Wardtone Records

Wardtone Records in Hampton brings together vinyl, regular local customers, and visitors passing through. In this interview, the owner discusses the store’s first year, buying collections, and the music that shapes its shelves.

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Interview with Wardtone Records

What’s the origin story?

I’ve been into music—and vinyl specifically—since I was about four years old. I used to run downstairs at 6:30 in the morning, put on my dad’s records, and dance around the room, screaming the melodies at the top of my lungs. So this goes back pretty far!

That love of music and physical media has stayed with me ever since. Opening Wardtone grew out of that lifelong interest, and now I get to share it with the people who come through the door.

Who’s coming through the door in summer versus the off-season?

Over the last year and a half, we’ve consistently seen a lot of the same faces—monthly, weekly, and sometimes several times a week. Summer tourism certainly helps, and we’ve even had some of the same tourists return both last summer and this summer, which is great.

But it’s mostly our local and regional customers, the people who seek us out throughout the year, who keep things spinning.

What has sharing a building with vintage sellers done for the shop?

Being inside Full Moon’s definitely brings some added foot traffic. Someone might come in looking for something completely different and end up browsing the records.

Early on, we seemed to get more of a general antique and vintage-shopping audience. Over the last 18 months, our customers have become younger on average, and increasingly they’re people coming specifically for vinyl. We still benefit from people discovering us through the other dealers, but more customers now seem to have Wardtone as their destination.

What’s behind the post-punk and ambient sections?

When I started the store, post-punk was actually something of a weak spot in my knowledge. Then I bought an incredible collection of more than 1,100 records. It included bands I already knew, like The Cure and The Smiths, but also a lot of more obscure post-punk, new wave, and industrial titles.

One of the most fun things about running the store is discovering music through the collections people bring in. That collection really expanded my knowledge and helped shape the selection.

Ambient has been an interest of mine for much longer. Being a King Crimson fan brought me to Robert Fripp, and I discovered Brian Eno through his production work with other artists. From there, I got into his ambient albums, and my interest kept growing.

There’s more overlap between those audiences than you might expect, and that’s true across a lot of our genres. People seem less tied to one musical identity than I remember growing up. Someone will come in wearing a Sam Black Church shirt and buy Phish records. I absolutely love that.

What makes a collection an easy yes?

I’ve had to become a little more selective because of the sheer volume of records coming in. We’ve already had a couple of days where we put hundreds of records outside for free, and we’ll probably do that again.

An easy yes is a collection that’s been well cared for, with titles I know our customers will love. But unfamiliar records can be just as exciting—something interesting that gives me an opportunity to expand my knowledge. Recognizing everything in the box isn’t a requirement!

What should people do to protect their records?

The biggest things are keeping records away from intense heat, direct sunlight, and anywhere they could get wet.

I’ve seen collections that are 40 years old and still absolutely pristine—they look practically unplayed. I’ve also seen records so badly warped or water-damaged that they’re unplayable. How they’ve been stored and cared for makes an enormous difference.

How do you explain an offer on a mixed collection?

I try to explain what’s driving the offer. Some records have strong demand and are worth considerably more than others. A record might have very little resale value for us if we already have several copies and they aren’t selling, even at a couple of dollars apiece. That doesn’t mean it isn’t good music.

Sometimes I’ll separate a collection into two piles to show which records account for most of the offer. That makes the reasoning more concrete. I want people to understand what I’m paying for and feel comfortable with the deal, and I’m always happy to answer questions.

What did the first year teach you?

It takes a lot of work to keep a record store going, even when it’s the fun kind of work. Like any career, there are parts you enjoy more than others. If you’re imagining easy money, short days, and a really chill schedule, there’s probably more to it than you expect.

But it’s very rewarding to put together a selection of music that people can come in and enjoy in person. When someone leaves excited—or surprised by what they were able to find—that makes me really happy. That’s a big part of why I enjoy doing this.

Last updated: 2026-10-28

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