Despite the ability to stream tunes to almost any device these days, more and more music lovers are opting to go the old-school vinyl route. After all, there is nothing quite like the faint crackle of an album spinning on the turntable. G.I. Sanders, owner of NTX Vinyl, says the success of his business reflects the recent resurgence of records.
“Tapping the ‘Play’ button on your phone is so easy and convenient. You can choose just about any album that exists, and the music plays instantly; you don’t think about it again … It’s taken for granted. A vinyl record is completely different,” he says. “It’s an experience that stands alone on many levels. It commands your attention in a way a streaming album never could. You sit down to actually listen to the record. You read through the liner notes and lyrics and appreciate all of the time and work the artist put in to making their art. This is how the artists intended their work to be heard.”
Though his day job is in digital marketing for a tech company, G.I.’s love for records inspired him to open NTX Vinyl two years ago. The shop is located in the Painted Tree in Highland Village.
“It was really just an extension of me being a record collector for the majority of my life. I didn’t necessarily have a grand vision for it. It came about very organically and has since grown very quickly into something I never would have imagined,” G.I. says. “It’s something my family – my wife and two school-age boys – have helped out with a lot. It’s a labor of love for us all.”
G.I. has been collecting albums since he was 15 years old. “I bought my first record at Bill’s Records in Dallas,” he says. “I was immediately attracted to the artwork and the collectible nature of the vinyl.”
Some of G.I.’s favorite albums include his original copy of Pearl Jam’s Ten and classics like Otis Redding, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. But, he says, he can’t choose just one.
“This is exactly like having to choose your favorite child. It’s impossible.”
His NTX Vinyl shop includes albums of all varieties.
“I started out only selling used/vintage albums, but now offer new releases and modern titles, as well,” he says. “For the most part, I only sell what I love. If it’s not an album I can’t appreciate on some level personally, I typically don’t stock it.”
G.I. says rock music is especially popular in his shop. “That’s certainly my main focus and biggest seller. Everything from classic rock, alternative rock to metal and punk. But I also stock classic country, R & B, soundtracks, new-wave and some blues and jazz.”
Though he feared his shop might not survive the Covid pandemic, he said quarantine actually inspired many to dust off their record players.
“A lot of people started collecting and actually spinning records during that time, or they made a choice to focus on it more,” he says. “That increased online exposure, and the influx of more new and active collectors translated into a huge influx of traffic for my business when things fully reopened after a couple of months.”
The increased interest encouraged G.I. to begin a new Facebook group called Now Spinning.
“The group is an extension of my NTX Vinyl Facebook page and has taken on a life of its own,” he says. “It is currently comprised of over 600 members and sees hundreds of posts per day – solely of what records people are currently spinning on their turntable. It’s turned into this really unique and diverse community of collectors that thrive off of discovering music, new and old, from their collections and from others.”
For more information on NTX Vinyl, visit ntxvinyl.com. To join the Now Spinning group, visit facebook.com/groups/ntxnowspinning.
Who: G.I. Sanders
Title: Owner of NTX Vinyl
Where: Painted Tree, Highland Village
