Broke 'n Records Music & More

Broke 'n Records Music & More in Ocala combines a used record shop with a pawn business. In this interview, the owner explains how the two sides began, what comes through the door, and how collections are valued.

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Interview with Broke 'n Records Music & More

Broke 'n Records is part of the larger Broke 'n Records Music & Pawn family — a music-shop-inside-a-pawnshop combination that's genuinely rare. How did the pawn side and the music side end up sharing a brand, and does one drive the other in terms of what walks through the door?

When we first opened the business 8 years ago, Vinyl was starting to make a huge comeback. But at the time we weren't sure if only selling records would be successful. My Dad, who ran a pawn shop years ago, decided to merge the ideas so when record sales were slow, the pawnshop side of the business would keep us afloat. I then came up with the name for Broke 'n Records as we were pawn brokers who also sold records. The merging ended up working really well for us and kept the business a fun environment to work in as you never knew what to expect walking through the door.

Ocala has Vinyl Oasis a few miles away, and there's a bigger vinyl scene down in Gainesville and Orlando. What role does Broke 'n Records play locally, and who's coming through your door that isn't already going to those?

I imagine the majority of our local regulars also frequent those other businesses often. There's plenty of room in this pond for all record stores to thrive. We even sometimes do business together. As a collector you have to search all over to fill in the gaps of your collection. Our store specializes in vintage used records whereas Vinyl Oasis has a vast and extensive brand new section.

A pawn context is a different filter for buying records than a standard record shop — a lot of what walks in is genuinely from people who need money now. When someone comes to you with a box of records that way, how do you approach it fairly, and what makes a collection an easy yes for you in the first thirty seconds?

Generally at this point of the business we know now what sells fast and what tends to sit around. We have now streamlined exactly what we purchase these days, whereas when we originally opened we were buying a vast array of items of all kinds to test the waters. We are always upfront and honest about the product's resale value when making a deal.

What does the process look like when someone brings in a whole collection versus a handful of records — and how do the cash and pawn options compare for a seller who might be weighing both?

An entire collection takes time to go through. A deal like that may take a couple days. A small collection usually doesn't take too long as we generally know most of the values just by what it is and condition. A pawn value may be lower than a cash purchase as there is more risk involved.

Central Florida has heat, humidity, sun damage, and hurricane-season storage problems that most of the country doesn't face. What condition damage do you see most in Ocala-area collections, and what would you tell a seller to do differently to protect records here?

We come across a lot of moldy and water damaged records that were improperly stored. These are records I generally avoid purchasing as collectors look for quality.

A lot of people inherit records — a parent's or grandparent's collection — and walk in hopeful. What's the honest picture: how often does an inherited Central Florida collection turn out to have real value, and what's usually in it when it does?

Once in a blue moon there may be a diamond in the rough mixed within a large collection of records that were passed down to someone. More often than not though, collections that are passed down hold more sentimental value than dollar value.

When you're pricing a mixed collection in front of a seller, how do you walk them through why one record is worth a couple dollars and another out of the same box is worth much more, so they leave feeling the number was fair?

Yes I am always upfront about what I plan to sell the record for and why. Condition plays a huge factor in my pricing.

Running a music shop inside a pawn context means you've had to think about the business side in ways a pure record store doesn't. For someone thinking about opening a music-plus-something-else shop in a mid-size city, what did you learn early on that you wish someone had told you?

My advice would be to know exactly what you want to sell in your shop before opening. Really streamline it and make sure it's something you're excited and passionate about selling. I have a job that doesn't feel like a job and I think that's what the majority of people strive for.

Last updated: 2026-10-28

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