The space was most recently home to Modern Day Optx (Google Maps)
A 32-year-old former wealth manager is leaving a decade in finance behind for a passion project on Amsterdam Avenue — and a storefront currently mid-spackle is targeting a mid-summer reopening as something that doesn’t quite exist this far north on the Upper West Side.
Advertisement
Sweet Peanut Records, an independent vinyl-focused shop, is planning a mid-July opening at 463 Amsterdam Avenue, between West 82nd and 83rd streets. The space was most recently home to Modern Day Optx.Owner Hunter Brammer, who moved to the Upper West Side from Washington, D.C. five years ago and is originally from North Carolina, said the store will carry mostly vinyl alongside some CDs and cassettes, both new and used. He plans to host listening parties for newly released albums and bring in speakers to break down historically significant records and artists.
“Looking to really cultivate a community of music lovers and use the space as a gathering space to share the love for all music,” Brammer said in a message to ILTUWS.
In a phone interview, Brammer described his vision as a “cleaner, brighter, more organized” take on the format, with couch seating and a lively atmosphere meant to encourage hanging out, listening, and gathering.
Beyond walk-in retail, Brammer said he plans to sell online through his own website as well as Discogs, the global marketplace for physical music, and Whatnot, where he expects to occasionally run live auction-style shows. He’s also exploring partnerships with neighborhood businesses to host events in the space.
Advertisement
Brammer worked in wealth management for 10 years before making the jump. “This is just a big passion project for me,” he said, “and to sort of take my step into the music world, which is really my passion.”The build-out is already underway. Brammer said he’s been spackling walls and plans to build custom record bins, paint, and handle other updates himself, with no major construction required.
The shop announced its arrival in an Instagram post earlier this week with the sign-off “Stay Nutty.”
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
