Well-known Montreal record store is for sale

A popular Montreal record store is up for sale.

For the past 25 years, Nick Catalano has been carefully curating music at his store sought out by vinyl enthusiasts in the city. Now, the owner of Beatnick Records is looking to sell his store to someone who can carry on his tradition of providing hard to find records as well as popular classics to clients and collectors.

“You need to know music. It’s not like selling chips and popcorn, you know. If somebody asks you how this record is, you’ve got to be able to tell them,” explained Catalano, adding, “you need to love music, you need to love being surrounded by music 24 hours a day and you need to want to own a business.”

Catalano suggests the main reason for selling the record store is his age.

“It’s mostly to do with I’m 72 years old and I’d like to work less, not more,” said Catalano.

Sales of vinyl have been on the rise in recent years, but this wasn’t the case when Catalano started his record store in Montreal on Saint Denis Street 25 years ago. 

“When I opened in 1998, I was told that I was, the word was ‘moron’ for opening with vinyl,” said Catalano. “I said, well, I believe that vinyl will always remain. And I turned out to be right.” 

“It reignited that love for vinyl. And also, the selection here is a lot, like the different kinds of music, and a lot of rarities, collectibles,” explained Jimmy Kwan, who works at the front desk at Beatnick Records and refers to himself as “record store guy.”

At the store on Monday, it appears that vinyl is still quite popular, especially for some of the newer customers.

“We’re looking to start our own vinyl collection. So, we’re coming to get a few of the classics, looking for Pink Floyd, and so maybe some Radiohead, and some jazz,” said Taz Eddy, a Montrealer.  

“I think it’s actually really nice like to have vinyl and the sound I think it’s very different from the CD or like streaming platforms, so I think it’s actually extra special,” explained Samyra Leite, visiting from Brazil.

“It is a trend right now, so it’s kind of trendy. And nothing kids like more than being trendy,” said Catalano, adding, “it’s fun, they sit around with their friends and open the record and put it on a turntable and sit around listening to it together and reading the liner notes and whatever. The same way we used to do.” 

Catalano says that he wants the store to continue as it is and hopes that a new owner would retain most of what has made it a success.

“I don’t have any time deadline or anything. When it sells, it sells. I want it to go to the right person for the right reasons. I want my employees to keep their jobs. I want this to all continue,” said Catalano.