We're Moving (Temporarily)!

In accordance with the new city building codes, Groove Merchant SF will be receiving a major earthquake retrofit and we will be moving around the corner until they finish the job. 

Luckily our landlord is hooking us up with a sweet, temporary space that's no more than 300 feet away from the current shop at 214 Pierce Street (Between Haight and Page). It's a bit smaller than our usual digs, but we're gonna make the most out of it. Most importantly, we are very much staying open!

We've began hosting a few $1 LP/ $0.50 45" sales in the interim too while we clear some inventory to make room for the move. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for further events, pop-ups, sales, and everything else we will be working on as we make the transition into the new space. 

The move is expected to begin in early August so come by the old shop soon before it's no longer recognizable! 
 

St. Louis Record Shop: Available now at the shop!

We just completed our newest found photo project titled St. Louis Record Shop and premiered it this past weekend at the SF Art Book Fair via the illetante collective table.

St. Louis Record Shop came about when Chris found a pristine set of photos from this late 50's/ early 60's shop that once operated in St. Louis, Missouri. Although we don't know much else about the actual shop, we do know that it had a flair for colorful displays, Elvis records, and some pretty trippy shop photos.  

All zines were printed locally and hand bound by Chris and Adrian- truly 100% made in SF. 

Edition of 100, $15 at the shop and goin' fast! Come by and grab one today. 

SF Weekly Feature for our 25th Anniversary

Groove Merchant SF is featured in the current issue of SF Weekly regarding our recent 25th Anniversary. 

Equally great cover photo and article on the late SF graffiti legend ORFN. Go grab a copy at your local street stand or follow this link for the online version. 

Thanks to Jessica Lipsky for the interview and to our "shop shooter" Adrian Martinez for the photo. 

Here's to 25 more!

Groove Merchant SF's 25th Anniversary Party

Groove Merchant Records is celebrating 25 (actually 28) of business and we'd love for you to come out on Friday, July 21st to celebrate with us at the Elbo Room.

Our anniversary party will feature a live performance by local legend and good friend of the shop Tommy Guerrero, along with some familiar Groove Merchant faces on the 1's and 2's. 

We will be rockin' from 10pm- 2am: 21+ with a $10 cover. 

Bring your dancing shoes, in two weekends it goes down! 

Flyer by Freddy Anzures*

Moving Sidewalks: Found Photos and Folk Happenings 1967-76

Opening reception Thursday, July 6th 2017 from 6-8PM

Come check out my photo and ephemera show at our good buddies' shop Gravel and Gold located at 3266 21st St (off Valencia). Everything exhibited in the show will be for sale with new additions to be added weekly throughout the rest of the month.

Come hang out this Thursday with us and bring a friend! 

Moving Sidewalks (via Gravel and Gold)

Show synopsis by Gravel and Gold:

Join us for the opening reception and exhibit of Chris Veltri's collection of ephemera sourced over the last two decades in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.  

Throughout his history at the Groove Merchant record shop, Chris has encountered a wonderful revolving cast of counter culture characters - freaks, hippies, Jazz men and ex musicians, radio and DJ personalities etc. Their style, music, and spirit along with the graphic direction of the show bills informed the focus of the collection.

The bulk of the images come from 25 years of regular flea market combing, and chance visits and house calls (of all varieties) for his record shop.

Another inspiration for Chris over the years has been friend and mentor Mickey McGowan. Mickey is a artist, archivist, local historian, record dealer and also ran the unknown museum in Mill Valley. His philosophy, knowledge, approach and unwavering conviction for what is Americana Culture had a huge influence and impact.

Mickey was also featured in OUR favorite book - the incredible " Native Funk and Flash".

Everything exhibited will be for sale.

Record Store Day 2017

Saturday, April 22nd we'll be hosting our annual Record Store Day celebration in the shop from 10:30am-7pm. Be sure to come browse the selection, hang out, and toast to why we do this!

There'll be frosty brews available and the vibe will be equally chill. Many gems will be unleashed on the bins, a few new releases will be made available, and as always, you can count on some eye-catching ephemera in the flat file cabinet.

Till then we'll be working hard at pricing records like the ones you see in the photo below: 

Rappcats x Groove Merchant 2017: Photos and Recap

On January 13, 2017 we loaded up a rental van with as many records, posters, and ephemera as it could hold and we drove down the 5 South to Los Angeles. It was the first time Groove Merchant has held a remote event outside of the Bay Area and it won't be our last. 

Over the next two days we held down our pop-up at one of LA's legendary vinyl institutions: Rappcats/ Now-Again Records (Highland Park). It was a fun weekend spent with old friends, new acquaintances, and even some familiar faces who trekked down from the Bay in support. Safe to say the mission was a great success and we hope to make the trip back in the future for a second installation of Groove Merchant x Rappcats.

In Chris' own words the lead-up to the event was described as follows:

“I will be bringing upwards of 2,500 records. They’re will be a supreme focus on the American Private press with over 1,000 LP’s represented. They’re will be a very strong showing on international music of all shades in all genres. There will be Jazz, Rock, Folk, Soul, Disco of the under the radar variety and of the classic variety. They’re will be Grails and loads of $5 jammers. Above all, they’re will be a lot of shit you have never seen.

I will also bring a eye-popping wall of posters and music ephemera, many of which rarely surface in any shape or form. They’re will be gig posters, handbills, books, clothes, rare photos, pins and badges.”

JAN. 14TH/15TH – Groove Merchant at Rappcats (Write-up via Rappcats Blog)

"Record People" collaborator Adrian Martinez was on-hand as well all weekend long to help with the event. While we were in town he blasted through a few rolls of film and here are some of the images he managed to capture.  

Record People Book Release and Photo Sale!

Come join us this Friday, March 17th for the book release of Record People from our very own book of found photos from the record room. These are going to be some of the last copies available of the first print! We also will be selling found photos and paper ephemera of all sorts. We also encourage anybody interested to bring your own photos (vintage or not) to sell, trade, or swap etc as well. Cold beers will be served. 6-9pm at the shop: 687 Haight Street.