Merle’s Record Rack, located in Orange, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this fall. The store opened on Chapel Street in New Haven in 1962 and has occupied a number of locations, including the CT Post Mall, before settling into 307 Racebrook Rd. in Orange.
Merle’s has a large selection of new and used CDs, LPs and cassettes, as well as a variety of rock’n’roll merchandise, including t-shirts, posters and other collectibles. Additionally, Merle’s provides services such as stereo equipment repair and analog-to-digital format transfers (cassettes and LPs to CDs, VHS to DVDs).
Merle’s will hold a celebration on Sept. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will commemorate the store’s history as well as its future as it continues its mission to prioritize its customers and meet their needs and interests in a changing industry.
To help the store celebrate, the Rum Runners, a popular local band, will perform live from noon to 2 p.m. Merle’s will also offer a number of discounts: buy three CDs, LPs and/or tapes, get one free; spend $50 and receive a free Merle’s t-shirt; get one free extra copy with transfer orders; receive $20 off diagnostics for equipment repairs; and save $25 on all stereo sales. Merle’s will donate 10 percent of the day’s sales to the Red Cross to support their efforts in Ukraine.