New vinyl record store sees early success

As soon as you walk into Vintage Vinyl & Antiques, you’ll hear music played from one of the store’s many vinyl records.

Bill Pimentel has always loved listening to vinyl records for his music and because of that opening a record shop for the music item has always been in the back of his mind. So when the Paris building in Old Town Pocatello became vacant, he decided to make the store a reality.

The store’s stock mainly covers classic rock, blues and jazz artists— but you’ll also be able to find a couple of movie and musical soundtracks. Pimentel said the store attracts people from all generations and has been more successful than he predicted.

Pimentel always loved the records’ covers.

“It’s like a storybook to me,” he said. “(The covers) give you a kind of history of the record, you don’t get that from mp3s and CDs don’t give you that either.”

Quint Pimentel, Bill Pimentel’s son, helps run the store, but his love for vinyl is just as big as his dad’s.

“I have a pretty extensive collection myself and it’s probably due to my father owning records when I was a kid,” Quint Pimentel said. “Also, just the love of vinyl I have.”

Whether it’s the nice cover or the great artist playing the music, for the father-son duo the love always comes down to the sound.

“If I had my choice, I’d always listen to vinyl,” Bill Pimentel said.

Besides vinyl records, Vintage Vinyl & Antiques also sells record players, CDs and other music memorabilia. Also, right next door to the store is an ice cream shop.

The store will have a live band performing this week for Old Town Pocatello’s First Friday Art Walk.