Microgroove Bringing Record Shopping Back to Tampa

For local vinyl record fans, the opening of Microgroove record store in Seminole Heights could mean the passing of a torch from a long-revered retailer.

The January closing of South Tampa’s Vinyl Fever, a 30-year-old independent record store, was a major blow to area audiophiles. Now two former Vinyl Fever staffers are hoping to open Microgroove at 4906 N. Florida Ave. by Dec. 1.

And in the Vinyl Fever  spirit, Microgroove’s indie vibe will underlie an egalitarian stance on music genres, and new and used vinyl records will figure prominently in the stock.

“Contrary to popular belief, people still love to buy vinyl,” said Microgroove co-owner Keith Ulrey. “Some people are still floored when it’s announced that the new vinyl album from Radiohead is coming out. It’s not just about collectors any more. It’s about people being turned on to the classic collectable aspect of vinyl, or the warmth of the sound on the vinyl. You got the (record) sleeve in your hands. You can open it up and look at the lyrics.”

The modest size and start-up budget of the new store will inform Microgroove's no music categories policy, if not remind shoppers of Vinyl Fever's all-God's-children outlook on categorization. “We are going to be genre-less,” Ulrey said. “It’s just going to be A to Z for artists. It makes it easier from an organizational standpoint, and we're hoping it’ll help people discover things that they normally wouldn’t see just looking through a (categorized) section. Someone might come in looking for a Deathcab for Cutie record and walk out with a Black Uhuru album.”

Ulrey said Microgroove will also carry CDs, turntables and turntable supplies. A small portion of the music stock will be new releases. “We're hoping for like an eight week window of carrying something like the new Radiohead CD,” Ulrey said. “We’ll have that for a couple months, then we’re sending it back.”

Ulrey and Microgroove co-owner Carl Webb are renting a 630 square foot space in a 1942 vintage building that's mostly occupied by the landlord Larry Olsen's VW repair shop. The storefront's facade is dominated by a bright red arch top door and garage door, relics from space's tenure as Tampa Street Market.

Ulrey said during the final days of Vinyl Fever, “There was brief discussion of moving the store, and the location that was discussed was Seminole Heights.” So choosing the neighborhood for Microgroove just seemed natural to him. “To me it was almost just kind of a no-brainer,” said Ulrey. “We both live in Seminole Heights. We all know it’s a hub of the creative artistic community.”

And within Seminole Heights, Ulrey reckons Microgroove will be on the best couple blocks, a stretch that contains popular gathering spots like , and . “It’s almost becoming this strip where people can go on a Friday night, go have pizza and a beer and go record shop.”

Webb was a 15 year veteran of Vinyl Fever. Ulrey worked there for its final three years. Ulrey is an active veteran of local indie rock scene. He has drummed for numerous bands   including Pohgoh, the Maccabees, and his current bands Zillionaire and Rec Center. He also books music acts for the New World Brewery in Ybor City, and runs the New Granada music label.

Ulrey said microgroovetampa.com should be online soon. For more information, e-mail microgroovetampa@gmail.com.