When customers walk into Spin Records for the first time, they’re met face-to-face with thousands of CDs lined in rows of boxes and shelves decorated with posters containing familiar faces of bands both past and present. Each genre is displayed along those shelves with hand-painted names and decals along with miniature figurines.
After turning the corner, copious amounts of even larger shelves can be found housing vinyl records in pristine condition that are arranged according to
the band names in alphabetical order. The collection of staff who are mainly dedicated musicians can be met while venturing through the store as well.
The individual behind Spin’s origination is Ken Kosta, owner of Spin Records since 1989. Going on his 34 year anniversary with the store, Kosta still reminisces about how the record store’s journey began.
“I’ve been a music fanatic since I was a teenager, and when I was 18 I got a job at a record store. Then after doing that for about 10 years, I decided to go into business on my own mainly because I love music.”
An avid jazz and rock listener, Kosta wanted Spin to be a place where musicians and passionate music-listeners could interact and explore different genres together in San Diego. One of his employees, Marc Montez, sets an example for Kosta’s aspiration regarding Spin’s mission.
“I’m a musician so I get to surround myself with music and find new stuff to listen to,” Montez noted. “Probably one of the best things about working here is the music and the ability to listen to and share it with my co-workers.”
Each wall is consumed with shirts, posters, hard-copies of music, even sunglasses and stuffed animals. These commodities are well-known by each customer that encounters the Spin Records store on Grand Avenue in the Carlsbad Village.
One of these customers is Sage Creek junior Jonathan Smith who admits he’s a regular at Spin but knows little about the staff behind its legacy.
“I like the diversity when it comes to music genres and I also like the wide variety of things they sell,” Smith said. “I don’t know anything about the staff except the things I’ve heard. Like I think they’re nice, but I don’t know them personally.”
The staff mainly has a reputation for their loving personas and wide variety and diversity of music types. However, because Spin is a smaller store within the Carlsbad Village, not many novel music-listeners are aware of its presence.
Kosta contended that, “The music [is why I love working here]. But I also love the people who come in because generally speaking, they love music too–they come in to shop for music. And that’s my hobby and my interest so there’s a connection of some sort with the people who come in here; and I love that.”
Outside of the store, a sign of mosaic artwork displaying: “Spin – CD’s, Tapes, Records new & used” with a cyclone wearing headphones listening to music. Inside– wooden hand-painted boards display the exact same words but in eccentric and peculiar drawings of aliens and fish all serve the same purpose to the record store.
With the help of the staff, the purpose of welcoming customers in and creating a collection of people who are moved by music and cherish an individual meaning to vinyls, CD’s and cassette tapes specifically.
Now, when customers walk into Spin Records for the first time, their eyes are not only set on the merchandise the store offers – but instead on the staff ready to introduce them to new music with warm smiles and sweet dispositions.