021 he moved the store to 17th and Pearl. “If you live in Boulder, you know there’s just so much foot traffic on Pearl Street,” he says, adding, “I knew we had to be there.”

Curated Collections

Part of the store’s success stems from how well the staff knows the merchandise. “Every LP has a lifespan,” Will explains. Hot new records occupy space near the front, while new arrivals land in special bins near the rear. Records that haven’t sold in 30 to 60 days move to the alphabetized stacks organized by genre. The system keeps inventory moving and the store feeling fresh.

Staff and Shoppers

Naturally, knowledgeable employees are another part of the store’s success. Sean Rourke (first LP purchased: Asia’s “Asia”) is the store’s assistant manager. “I was a military brat, so I grew up all over but really got into music in eighth grade.” That was when he discovered Van Halen’s “1984,” Dio’s “Holy Diver,” and Mötley Crüe’s “Shout at the Devil.” Proudly, he says: “I became a metalhead that day and have never looked back.” 

Patrick Selvage (first LP purchased: David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”), Paradise’s chief record buyer, likewise found an early love for music. He has played in bands since middle school and later launched a record label. Patrick fields calls from private sellers and people handling estate sales across Colorado. “That’s one of the best parts of the job, looking at the collections and talking with the sellers,” Patrick shares. Some sellers haven’t listened to their collection for years, and Patrick is there, carefully bringing the records out. “Folks recall parts of their lives associated with specific albums,” he says, “and it’s moving.”

Gideon Harris (first LP purchased: Daft Punk’s “Human After All”) is a senior at CU Boulder. “I’m a big fan of supporting local businesses and artists as much as possible, and I hate streaming,” he says with a smile. Gideon was taking advantage of a back-to-school sale at the store, picking up an eclectic assortment of Soundgarden CDs, “Submarine” by The Marías, and Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” on 180-gram vinyl.

Record Store Day

On a chilly spring morning last April, hundreds of people were lined up outside the store, some in tents or lawn chairs from the night before. These hopeful shoppers were waiting for new and rare vinyl releases on the 19th annual Record Store Day. Originally conceived by independent record store owners to get people into stores for items not available anywhere else, Record Store Day now takes place at more than 1,400 independent shops. “It’s our busiest day hands down,” Will says, “with more customers in the store than on any other day of the year, but, interestingly, half our sales are records that aren’t Record Store Day releases.”

A Welcoming Space

Will is pleased that, in just a few years, the store has become a gathering place where people can attend listening parties, grow their music collections, and even catch an in-store live performance. And it’s clear that every staff member is on a mission: to talk music, suggest titles, and, as Sean says, “to save the world one record at a time.” 

Visit Paradise Found at 1646 Pearl St. or online at paradisefoundrecordsmusic.com.