Platters Plus
by Cathy Miller

Seven months ago, an honest-to-goodness gem of a shop opened its doors in Belvidere. A man with a vision took over a small space on Water Street, and set out to shake, rattle and roll aficionados of vinyl.

Three things prompted Jay Cummings to establish The Vintage VU: his love of music; his love of collecting vinyl; and his love of talking about both.

Music fans and collectors meet The Vintage VU, a family-owned business founded on August 12, 2022, National Vinyl Record Day. “We didn’t purposely pick that date, it was just a random date we chose for our Grand Opening,” Cummings laughed.

Jay Cummings, originally from Boonton, moved to Hackettstown about 30 years ago. He and his wife Jennifer relocated to Belvidere five years later.

A self-described “contractor by trade,” he’s also a tinkerer, musician, woodworker, jeweler, curator, and artist.

Growing Up and Playing Out

Cummings began collecting vinyl as a young teen with the purchase of his very first record “Kiss Alive II.” He recalled, “I opened that up and I’ll never forget looking at the inside cover, wondering ‘what the…’ That record literally changed my life. I wanted to do that for a living!”

He commenced playing drums at 14. Over 30 years later, he’s still at it, asserting it’s part of his chemistry. He’s been recording music in his home studio for three decades, and also dabbles in guitar.

He’s played in several bands, currently drumming in a cover band. “It’s fun stuff, party rock,” as Cummings described it. “Sometimes we stay true to the original, but more often we mess with the songs. Lately, we’ve been writing originals.”

Musical Encounters

A few years ago, Cummings was thrilled to spend time with Sevendust, perhaps his favorite band, and a big influence on his own musical stylings.

One of his bands opened for several national acts. “We played at the Stanhope House, which used to be one of the nation’s best-rated blues clubs.” He recalled, “It was exciting to be on the same stage as the iconic blues artists.”

A week before the grand opening of The Vintage VU, Cummings and family travelled to Nashville and toured RCA Studio B. “It gave me chills. Here I was, standing in the exact spot where Elvis recorded over 400 songs,” he mused, “Elvis was playing over the speakers. I closed my eyes and I could picture him there.”

There’s few people that will admit music will do that to them, but Cummings explained, “I’m a special breed. Music is very emotional for me. It’s my life.”

Always a proponent of live music, he understands (and has experienced) the give and take at a show, the energy exchange between the band and the audience.

Collecting Records

Cummings started collecting records a long time ago, moved on to CDs, then that gave way to digital downloads and streaming. He explained his return to vinyl a few years ago, “I started collecting pretty hardcore, looking for some of those records that I had lost or given away over the years. I realized just how much I loved spinning records.”

Whether it’s to have a collection to listen to, or an investment to sock away, everybody has their reason for bringing vinyl into their lives. Occasionally Cummings has purchased two copies of a record, keeping one sealed, banking on that album becoming super-collectible. “That’s half the fun, trying to gauge what’s going to be collectible. Generally when I buy music, I open it and I play it. If I feel it’s something special, I’ll preserve a second copy.” What constitutes “collectible?” It could be the band itself, the cover artwork, or the rarity of the record.

Cummings listens to all kinds of music. “I love digging up unsigned acts not everybody knows. You hear something and think it’s really good, but if nobody’s ever heard of it, is it going to sell? All I know is I like it.”

The Vintage VU

Cummings loves sharing music. Part of the inspiration to open a brick-and-mortar was to talk with people. Somebody is looking for something independent, and he’ll introduce them to a new band. As a testament to that, shortly after opening time on a Saturday morning, there were at least a half dozen folks already inside browsing, asking questions, and talking equipment with Cummings.

As more people visit The Vintage VU and get to know Jay Cummings, they trust his judgment and are more apt to try an unknown commodity.

A small space with plenty of product, Cummings has successfully maintained a layout that allows ease of mobility and maximum comfort. As The Vintage VU grows,” Cummings explained, “I never want it to feel claustrophobic.”

In the front of the store is a listening station with a couple comfy chairs and a set of headphones where customers are encouraged to check out their records, especially the used ones. “We ultrasonically clean most every record that comes into the store,” Cummings explained. “We want them to sound as good as possible. Nonetheless, I encourage people to closely examine the records and give a listen before they leave.”

The Vintage VU hosts listening parties on Wednesday nights. Folks can bring in a record to share or just show up to hear something different. There’s always music playing in the store.

Miscellaneous facts about The Vintage VU:
• The oldest record Cummings has found was dated 1904.
• His greatest find was an album by Alice Coltrane called “Ptah, the El Daoud” from 1970.
• Curious about the store’s name and logo? The design on the T-shirt is a VU (volume unit) meter which measures the amplitude of an overall audio signal. Curious what that means? Stop by and ask Jay, he’s also a recording engineer!

Dreams For The Future

With hopes of hosting concerts at The Country Gate Players, Cummings yearns to bring live music to Belvidere – maybe even a small street festival. He’s currently seeking artists to play a benefit show for the local fire department.

If the weather cooperates, he plans to have live music in the courtyard behind his building on Record Store Day, April 22.

The Vintage VU is the new kid on the block as far as record collecting. “We don’t have the largest inventory,” Cummings said, “but we don’t want our inventory to overwhelm you and make your head spin.” He curates the best records he can find, the coolest titles, and admits the older titles are getting harder to locate, conceding that only makes the hunt more challenging.

Visitors to The Vintage VU will find LPs, 45s, 78s, cds, cassettes, even 8-tracks. There are books of both music and the geeky variety. There are t-shirts, buttons, stickers, patches, guitar strings, guitar picks, vintage and new hi-fi gear, even a few baseball cards, along with Cummings’ own jewelry designs, and other local artists’ work.

The Vintage VU, 246 Water Street, Unit 1B, Belvidere, NJ 07823
908-619-4319 www.TheVintageVU.store
The Vintage VU is on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter