‘Mr. Records’ keeps Kenya’s last vinyl music shop alive
NAIROBI, Kenya — Tucked into a busy market in Kenya’s capital is arguably the country’s last record store.
“Real Vinyl Guru” has been open for 28 years and now enjoys the growing interest of music lovers who want to look beyond sleek digital offerings and return to the pleasure of browsing for a classic African vinyl find.
Former disc jockey James “Jimmy” Rugami is at his shop every morning as early as 6, sorting through his latest discoveries. While many record shops closed in music’s shift to digital and with the rise of piracy, he patiently held on and collected the stock of closing stores.
His love of vinyl has seen his collection grow into the thousands and earned him the nickname “Mr. Records.”