Johnny's

Johnny's opened in Darien back in 1975 and has stayed in business ever since. The shop carries rock memorabilia including band t-shirts, pins, jewelry, and rare posters and prints spanning artists from Ronnie Wood to Jerry Garcia. They stock cassettes, CDs, and both new and used LPs, and participate in National Record Store Day to offer album reissues and rare outtakes.

Beyond records, Johnny's has rock and roll apparel for all ages, from infant onesies to adult sizes featuring bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Bob Marley, and many others. The selection appeals to people with varied musical tastes rather than a narrow focus.

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Interview with Johnny's

Johnny's has been in Darien since 1975, and it's as much rock 'n' roll apparel and memorabilia as it is records — how has the shop held on and kept its character for fifty years?

Great question—I’m tempted to say dumb luck. Or maybe the kindness of strangers. The truth is, I’ve always followed my nose and my heart. I found from an early age—three or four?—that music was an essential part of my life—maybe the essential part. I often joke that I became fascinated with music when listening to the beat of my mother’s heart while in the womb. I had my first record player when I was three and my father had a friend who was an importer who would bring me bags of 45s every month with music from around the world. So by the time I was five I was listening to music from India, South America, China, everywhere. This got me in the habit of listening to music, all music, without judgement. Once you enter that realm, everything is possible.

Also, because I am restless, I never allowed my focus at the store to be on just one thing. Of course I dove head first into carrying as much music as possible. But I felt mere records would not be enough to satisfy my itch. When I first saw the Fillmore and Family Dog posters—I believe in 1966 or 1967—man, I knew this was an art form that moved me. So I wanted to include this in both my personal life and the life of my store. Again—my store is a reflection of my personality and my soul. I’ve never relied on music trends or so-called music gurus to influence my store. I do honor the wisdom of my customers and try to engage them whenever they ask for an artist I don’t know. Rather than simply say, I don’t carry that—I ask about the artist. I want to know what it is I don’t know. I find this is best done by talking to the people who enter my shop. I have always considered Johnny's a collaborative effort with the people who walk in the door.

The same thing I said about posters is true about apparel. When I was six or seven, I was fascinated by Mad Magazine. One of my prize positions was getting an Alfred E. Neumann What me Worry shirt. As with posters, I am fascinated by graphics. There are no finer graphics in this world than the ones used to promo rock and roll. From Sun records to San Francisco artists to the punk ethic of DIY, there is a spirit in rock and roll iconography that I find powerful. Hence I want to have t-shirts and sweatshirts that reflect this. And yes, people love this. Also, more often than not a t-shirt is more affordable than a poster.

Your jazz runs deep — six full drawers, right down to Tone Poet, Analogue Productions and Mobile Fidelity pressings. How did the jazz side get that serious?

When I first opened, jazz didn’t sell that well. I carried it because it was important. And yes, the airplay the George Benson’s Breezin’ and Chuck Mangione’s Feel so Good received, that turned people’s attention to jazz. But for my store, it wasn’t until the second coming of vinyl, the rebirth that began sometime in the late aughts, that jazz came into its own.

Something about the vinyl revival has brought jazz to the forefront. I believe that the brief public flirtation with MP3s had a strange effect on public taste. For a while people believed they were getting cheap music—or music for free. Slowly the realization dawned that there is no free lunch. Or, in this case, MP3 sound quality sucked. And people returned to vinyl. In this return people began listening to sonic quality with new appreciation. And, of course, sonic quality and jazz go hand in glove. Miles, Art Blakey, Herbie, people are now noticing just how fine these recordings really are. For my store jazz is celebrating a heyday.

Fairfield County's an interesting spot for a record shop — who comes through Johnny's, and how's the local scene?

For a long time, during the seventies and eighties and nineties a lot of our customers were under forty. Most were in their teens and twenties. Again, the return of vinyl, and, of course, the aging of those people who shopped with us in their teens and twenties, has changed the demographic. We have no customer portrait now. People from eight to eighty are shopping for music. We’ve experienced a broadening of the music lovers.

What's the most valuable or surprising record that's come through the door in five decades?

Strange question—as much as I love records, I’ve never been a subscriber to the most valuable record. I know the attraction of the ultimate rare record. But nowadays with the internet, even a rare record can be heard by everyone. I guess I pass on this question.

You "eyeball every record up" and buy rock, jazz, blues and reggae — what are you looking for in that eyeball pass, and what makes you set a record aside?

When I eyeball a record I’m looking for scratches—deep scratches usually but I’m pretty strict with what I’ll take in used. Even surface scratches bother me. I will run a finger over a scratch to see if I think it will affect the sound. But if I see more than one or two surface scratches, I reject the record. Nothing worse than getting a record with a blemish in the sound.

You mentioned paying around two dollars a record and used titles running roughly five to nine — what does the jump from a common record to one you're excited about actually look like in dollars?

I try to keep my used in the five to seven range. If my prices get higher, it’s usually because the person I’m buying from strikes me as someone who needs the money. So I’ll up the price I pay to accommodate someone who needs the money. It’s a tricky dance because I don’t like to get my used too expensive. That same as I have people selling who need money, I also realize that many of the people who buy used are on a budget and I want to assist them, as well.

You carry the audiophile reissue labels — do the original 45s and 78s still hold their own next to those, or is that a different kind of buyer?

Not everyone is into audiophile reissue—mostly because of the price but there’s also genuine confusion as to what an audiophile record will mean to this person. How will it sound on their player? If they have a Crosley, good grief, no audiophile for you. (I once took the 45 RPM version of Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled from a woman who was buying it for her daughter with a Crosley and told her I wouldn’t allow her to waste her money.) I know there are people who really are into first pressings and I honor that. But that is not an interest I share. I appreciate people who pursue their individual needs in vinyl collecting and try to work with them. But I’m not always up on every trend and am careful to make that clear to my customers.

What do people most often get wrong about what their records are worth?

People are hearing the records are back and thus think that the scratched records in their attic are worth a fortune. I appreciate this sentiment. We would all like to find we are sitting on a gold mine as that commercial egging you on to sell your term insurance policy asserts. But a beat-up copy of Meet the Beatles is still a beat up copy of a record that sold millions of copies when it first came out.

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FAQ

How is your pop section arranged?

Our pop section would be a nice sprinkle with our rock music. We would like to know your specific pop needs so we can give you a more accurate idea.

Do you carry local talent?

For us, local talent is Goose. We do carry them. But as far as the local band/singer from up the road, sadly that does not sell well.

How are your records organized?

Our used section is a look and see kind of style, whereas our new is all alphabetical and in genres! We also have a new releases section (new and used).

Last updated: 2026-08-28

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