Feature Acme Records & Music Emporium celebrates its grand opening this Saturday

The last few years have seen more bad news than good when it comes to record stores, most of it detailing how the Internet and the economy are killing the offbeat local digging spots that used to dot this once great nation. We’ve felt that sting here in Milwaukee (R.I.P. Atomic, Lotus Land), but there are plenty of quality shops still going strong. What’s more, area wax-addicts are about to have a new place to get their fix: Acme Records & Music Emporium. The new record shop is throwing a grand-opening bash this Saturday in Bay View, complete with local music, libations, and more records than you shake a stick at.

Acme is the brainchild of Ken Chrisien, who customers at Bullseye Records, the old Farwell Music, and listeners to WMSE’s Thursday morning 5 And Dime Show might know better as Shopkeeper Ken. Despite already having most music nerds’ dream job, Chrisien decided to take the potentially risky step of opening a store of his own. “I’ve been kicking this idea around the yard ever since Bullseye opened,” he explains. “The reason it’s finally happening now is because I was able to save up enough money to actually make it happen, and amass enough stock as well. It’s been quite the balancing act of saving money and buying records.”

Simply stocking the shelves may not seem like much of a challenge, but Chrisien’s gone to great lengths to ensure that the records for sale at Acme not only reflect his eclectic musical tastes, but also meet a certain standard of quality. “I like so much different stuff that I couldn’t really settle on a specialty,” he says. “I would like to keep the selection at a level where I can personally say something good about every single thing in the store. The word ‘curated’ is thrown around a lot these days, but I think it really applies in this case, as I’ve handpicked every single record in the store myself, other than some consignment pieces.”

Years of experience in the business and a genuine passion for music aren’t the only things going in Acme’s favor—vinyl in general has gone from a dead medium to an in-demand commodity as people rediscover the appeal of having a physical connection to the music they love. Though he intimately understands the convenience of MP3s (“It’s hard to take your records with you in the car, or the gym, or really anywhere. These damn things are heavy,”) Chrisien’s preferences obviously run towards analogue. But not having a turntable at home doesn’t mean you can’t experience the joy of discovering new music the old fashioned way, as CDs will also make up a good part of the store’s inventory, and will continue to do so as long as there are CD releases worth carrying. As Chrisien puts it, “If I’m super into something that’s only available on CD, I better have one for the customer as well, right? And I will be happy to order them for people, too.”

Of course, just because something seems like a winning proposition, opening any small business is a labor-intensive, anxiety-inducing endeavor, and Chrisien has certainly felt the strain getting things ready for the public. But the excitement the store has generated (its Facebook page has hundreds of ‘likes’ and no one’s been in the damn place) has helped allay those concerns. “I’m a worrier, and nothing will quell the fear inside me. Nothing. This is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done. But that being said, it’s been great how people have responded to this. The support and enthusiasm from everyone really helps.”

Not that enthusiasm has much sway when it comes to dealing with the bureaucratic red tape of licensing and permits and whatnot. “Dealing with the city has been difficult, and I’m sure anyone who has ever opened a business has stories to tell,” he says. “Ever seen the movie Brazil? It’s one of my favorites, but I don’t recommend living it.”

The opening is just the beginning—after that, Chrisien has to pull off staying in business. But Acme has so much going for it, and so many people who realize that fact, that there’s really no conceivable reason the shop won’t become a destination for the city’s fans and collectors for years to come. Still, there’s plenty to make going to Saturday’s party worth it, beyond snatching up the choicest records before they fly off the shelves. There’ll be live sets from local artists Jim Warchol and Red Stuff (the latter, whom Chrisien describes as “a serious dose of pagan rock,” are using the occasion as a record release show), and even refreshments from nearby Sugar Maple. “There will be ample snacks and beverages provided,” promises Chrisien. “Along with some frivolity. A grand opening needs frivolity.”