Merle's Record Rack

Merle's Record Rack in Orange has served Connecticut music lovers since 1962, when it first opened in New Haven. Over six decades, the store expanded to seven locations across Southern Connecticut before settling into its current flagship location in Orange, CT.

Today, Merle's is more than a record rack: the shop handles vinyl, rare collectibles, vintage audio equipment, equipment repair, media transfers, and an in-store series called The Listening Booth for local artists.

Interview with Merle's Record Rack

Merle's Record Rack is a name with real history in Connecticut. How far back does the story go, and how has the shop changed along the way?

The shop opened in 1962 in New Haven, CT, founded by Merle Shaw and her husband Rudy. It grew into a 7-location Connecticut chain under Joe Gaetano and Wayne LaSalle before eventually consolidating into its current flagship location in Orange, CT. It has been run for decades by Mike Papa.

Vintage audio gear and shop equipment at Merle's Record Rack, tying into the store's long Connecticut history beyond records alone.

Who walks in these days — longtime customers who've been coming for decades, or new generations discovering the place?

A mix of all generations. You’ll see 14-year-olds and teens digging through crates, parents picking up albums they grew up listening to, and grandparents in the back talking audio gear.

Rows of vinyl and CDs at Merle's Record Rack, the kind of broad floor that serves both longtime regulars and younger diggers.

What do your regulars hunt for — and has Connecticut taste shifted over the years you've watched it?

Customers typically hunt for vinyl records, rare collectibles, hard-to-find needles/parts, and media transfer services. The market definitely shifted toward cassettes, CDs, and streaming in the '80s and '90s, but listeners have come full circle back to vinyl and vintage audio equipment.

Which section has been quietly strong lately?

Equipment repair & media transfers are a huge part of my business. Fixing vintage turntables, receivers, 8-tracks, and VCRs, as well as transferring old reel-to-reel, VHS, cassette, and 8mm tapes to preserve family memories. We’ve also started a series called The Listening Booth, which is an in-store live music and video series featuring local up-and-coming artists.

What condition problems do sellers most often underestimate?

Sellers often underestimate wear on vinyls, though modern listeners have definitely come to embrace pops, ticks, and surface noise as part of the vinyl experience.

What's a record or customer story that captures fifty-plus years of shop life?

Beyond selling records, the shop preserves irreplaceable family memories by repairing and transferring old media that people assumed was lost forever. A customer brought in a broken cassette believing her late mother's voice was lost forever; we spliced the tape and transferred the audio so she could hear it again.

First visit to Merle's — what should someone know about the place?

Merle’s really is a living museum. The walls are lined with vintage posters, rare record jackets, and music history that has been used as a set for film productions and ESPN spots. It’s also a one-stop-shop. Located in Orange, CT, it's a place to buy vinyl, repair vintage gear, convert old media formats, and catch live local music performances.

Collectibles, media, and audio equipment at Merle's Record Rack, showing why a first visit can range well beyond LP bins.

Last updated: 2026-08-01