It all began when Richard Osborne and a friend from New England College in Henniker, N.H., visited someone they both knew in Newburyport.
“We liked the town and the scene at the Grog [restaurant],” Osborne said. “There was a big artists community with appreciation for music and literature.”
Osborne, a business major with “a deep and abiding love for music,” and his friend decided the city “would be a good place to open a record store. . . . It’s proven to be true.”
Dyno Records — which happens to be next door to the Grog — is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
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After the first year, Osborne said, his partner decided the business “was not for him. So, it’s been me ever since.”
We talked with Osborne, 63, a former Newburyport resident who now lives in Winchester.
Q. For sale?
A. Records, both vintage and new vinyl albums and singles, CDs, turntables, and musical accessories such as guitar strings.
Q. Source?
A. Buying used records from people is a big part of the business, especially if they have not been reissued. New vinyl started getting big about six years ago and also has become a large part of the store.
Q. Music?
A. Jazz, rock, folk, blues, country, reggae, popular music, rap, and international music. People say they find records here that they don’t see anywhere else. That’s what this store is all about, trying to broaden people’s horizons.
Q. Employees?
A. Three. One who has been working here since 1994, another who has been with me for 10 years, and another six years. They’re people who have a deep knowledge of music. I rarely hire anyone younger than 25. You have to live a while to know about a lot of different kinds of music.
Q. Customers?
A. From ages 20s to the 80s. For a while, downloading was the primary thing and I wasn’t getting kids in here. Bu, we’re getting the kids back. And we get good foot traffic downtown. I have regular customers; some who 20 years ago sold all their records and are having regret and buying them again. That’s kind of fun.
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Q. Bottom line?
A. It was, then wasn’t, a social gathering place. It’s becoming that again. We get groups of people who come in and hang out and talk about music. And I love talking to people about music.
Wendy Killeen can be reached at wdkilleen@gmail.com .