What started out as a joke between married couple Russ and Hannah Baggett, became reality when they decided to start a record business and pop-up shop.
After moving to Auburn almost two years ago for Hannah’s job at the University, Russ wondered what he would do to fill his time.
A combination of a love for records and a niche that needed to be filled in Auburn led to the conception of 10,000 Hz Records.
10,000 Hz Records’ first public appearance happened at John Emerald Distillery on March 24. Cherry Motel and Captain Kudzu played, and Russ played some of his accumulated records between the band performances.
“We sold a little less than half of what we brought there,” Russ said. “So that was encouraging since we really didn’t know what to expect.”
He originally booked the show thinking it would be an excuse to have a little party and play some records, Russ said.
However, after the last record store in the Auburn and Opelika areas closed, Russ said he and Hannah started seriously thinking about the logistics of starting a record business.
The duo
Big names like Arcade Fire,
“That’s kind of part of the novelty for us,” Russ said. “Like, ‘What’s going to be there?’ You don’t really know. I mean, I know, but nobody else really does.”
Russ said Coffee Cat seems to be a hub for people who play in bands and those are the people who buy records.
Russ said he’s been playing in bands for most of his life. When he and his wife still lived in North Carolina, he played in and made a record with a band called Some Army, which he still does some stuff with when they can remedy the distance. Now he has a studio in his home where he continues to play.
Music being an integral part of the couple’s lives, Russ said he and Hannah have been collecting vinyl for years. They both had inherited some but didn’t start buying new vinyl until about 2001, he said.
The name of their pop-up shop operation actually originated from the first record Russ ever bought.
When he lived in Chapel Hill, he was driving down the main road in town next to the university listening to the college radio station.
“This song comes on, and I’m like, ‘What the hell is this song?’” Russ said. “There’s this crazy song with this robot voice that’s talking, and then it gets to this chorus with this big sweeping Beetles-
Russ pulled over and went into a record shop to look for the album.
He asked the owner of the store for help, and the owner told him they didn’t have the CD, but they had the record.
“I look at it, and the artwork is awesome, and I’m like ‘okay,’” Russ said. “I bought it on the spot.”
The name of the album he bought is 10 000 Hz Legend.
The weekend of March 21-23, 10,000 Hz Records will host their second pop-up shop from the time Coffee Cat opens until about 2 or 3 p.m.
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