Phoenix record store’s new owner wants to build a ‘vinyl village’ Here’s what that means

Central Phoenix record store Tracks in Wax has gotten brighter since Josh Briese took ownership of the long-running shop in October. Literally.

No shade to any of the vinyl haven’s previous owners. Those who own businesses have the freedom to do as they please. What Briese wanted was to remove the paper and decor that obscured the view to and from the store’s interior and use the ubiquitous Arizona sunlight as a beacon to draw people in. Doing so added a lightness to the place’s inner atmosphere.

The thoughtful new airy feel, a deep clean and a roomy arrangement of the massive amount of records combine to make it feel like a new place. On our visit, Briese’s daughter ran the counter and let the turntable’s needle fall upon a Rolling Stones record, setting a mellow mood. His wife, who was out of town that day, can be found on site some days, too.

The store was opened in the early ‘80s by brothers Dennis and Don Chiesa. Dennis passed away in 2011, and Don some years prior. When the Chiesa brothers were no longer at the helm, Timmy Stamper was the owner, and that’s who Briese bought it from.

As a collector, Briese had been in the store digging through the crates on numerous occasions and was smitten with its vibe. “It just had a vibe that just was not unlike any other record store in Phoenix, and that’s what drew me in.” He spent more time getting to know Stamper when it was announced that the store was for sale. 

“I started coming in here for probably about eight weeks and hanging out with Timmy on the weekends,  just getting an idea of what the shop was about, and what he was looking for in an owner,” before they solidified the deal. Throughout the process, too, Bries says the two became friends.

Josh Briese, who goes by Breezy and hails from Oregon, also has an entirely separate career as a public school principal, in addition to a lifetime love of music and records. 

“I have been in education for 20 years. I’ve also always collected records, and music has been a part of my life since I was born. I grew up in a family that didn’t have a lot of money, so our parents listened to music with us. We had tapes, eight-tracks, all of that.”

He fuses the two just a bit. “Even at school, I have a record player and I play music all the time. It’s very much a part of my life.”

He’s been collecting records for years and had a business called Mylomine Records that sold at record shows and pop-up events. Like many who found new hobbies or elevated their passions to obsession-level status during the pandemic, he admits his collection “exploded because I didn’t have anything else to do at the time.”

Was owning a shop always a thought? Of course. As he says, “What’s more fun than hanging out in a record shop?”

“Being a huge, uh, record enthusiast, I wanted my own shop to be able to hang out and talk to people. And, you know, I’m in education, so I bring that into what we do here, and I wanna teach people what I know. Music exploration is amazing. Being turned on to a new artist that you’ve never heard before, especially when they’ve existed for 50 years, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, these guys are great. How do I not know them?’ We really love that aspect of music. So that’s kind of what we’re bringing in with the education side.”

I ask Briese what the best part, so far, has been about not only living a dream, but inhabiting a store that has been well-visited by music lovers for so many years.

“So far,” he says, “it’s the stories.”

“One of our main goals right now is to let everybody know that we’re under new ownership and we have a different vibe now, and at the same time are still holding onto the legacy that is Tracks in Wax. We don’t wanna lose that. What the brothers started here in 1982 is phenomenal, and then Timmy keeping it alive is amazing. We want to keep it going. We’ve had a ton of people reaching out to us about their stories, how they would come here in high school and hang out with the brothers, partake in some activities (laughs), just a lot of rad stories. People who don’t live here anymore are also hitting us up on social media, and they’re excited we’re keeping the legacy going.”

Building a community around music is another main priority for Briese and family. 

“Our vision for this place is to build a vinyl village, a community of vinyl enthusiasts.” 

“We want to be known as a place for people who want to get started with records and they don’t know where to start, or how to start, or what to buy. We have records at price points that anybody can enter without breaking the bank. And we want to be a cool vibe hangout spot. We’ve created a seating area up front, and we’ve got the original neon sign back up and hanging again.”

Something else important to Briese is fostering a respectful environment. 

“We want to be known for being a place where we are always going to treat everyone with respect and kindness. And if you want to learn, we’re gonna teach. Just come on in. You don’t have to buy anything at all. Just come hang out if you want and listen to music.

Briese says they’ll be having a little parking lot sale on Black Friday and will soon ramp up on some events like listening parties, live performances and future Record Store Day happenings. You can follow them on Instagram to keep up with all their news.