Take a Sneak Peek at the New Rough Trade NYC Store

Chances are, if you’ve been to London, then you’ve seen at least a dozen people walking down the street with Rough Trade tote bags slung over their shoulders. And while the record shop has become the trendy place to go to for purchasing the latest record from the coolest new buzz band or watching them play an in-store gig, that’s kind of the beauty of the place. The entire philosophy behind Rough Trade is something you won’t find anywhere else – just like their basic black and white logo, they keep things simple. You won’t find huge signs advertising prices and sales, just racks and racks of releases from the best new signed and unsigned musical acts. And now, after many months of anxiously waiting, we can officially welcome Rough Trade to its newest Williamsburg, Brooklyn location.

It’s taken four years to make the shop a reality, but on Monday (Nov 25), Rough Trade will open its doors to the public, kicking off with in-store performances from Sky Ferreira (who will also be hosting an album signing) and Charles Bradley. [Click here for a full listing of upcoming in-store performances.]

But ahead of their grand opening, we were able to stop by the (as of Friday) very-still-under-construction shop and to find out from Rough Trade co-owner Stephen Godfroy what he has planned for his newest record store branch.

“To some, it’s daring,” Godfroy told us about his ambitious endeavor, as he began to lead us through the store. “But for us, it’s the natural thing to do.” He intentionally set out to make the store, located along the East River in Greenpoint, a “destination spot” and a “a refuge from the high street”.

Before you even walk in, you notice that there are no windows, just six 60-foot murals on the outside walls, highlighting what is newly available inside. And once you step inside, you notice just how massive the shop is. A former prop-storage warehouse for HBO, this 15,000 square foot (10,000 ground floor, 5,000 mezzanine) structure not only houses approximately 20,000 items of stock, but it also features an entirely separate music venue room (as opposed to the tiny stage located inside the Brick Lane shop in London), equipped with mezzanine seating and a bar. It’s also worth noting that not only will there be Rough Trade-organized in-store performances, Q&As, signings and screenings, but also ticketed evening events hosted by The Bowery Presents.

Inside, you’ll also find another unique feature called ‘The Room’, which is, essentially, a small room situated above the main entrance. Each month, the room’s content will change, allowing for various record labels to showcase the inspiration behind an upcoming album release or the history of their label. [From Nov 25^th-Jan 5^th, Tumblr IRL are presenting ‘Childish Gambino because the internet’, which is his “reimagined bedroom on display, where the influences of his personal world are laid bare for all to see and hear”]. There is also an in-store café, run by local café Five Leaves, as well as another small room where The Guardian newspaper will co-host various events.

And most importantly, don’t forget about the music. You won’t find used products inside Rough Trade NYC, but you can find all the latest releases, including UK imports (from music to books), plus there are three listening posts to help customers find suggestions for new releases.

Take a look at some pictures of an in-progress Rough Trade NYC below.