On bustling Manhattan Avenue, a unique record store invites music lovers of all genres to enjoy blissful beats and brews.
For the Record, or FTR, an independent record store and café hybrid, has been spinning vinyl since November 2021. It offers a curated mix of new releases, pre-owned records, merchandise and a spacious event area for album listening parties. Founder Lucas Deysine envisioned a neighborhood hub for coffee and record enthusiasts, merging the two into one community turntable.
For National Vinyl Record Day on Aug. 12, FTR celebrated with the welcoming ambiance it’s known and respected for.
At 1107 Manhattan Ave., customers are greeted by a wall lined with the latest albums, from Chappell Roan to The 1975. A yellow-tinted menu lists espresso and herbal teas made from locally sourced products. In the back, crates of classic vinyl feature legacy acts like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pat Benatar. Soft light from spherical bulbs casts the hospitable glow Deysine aimed to create.
The idea to open a record store and café began with a Craigslist listing.
“I was able to convince my landlords that even if I had no business experience, I had a good idea and a good plan,” Deysine said.
Despite the learning curve that came with being a novice business owner, he became a coffee connoisseur with help from Shared Roasting, a Brooklyn Navy Yard coffee company.
“I taught myself how to roast coffee and taste coffee and talk about coffee,” Deysine said. “So the coffee part was kind of handled just by trial and error.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Deysine leaned into the organic sound of classic records — the soundtrack to his small business, according to the store’s website. What started with a small bin of records has grown into a rich inventory of quality vinyl.
Community events helped cement FTR’s status as a neighborhood staple. “We’ve done a number of pop-ups here, concerts, most of which are for free,” Deysine said. For ticketed events, three-quarters of the proceeds go to the bands. Local artists, including members of the Greenpoint Art Circle, also display works at the shop.
One of FTR’s trademarks is its album listening parties, a series of events where fans of a particular artist or band gather to experience a new release for the first time.
“The main one is working with a group called WMX, which is Warner [Music Group]’s marketing arm,” Deysine said. “And they send out emails asking indie record stores to sign up for listening parties.”
“We’ve done a ton of listening parties for Charli XCX and Glass Animals and Joe and Green Day,” he added. “We’re like one of the only stores in New York City that ends up doing these kinds of listening parties.” Fans often leave with exclusive giveaways, such as posters, Polaroids, stickers and tote bags.
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Running FTR hasn’t been easy. Deysine said the biggest challenge is figuring out which records will sell — and how long to keep them on the shelves.
“You have to sell music that is readily available on our phones and laptops and in our cars for essentially free,” he said. “So you need to ask people and convince people that having a physical copy of something is really important to them and to the bands and to the music experience overall.”
He’s learned to stock everything from niche international records to popular titles, while ensuring customers have reasons to return.
“And people can tell, I hope, how much effort gets put into their coffee and into the music that they see in the shop,” Deysine said. “And they can tell when a place is putting in a lot of effort [in] dedicated training with the staff, really consistent coffee, consistent experience in here, they can tell.”
“And that’s kind of what, you know, helps keep the shop open and keeps our regulars happy and keeps people coming in from other neighborhoods or when they visit New York, they like to come here as a destination,” Deysine added.
Deysine credits his staff for keeping FTR running smoothly, emphasizing their close relationship with regulars. Deysine said can trust their invaluable work ethic, even without his presence.
“But those small moments where I take some time off, I know the shop is in good hands and I really have nothing to worry about,” he said.
As for advice to aspiring record store owners, Deysine said they should sell to customers “beyond what you’re actually selling” and listen to feedback. He believes FTR’s returning customers buy albums not just for the music, but for the in-person experience — as opposed to online retailers.
“Life is so much better when you get to talk to someone about something you’re both passionate about,” Deysine said.
