Root For Us Records is now in a larger adjoining space next to Redi in Newton
As far as Bay State dispensaries go, Redi is especially welcoming. From arcade games to couches to an actual puzzle in progress, they’re not exactly pushing your ass out the door.
So the incorporation of Root For Us Records into the store’s lobby earlier this year was a natural fit. And now, the recreational and hangout vibe spread to the previously empty attached storefront, where the vinyl shop expanded earlier this month.
In case you missed it, here’s an excerpt from our chat with Root For Us proprietor (and personal friend of mine) Brian Coleman about the unique arrangement:
As a vinyl seller and sommelier of sorts, until recently he was a partner at Want List Records in Belmont. Looking to step out on his own, Coleman figured that a pot shop would be a good fit to sell his platters. He’d tabled at a holiday pop-up at one store before, and sensed real potential.
With that kernel of a concept in mind, he started researching and asking around. As it turned out, the only comparable outfit that’s apparently kicked down that wall like Aerosmith and Run-DMC is Seven Point, a dispensary in Danville, Illinois that “features new-release vinyl records, music-themed mural art, and unique concert memorabilia showcased in an immersive 21+ consumer experience.”
Enter Redi. The independent operator, which has adult-use stores in Natick and Newton, fit the bill perfectly. Coleman wanted an accessible location somewhere inside the I-95 loop; Newton was especially ideal, since Want List had originally opened in an antique mall in the fig, and he knows all the local vinylphiles by name and microgenre preference.
After some back and forth, Coleman and the owners drew up an agreement that enables him to run a separate business in the Redi space, and Root For Us Records was born.
“I don’t believe anyone’s done it yet, certainly not in Massachusetts,” Coleman said. “It’s not like I own the idea, but I am excited that we’re the first. … Just to kind of share space that they weren’t using immediately, and to share customers, because obviously there’s great overlap between dispensaries and records.”
That’s even more the case with the new larger space, and to bolster the achievement, I currently have an installation of vintage and high-end magazines for sale there. That’s not just a full disclosure, it’s a shameless self-promotion, and I hope that you can check it out if you are in the are and like cool stuff. In the meantime, check out the video below …
Chris is the editor and co-founder of Talking Joints Memo, a co-founder of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism, and a longtime reporter for outlets including the Boston Phoenix and DigBoston. He started his career as a music journalist and has been honored to collaborate with the likes of cannabis icons like Cypress Hill and Wu-Tang on book projects. He also plays pickleball and would love more people to play with who also smoke weed.
