by Peter Elliott

On Saturday, April 13, record stores across the world will celebrate Record Store Day. The day is often marked by exclusive music releases, free goodies, including tote bags and CDs and deals on vinyl records to music memorabilia. This year, there will be more than 400 music releases from artists including Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Weezer, the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead.

One record store that will be celebrating the day is Hideaway Music. Located at 8612 Germantown Ave., Hideaway Music was opened 16 years ago by longtime Chestnut Hill resident Brian Reisman.

“We started out selling used CDs mostly, but vinyl has really taken over,” Reisman said. “What we mainly sell now is vinyl records and equipment to play them on.”

When starting out Hideaway Music, Reisman knew of several record shops in the area that had come and gone. Since opening his shop, Hideaway has become one of the most sought-after record stops in the region.

“I had known before I opened the record store that Chestnut Hill needed a music store,” Reisman said. “There were some startups that came and went, but we’ve stuck around.”

For Hideaway Music, Record Store Day is one of the busiest days of the year. Reisman expects lines of people hoping to get their hands on some exclusive music.

“Some records they’ll only put out 5,000 records across the country,” Reisman said. “Some people wait in lines and try to travel to different places to get some of these releases. We get a fraction of what we order, but we’re gonna get some good stuff.”

Hideaway Music also has its own events and deals planned for Record Store Day. Reisman’s shop has partnered with McNally’s Tavern for an exclusive deal: Spending more than $25 on music and merchandise at Hideaway Records and buying a signature sandwich at McNally’s will let you buy a bottle of Dogfish Head’s American Beauty for $2.

Dogfish Head’s “American Beauty” is a pale ale made from granola, wildflower honey and all-American hops that the popular Delaware brewer created in collaboration with the Grateful Dead. Last year, Dogfish Head collaborated with the venerable psychedelic band, Flaming Lips, for a beer called “Dragons and Yum Yums,” a fruity ale made from dragon fruit, yumberries and pears, which came with its own seven-inch single.

One unique Record Store Day release that Reisman noted is a miniature record player made by turntable company Crosley, most known for their suitcase turntables. The mini record player, which comes bundled with a Foo Fighters single, plays three-inch vinyl records and can be hooked up to almost any speaker system through a headphone jack.

Hideaway Music will also host local music buff and avid record collector Thomas Browne as he plays records from his expansive collection of vinyl from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, the store will be having deals on vinyl records and audio equipment, along with free Record Store day goodies.

After 16 years and over a decade of celebrating Record Store Day, Reisman has built up a successful, independent record shop. From his own experiences, however, owning and maintaining a record shop can be both self-fulfilling and difficult.

“Being in business for yourself has its pluses, but the best thing is also the worst thing,” Reisman said. “You’re generally working six days a week. Anytime you’re in business for yourself, it can be a good thing and a bad thing.”

From April 5, Reisman will be posting to the shop’s social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, what releases Hideaway will have for this year’s Record Store Day. For a full list of releases for Record Store Day, visit recordstoreday.com