Meet Evan Grantski: Record Store Owner & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Evan Grantski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I love music and have collected it since I was young. I noticed that Augusta did not have many options to buy locally. There is also an event twice a year called Record Store Day, which brings large crowds to independently owned record stores. I and many people I know would travel out of town to participate in this event. I knew that Record Store Day would help tremendously with my store once I had it up and running.

What should our readers know about your business?
I own a record store in Augusta, GA. We are the only independently owned store that sells new and used music in town. Before starting out I would research everything I could about vinyl records and other formats of music. There is so much history and grading guidelines to learn about used media. I started to buy used collections from people that I found online and from word of mouth from friends and family. I would then sell these online and locally. We had a few “vinyl swaps” at Sky City, a local music venue where I sold records and met lots of great local collectors. Luckily the demand for vinyl has only been growing and it was fairly easy to sell as long as the price and conditions are right. I was not loaned money and did not go to school for business to start. It didn’t take a ton of money, but it did take a lot of time to learn about the industry. Luckily, I am very passionate about it so it has never felt daunting. One lesson that I have learned is to pace myself and try to budget and save as much as possible. That part is not easy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take them for a bike ride on our canal trail that runs between the canal and the river. It is a beautiful ride and is always tons of fun if you’re up for the exercise. We would have to eat at some great restaurants as well such as: Becks, Finch and Fifth, Jackie M’s and Son, Nacho Mamas, Laziza and more! We may also go play disc golf at one of our many courses. A day trip to Clarks Hill lake would also be in the itinerary. For a drink and late snack we would go to the Arsenal Tap Room for a delicious grilled cheese and a craft beer or glass of wine. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family and friends were very supportive and encouraging when starting out. I also read a great AMA on reddit from another record store owner. The Augusta community has also been extremely supportive and encouraging along the way and I could not do it without them.

Website: Grantskis.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grantskirecords/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrantskiRecords

Image Credits
Ryan Krafthefer(portraits) Jeremy Richie(Storefront illustration)