This Saturday will see the official opening of the third iteration of Spoonful Records as they christen their newest location, but don’t expect a giant blowout party.
“We haven’t planned anything like a ‘grand reopening’ but we laughed about getting a banner like in Bob’s Burgers,” stated Spoonful co-owner Amy Kesting. “It’s a lot of work to move a store. We lost 12 days of sales in moving, so we are just focused on getting back on our feet and being open again.”
Spoonful fans will find comfort in the familiarity of the new space at 144 East State Street. Measuring 1,700 square feet, it’s slightly larger than their temporary home on Rich Street and quite a bit larger than the original 1,100 square foot Long Street location. Kesting says that new location is a better fit for the business that she launched with husband Brett Ruland in 2010.
“The old building we are in is historic and full of cool architectural details,” she explained. “And unlike our original spot, the roof doesn’t leak, it doesn’t smell like wet basement, and the air conditioning works. And most importantly, it’s a great location with lots of parking around, and as we’ve discovered, the acoustics are phenomenal.”
Shoppers can browse records by genre — ranging from rock to jazz to hip-hop — or check out special areas for new releases and bargain bins. A second space off to the side that is currently being used for storage will eventually function as a pop-up space where Spoonful can host other small businesses for collaborative events.
When Kesting and Ruland originally opened Spoonful Records at 116 E Long St in 2010, they were made aware that the block would eventually be redeveloped and they’d need to find another spot to call home.
“Real estate in this town is tough to come by,” stated Kesting. “Buildings available to buy are run-down and overpriced, and new retail locations are too big or don’t have any parking. Our second space on Rich Street was always temporary for us, but it was a good interim spot.”
The new State Street location was formerly home to the Angela Meleca Gallery until its closure in 2019. Sustainable lifestyle brand Sistain called the spot home after that, but recently vacated.
“The space was everything we remembered from its art gallery days: high ceilings, track lighting, wood floors,” explained Kesting. “Before the art gallery, it was home to an architecture firm, and there’s this great nook area where the architects sat and drafted plans. It’s now what we call ‘The Jazz Cave’ and we can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
For more information, visit www.spoonfulrecordsohio.com.
All photos by Walker Evans.