MADISON, Wis. — B-Side Records is back open at its new location on State Street.
B-Side, one of downtown Madison’s last remaining record shops, had faced permanent closure after nearly 40 years in the 400 block of State Street due to a proposed redevelopment that would see three buildings next to Peace Park demolished and replaced with a five-story mixed-use building.
The store’s owner, Steve Manley, told News 3 Now in February he feared B-Side’s time was up and that it wouldn’t reach its 40th anniversary. That didn’t happen, though, and the store’s 40th birthday celebration is happening this weekend.
The new location at 514 State Street is bigger than the old store and puts B-Side back next to its former neighbor, Freedom Skate Shop, which reopened at 512 State Street in March.
While the new spot has bigger aisles and some other changes, it still retains a similar shape and feel to the former location.
It’s also a full-circle moment for owner Manley.
“It seemed like my destiny to work here. So when I first moved here, I applied for a job at a sub sandwich shop right here in this spot, this exact spot, and I worked here for six years,” he said, adding he never expected to return to the spot.
While much of the music industry has shifted toward streaming, Manley said there’s still plenty of value to physical media and being able to experience music in a different way.
“Turning people on to music just by playing it in here, my favorite thing is when people ask me what’s playing and they think about buying it, I love that,” he said.
Photojournalist Chris “Bubba” Hawbaker contributed to this report.
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