Creek Mercantile

Creek Mercantile is a Mount Laurel co-op rather than a traditional record store, but Matt's record section has grown from a small wall setup into a larger dedicated hallway. Randi and Matt explain how vinyl fits into the vendor model, why the section keeps changing, and what first-time diggers should know.

Interview with Creek Mercantile

Randi, Creek Mercantile is a co-op full of vendors rather than a traditional shop — how did records find a home in that model?

Randi: As a co-op each vendor has their own sort of niche. Matt has always been the go-to guy for vintage cameras, phonographs, collectibles, record players, etc. So he curated a small record selection that folks could flip through. I believe it really started taking off about 5 years ago. Matt's record section back in 2021 was about a 6 ft space on the wall with crates underneath. Now he's got a whole hallway 3x the size of that original section and just expanded to include another area featuring the '80s in our upper level.

Your vinyl comes from one vendor, Matt, rather than private buys — how did that arrangement come about, and how does he keep the section fresh?

Matt: As an antique vendor, I began to sell records from my personal collection along with the antiques I was selling. As sales increased, I began to buy collections and expand the record section until I rented a separate area just for record sales. I keep the section fresh by rotating in new records once a week and moving out records that sit too long.

Mount Laurel is suburban South Jersey; who comes through Creek Mercantile, and how's the local scene?

Randi: Creek Mercantile's customer base has grown significantly over the years, via social media, word of mouth and so forth. We have a lot of folks visit from within about a 15 mile radius but more and more people are traveling from Philly or North Jersey because of something they've seen online and want to check out the shop in-person. We have regulars that come almost every day, and for the record section in particular (since Matt restocks once a week) there's customers that come in just as often to flip through the crates to see what's new. I see the local vinyl scene growing and expanding to younger folks, likely looking to enjoy music on devices other than their phones. Matt has started selling cassettes and CDs recently as well and seen success, so it seems all the nostalgic music mediums are being appreciated again.

What's the most interesting or unexpected record that's turned up in Matt's section?

Matt: I am a record collector as well as a dealer, so it's hard to narrow down one record that is interesting or unexpected that I have sold. Right now I have a rare Marilyn Monroe advertising record that was only given to the sales force of a company in the 1950s. I also have a number of white label promo records on the shelfs right now.

Are there 45s and 78s in the mix, or mostly LPs?

Matt: I have a limited amount of space, so I am picky about what I stock at the store. I specialize mostly in used LPs. I have just recently expanded my record area to include a dedicated 1980's music section (New Wave, Punk, 80s Pop).

What should a first-time visitor know before digging through the vinyl?

Matt: A first-time visitor to the store should be aware that I do not put a condition grade on the records. I find that everybody grades records differently and customers can review the condition before they purchase them. That being said, I do not sell records in fair, poor or unplayable condition.

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

Matt: I would say what most people get wrong about the value of their old records is the condition of their records. One scratch can destroy the value of most records. As a collector, I know that the value of a record is in listening to it.

FAQ

Is Creek Mercantile a traditional record store?

No. It is a co-op with many vendors, and Matt curates the record section inside the larger shop.

What kind of records does Creek Mercantile stock?

Matt specializes mostly in used LPs and recently expanded into a dedicated 1980s section.

Are the records condition-graded?

Matt does not put condition grades on the records, but says he does not sell fair, poor, or unplayable copies.

Last updated: 2026-08-21

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