Vinyl vigour

Rob Davison was shopping at a downtown Toronto record store some years ago when a teenager came up to him and asked for advice about which Stevie Wonder album they should buy. Davison just looked like someone who knew about music, the teenager explained.

They were right. After all, Davison has spent a lifetime obsessing over music. That exchange inspired the former elementary school teacher to open 33 1/3 Record Store, the only independent record store in York Region, Ontario, in 2016.

Six years later, the store houses approximately 20,000 new and used records, and its clientele, ranging in age from 14 to 70, entrusts its musical entertainment to Davison’s capable ears.

“When we opened our store, our intention was to display records on the shelves and sell them, but it became so much more than that,” says Davison. “It’s like having friends over all the time who love records, just like we do. We have become a family, a community, and we’re so grateful for that.” —Chris Powell