A short walk from Lincoln Square, just at the edge of the Gettysburg College campus, lies Sweet Repeat Records; a small storefront crammed full of vinyl, CD’s, posters, and paraphernalia from almost every genre.
Run by father-and-son duo Nick and Bill Mich, the store is the second location, after the one in New Hope PA, of the music-focused company. The consignment shop buys, sells, and trades music of all types.
The shop opened in October 2022 and is frequented by locals and students alike
It seems the store cropped up out of necessity for both buyers and sellers. “We started by opening up a thrift store,” Nick Mich says of the company’s roots as a consignment store outside of Philadelphia. “I was collecting music before that, but we started buying some collections and throwing them in the back. It probably took about three months for the records to take over the whole store.”
After only a year in the consignment business, the pair’s store evolved so far into music that they officially made the switch. After being regular tourists to the borough for over a decade, the team began scoping out permanent locations in Gettysburg for a store to house their growing collection.
From The Highwaymen to Taylor Swift, musical groups are sectioned off, alphabetized, and displayed on the sidewalk for customers walking through town. Of course Gettysburgians are no strangers to second-hand stores; Sweet Repeat joins a batch of antique and thrift shops throughout the town. But their focus on music keeps them especially popular among locals, tourists, and students.
Nick said an estimated 90% of merchandise comes to the store second-hand from independent sellers, accentuating the store’s eclecticism and individuality.
“The store is in a great location,” says Henry Grinnell, a college student who praises the wide range of music and the “welcoming atmosphere” that has been curated by Sweet Repeat. “I want to go in and browse every time I pass by.”
The owners credit the recent “record renaissance” for creating a new market for old methods of playing music.
The Mich’s have hopes of making alterations to their current set-up. There is the possibility of closing up the New Hope store, expanding the current storefront, and moving closer to the square.
But one thing is certain; Gettysburg is a happy home for Sweet Repeat Records.
Find Sweet Repeat Records online and at 18 N Washington St, Gettysburg.
Kayla Ellis is a history major at Gettysburg College. Born and raised on Long Island, New York, Kayla has written for her local paper, the Amityville Record, and Gettysburg College's The Gettysburgian. Additionally, she served as a social media intern for Athens Insider magazine while she was studying in Greece and as an editor for the Institute for American University's literary magazine while she was studying in France. She will graduate in May of 2023 and pursue a career in journalism.
Definitely have to stop by!
It’s a great store!