Karen Ponzio Photo
Fountain Street’s Elm City Sounds.
Chris Della Ragione, owner of Elm City Sounds, recalled how he and Jeff Chamiac came to work together at the newest place to find old vinyl in New Haven, which has just opened on Fountain Street in Westville.
“It was pretty serendipitous,” said Della Ragione. They had both been collecting and selling records and had met often over the years, eventually discussing their desire to be involved in a new venture. Both had even looked at the space that ended up being this store separately. Chamiac passed by it often since he lives nearby.
“We wanted to do the same thing,” said Chamiac, “and we both had record store experience.”
Della Ragione had been in the business in various forms for almost 20 years, including a stint with his own record label, Sound of Dissent, 10 years ago, as well as working in numerous record stores in New York City. “This is the first record shop I’ve owned” he said. “This is what I always wanted to do.”
Elm City Sounds had its soft opening on Aug. 18 with friends and customers steadily coming in and out throughout the day while the shop was still being set up. The grand opening occurred a week later on Aug. 25, a summer Saturday almost custom-made for wistful village wanderers and heat-kissed vinyl hunter-gatherers from further away to explore the new spot in town.
The shop, located at 24 Fountain St., has a simple layout and an even simpler goal. “I wanted to re-establish the community music shop in New Haven,” said Della Ragione. “With the resurgence of record stores in big cities, there’s been a void here, and we’re grateful to fill that. Record stores should be a communal place, to talk, to learn, for the youth to come of age.”
All age groups were represented in the steady traffic that flowed in and out of the store in its opening hours. Conversations were easily initiated as shoppers pointed out finds to one another. Young and old alike gazed at the vintage record holders, boom box, and turntables in the front window displays. The albums on display racks over the bins on either side of the store highlighted the art of the album covers, and gave everyone a taste of what the space had to offer.
“The goal is to have something for everyone,” said Charmiac. To that end, Della Ragione also enlisted Gary Thomas, “a true veteran in the field and a legend in his own right” as a participant in this venture.
Thomas, who has been collecting for 35 years and selling for 25 years — and has also recorded and produced hip hop music — met Della Ragione via a record store he owned in Stratford around 10 years ago. Della Ragione said the three of them each have their own specialties and interests, but that “they all complement each other.” Thomas specializes in soul, funk and break beat samples. Charmiac specializes in jazz. Della Ragione specializes in “everything in between,” including reggae and boogie.
“I learned from Gary,” said Della Ragione. “I’m following in a tradition.”
Della Ragione at the turntable.
The store also has a turntable on the back counter with a stand next to it where the cover of whatever album is being played at the time can be displayed, and Della Ragione is more than eager to talk about said record and just about anything else regarding purchases and inquiries. As customers came up to pay, they also offered Della Ragione congratulations and appreciation for the store opening.
“We had customers today from nearby as well as from Hartford and Rhode Island. It’s been a good and steady flow, and it’s already gotten good word of mouth,” Della Ragione said.
Amanda Hopkins, 17, of East Haven, heard about the store from one of its Westville neighbors. “I heard about it while shopping down the street at Strange Ways,” she said, “and I collect records so I was all over that.”
She was holding her purchase, Abbey Road by The Beatles, which she bought because “I can’t find it anywhere.” She said her music choices were “all over some days,” with anything from The Beatles to punk rock. “There aren’t many record stores. I’ll definitely come back here when I get an urge for a new one.”
Della Ragione completes a purchase for Ben Seiden.
Ben Selden, 25, said he had just moved to the East Rock neighborhood from Boston less than a week ago. “This is my first weekend here. I saw it on Instagram while looking up things to do in New Haven,” he said. He called himself a “newbie” at record collecting. “I just started. My sister and I would comb through our parents collection,” he said. But he also likes to find record stores to visit because “they’re just fun to go to.” He said he had picked up two hip hop albums that day and that he mostly listened to and collected hip hop and psychedelic rock from the 1960s.
As a father and his son quickly entered the store and began to sift through the racks, a group of young men and women slowly drifted out, sat on the sidewalk, and showed each other their purchases.
Della Ragione smiled. “This is my dream.”
Elm City Sounds, at 24 Fountain St., will be open Wednesday through Friday 12 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to buy, sell, and trade vinyl. The store can be reached at 203 – 387-8293 or via email at [email protected]. It can also be found on Instagram @elmcitysounds as well as its website.
Abby Road was my first album ever, and best album ever made. As for jackets, Stickey Fingers is likely the best. Vinyl takes up a lot of room, and the records get warped and scratched, but there was nothing like the thrill of slicing the cellophane of the jacket, sliding the record out, and then listening to it while contemplating the jacket.