Records line the walls and fill countless bins as music plays from a record player in the corner of one of downtown Opelika's newest storefronts, 10,000 Hz Records.
Inside the store, the brick walls and industrial piping complement the more modern touches, like the accent wall that features scattered orange dots to mimic frequency. The design is a nod to the store's name and was done by local tattoo artist Ryan Freeman, who also painted the floor at Coffee Cat.
From Phish to Kendrick Lamar to Alabama Shakes, Russ and Hannah Baggett, owners of 10,000 Hz Records, have stocked the store with records new, old and from all genres.
"I try to bring stuff into the shop that I like, that I think our customers will like or that I think they should like," Russ Baggett said. "We try to have a little bit of everything."
As with most record stores, the records in stock are always changing, and there are new ones continuously being added. Keeping up with new releases and keeping older, more iconic albums in the store is one of the owners' priorities.
"This week, there's a new Interpol record, there are some demo collections from Mac DeMarco," Russ Baggett said. "There's a kind of psychedelic man named White Denim, kind of a garage band. This week's not a huge release week. There's a ton of reissues recently, though."
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Baggett said music is an essential part of his day. He spends his mornings checking out new artists and music on Spotify or online, and he listens to music all day at the shop. This cultivates a wide range of knowledge and interests in different artists and genres, which, in turn, creates a place in the shop for a wide variety of community members who may have vastly different music tastes.
"There's a lot of (Auburn) faculty; there's a lot of people who are in their 20s or 30s or older," Russ Baggett said. "We've gotten a lot of collectors coming from Montgomery and Columbus and LaGrange. A guy came who works at a record shop in Florida. It's a little bit of everything, and we're selling a little bit of everything."
Ultimately, the Baggetts want the space to be a place where people can gather, listen to music and hang out. After walking through the large room of records, there is a small staircase that leads to another room with a couch and chairs surrounding a few coffee tables. On one wall, there's a projection screen that Russ Baggett said he hopes to use to show films and documentaries, maybe some of them made by Auburn students.
"We have space, so we want to promote or assist creative endeavors," Russ Baggett said. "We'll have bands every so often. I'm trying to bring in some touring bands, to bring in some stuff that's sort of outside of the confines of who usually comes through [Auburn and Opelika]."
Baggett is also working to obtain an ABC permit so they can sell beer. They want to give visitors one more reason to hang out, Baggett said.
On Friday, Aug. 24, 10,000 Hz Records is having a grand opening that will feature local band Dogwood Lung. The Baggetts have invited friends, family and community members to support the new shop, browse through the records and listen to live music. The store is at 717A First Ave., Opelika, and the grand opening will begin at 5 p.m.
After moving to the Auburn-Opelika area a couple of years ago for Hannah Baggett's job, Russ Baggett said the pop-up shop turned brick and mortar store has not only provided him with something to do here — it made way for him and his wife to make friends in the community and to connect with people who are interested in similar things. He hopes the store can provide that same sense of community based on shared interests for 10,000 Hz Records' customers.
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