Darryl Harris, owner of Moods Music in Little Five Points, is bringing a new record store to South Downtown. Harris, who has operated Moods Music for 24 years specializing in vinyl and CDs featuring Neo Soul, Afro-Cuban, and Acid Jazz artists, signed a lease at 215 Mitchell Street for a new shop called Crates, with an anticipated opening of August or September 2024.
Crates will focus exclusively on used vinyl records available in crates, allowing customers to browse and sell their own albums. The store will also stock turntables, home goods, and merchandise similar to the offerings at Moods Music.
Harris, a former DJ, said he was drawn to the Hotel Row area after becoming impressed by development efforts in South Downtown. "I take pride in making a store a little bit more unique," he said, expressing particular enthusiasm about the brick walls of the new space.
The South Downtown revitalization has seen significant transitions in recent years. Newport RE initially led the project but sold its portfolio to Braden Fellman Group, a deal that ultimately collapsed. In December 2023, Jon Birdsong and David Cummings acquired Newport's entire portfolio of 53 buildings, bringing new momentum to the area.
Harris celebrates Record Store Day annually at Moods Music and sees independent record stores as increasingly rare. He aims to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere at Crates that reflects his eclectic curation style across R&B, Dance, Funk, and Reggae.
Source: South Downtown ATL