Matt Talley opened Cool Kids Vinyl in collaboration and on top of Maketto on H Street Northeast. (Courtesy Photo)
By Micha Green
AFRO D.C. Editor
mgreen@afro.com
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down and limited services at many Washington D.C. establishments, Matthew Talley and his new venue Cool Kids Vinyl persevered. The venue is not only newly opened, but offers a safe, socially distant experience that offers fun vibes for intergenerational crowds.
Cool Kids Vinyl is located on H Street Northeast, on the top of and in collaboration with well-known local hotspot Maketto, where Talley works as a manager.
While Cool Kids Vinyl is a new venture, Talley isn’t new to H Street or curating experiences. Talley, along with legendary D.C. disc-jockey DJ Alizay, hosted the successful Diggin’ Through the Crates events, which is an interactive party and exhibit curated by the guests, who would literally hand the DJ vinyl albums and take part in creating the vibes and experience.
Music appreciators can find classic and new records at Cool Kids Vinyl on H Street Northeast. (Courtesy Photo)
“Before COVID we did a five-city tour which included New York, Miami for Art Basel, D.C., so it was a really, really good exhibit. We got a lot of good responses nationwide from it. We did L.A. a few times as well. Because of COVID, of course it’s slowed down a bit, but it kind of led us into eventually what we were trying to accomplish in the first place, was a particular space for this experience,” Talley told the AFRO in a live interview.
The limitations of COVID-19 opened the possibilities for the brick and mortar that is Cool Kids Vinyl.
“A place where you can come, grab a cup of coffee, a $10 t shirt, a $5 Stevie Wonder record and kind of re-garner that community of people that are not just eclectic, but are in that space and energy. Almost like a Hip Hop Starbucks, if you will- a coffee shop that is meant for us and us meaning like-minded people. People who have great musical taste, people who have great taste in movies- we play VHSs everyday,” Talley explained. “We have an extensive comic collection, we have Jet Magazine, so we have that time capsule almost that puts you in that 70s, 80s, 90s realm, where the music we just appreciated a bit more.”
However Cool Kids Vinyl is not only for the vintage lover, but arts appreciators of all ages.
Cool Kids Vinyl Founder Matt Talley pops in a video, as VHSs play throughout the day at the H Street Northeast store and cafe, which offers nostalgic and arts vibes for people of all ages. (Courtesy Photo)
“A lot of people when they think records, they think, ‘Oh these old O’Jays records or Earth, Wind & Fire.’ When you come to Cool Kids Vinyl, we have Future on vinyl, we’ve got the O’Jays on vinyl- we have something for the old and new, and that’s how you create that knowledge-based community. like ‘Oh, that’s where Future sampled Musiq SoulChild… You just go down this rabbit hole of Black music and Black culture and you just learn so much,” he said.
While streaming music might be the most popular way audiences digest music, Talley contends Cool Kids Vinyl offers a different experience.
“It’s just a different process than streaming,” Talley said. “And you just get a better listen on vinyl.”
The entrepreneur also underscored the significance of ownership when purchasing vinyls for one’s personal collection.
“I always emphasize the importance of ownership,” Talley said. “Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal can be deleted tomorrow at the click of the button, but I still have that Prince record, I still have that Aaliyah record. For example Aaliyah’s music isn’t on streaming services, but I have her albums. When Prince passed his music wasn’t on streaming services. I think Tidal was the first to have it, but for a good couple weeks all his records were sold out, all his CDs were sold out, because if you didn’t have a radio or they weren’t playing Prince it’s nowhere for you to hear this music, so the fact that you own that record, it speaks volumes.
