Sweat Records, Miami's beloved vinyl shop, celebrates 20 years
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Sweat Records turned 20 this week. Photo: Sommer Brugal/Axios
When Lolo Reskin opened Sweat Records in 2005, she had "no long-term plans" for the vinyl shop. She was 22 years old; her best friend and cofounder, 24.
- "We just wanted to build this cool thing together because we loved music and we loved our city," she said.
Why it matters: Twenty years later, the Little Haiti shop is central to the community, having grown into a local hub and safe space for residents and tourists alike.
- Fittingly, ahead of its 20th anniversary Wednesday, Miami-Dade County declared March 12 to be "Sweat Records Day."
Flashback: The independent shop's first location opened in Edgewater, less than a year before Hurricane Wilma hit Miami.
- The storm destroyed the building, forcing Reskin to relocate to a temporary space behind the Churchill's Pub — "a complete landmark" at the time, Reskin told Axios.
- They moved into the current location (next to the now-closed music space) in 2007 and have been in the shop ever since.
Between the lines: The space has served as a gathering spot for local organizations, including Black Miami Dade, to hold community events, talks or monthly meetings.
Zoom in: The shop is organized like most other record stores, categorized by genre or recent arrivals. Patrons and employees sift through rows of records while music plays in the background.
- One feature that sets Sweat apart: Its dedicated "Miami funk and soul" section — an area that highlights "the incredible music that was being made in our backyard" during the Motown era, Reskin said.
Zoom out: The other unique feature is the sweeping world music section, organized by continent and featuring both popular and obscure international artists.
In the nearly two decades Sweat has anchored the neighborhood, its surroundings drastically changed, as has Miami's music scene.
- From Reskin's point of view, the present-day 305 embodies the "biggest and [most] diverse" audience the city has seen, with more shows spanning more genres and more venues, too. It used to be harder to reach people here, she says.
- She credits spaces like Jolene Sound Room and ZeyZey, plus organizations such as Rhythm Foundation at the Miami Beach Bandshell and III Points, with the growth.
Yes, but: Reskin would still like to see more small- and mid-size venues that could showcase local talent. The shop's event stage is one of the only all-ages stages in town, featuring shows most weekends.
What's next: Reskin says she'd love to stick around for another 20 years, even as Miami and the communities around her continue to change.
- "Music lovers will always love music," she said. "We dream of a bigger space one day, but [we hope] to keep selling records and providing those valuable opportunities for in-person interaction."
Celebrate Sweat Records: The shop is hosting an anniversary party at ZeyZey, with a musical lineup headlined by Adrian Quesada of the Black Pumas.
- Saturday, 8pm-2am. Tickets are $30.