Neptoon Records: Vancouver's Indie Music Institution Reaches 45-Year Milestone
In the heart of Vancouver's vibrant Main Street neighborhood, a bright green building stands as a testament to musical resilience and community spirit. Neptoon Records, the city's oldest independently owned record store, is celebrating an impressive 45 years in business this month, marking decades of serving music lovers through format revolutions and economic challenges.
From Humble Beginnings to Main Street Landmark
The story of Neptoon Records began in 1981 when founder Rob Frith opened his first storefront on Fraser Street near 41st Avenue. Facing unemployment during the 1980 recession after his construction work vanished, Frith turned his passion for record collecting into a business venture.
"I had been collecting records for years and organizing the annual record swap meets," Frith recalls. "I found a place on Fraser Street that rented for $375 a month or something, took a chance, and went for it."
That chance proved successful, and in 2000, Frith relocated the business to its current home at 3561 Main Street. The distinctive green building previously housed the eccentric Museum of Exotic World, and today continues that tradition of curation with its packed shelves of musical treasures.
Surviving Industry Transformations
Neptoon Records has weathered significant industry changes that have shuttered countless other independent music retailers. The store survived the CD revolution that nearly wiped out vinyl-focused shops, the digital music transformation, and Vancouver's challenging real estate market.
"The CD thing almost wiped out stores like mine," Frith explains. "We were able to get a boost when the used CD market finally developed, plus the big stores had gotten entirely out of vinyl, which we still had. And that proved to be a blessing."
Frith's foresight in purchasing the building housing his shop has provided crucial stability, allowing the business to remain in its prime location despite Vancouver's platinum-priced real estate market. He has no intention of letting the property go, noting it has become part of his family's history.
A Family Legacy and Community Hub
Today, Neptoon Records operates as a family business with Frith's son Ben actively involved in daily operations. Ben, who plays in the long-running Vancouver rock act Vicious Cycles, represents the next generation of music enthusiasts keeping the store's legacy alive.
The store remains packed with diverse musical formats including:
- Vinyl albums spanning multiple genres
- CDs and cassettes
- Rare 8-track cartridges
- Collectible posters and postcards
- Music memorabilia and kitsch items
While not as concentrated as the historic Record Row that once dominated Seymour Street, Main Street continues to host several record stores where music lovers gather to thumb through racks, discover new sounds, and connect with fellow enthusiasts.
Celebrating 45 Years of Musical Discovery
To mark this significant anniversary, Neptoon Records is hosting a sold-out celebration at Vancouver's Rickshaw Theatre on February 8th. The event features performances by local acts including The Mummies and Ben Frith's own band, Vicious Cycles.
The store continues to serve as a creative incubator, with new bands still forming from chance encounters among the record bins. This community aspect remains central to Neptoon's identity, maintaining the personal connections that digital streaming services cannot replicate.
"With my son involved here on Main, we are busier than ever," says Frith. "It's really a lot of fun and cool since a relative opened a worker's clothing store on Main back in 1900."
As Neptoon Records enters its 46th year, it stands not just as a retail establishment but as a cultural institution—a physical space where Vancouver's music community gathers, discovers, and celebrates the enduring power of recorded sound in an increasingly digital world.
