NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Music has the power to bring people together.
It is that philosophy that is a driving force behind the incredible new Daredevil Records in Niagara Falls.
"Music is everything. I think with all people," says Jessica Berry, the owner of Daredevil Records, "I've traveled to 43 countries and music is the one thing you can communicate with when you can't speak the same language."
The new boutique record store and listening lounge is located at 324 Niagara Street in Niagara Falls, and opened only a month ago. Berry is proud to offer a welcoming space for music lovers of all ages.
"I want them to feel like they want to sit down, relax and listen," says Berry. "Literally anybody can come in here and they all have a similar reaction. I see them go back to their childhood. Even kids who are 20 or 15, I can see in there eyes that there is a moment they see a record, or see a tape, and they are back to the happiest part of their life"
Born downstate, Berry first moved to Western New York in 2005 before her career in entertainment and retail took her across the country. She returned to Niagara Falls in 2016.
"I always wanted to live in Niagara Falls," say Berry. "When I first moved here I was in Buffalo. I kept coming to the falls, and coming to the falls. I found it very calming and very soothing, and there was something about it that drew me in. I would always look downtown and see these old buildings and would think of my hometown of Beacon."
Berry credits the people of Niagara Falls for her wanting to come back, and the result is an absolute treat for anyone looking for new music, or simply looking to rediscover some past favorites.
Daredevil Records boasts vintage t-shirts, old Sony Walkmans, rare cassette tapes and CDs, and of course an incredible collection of vinyl records.
"Last year was the first time that vinyl outsold CDs, since way back," says Berry. "This year they are outperforming CDs as well. Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey are actually releasing their music on cassettes, CDs and vinyl. So Taylor Swift's new album came out on all three mediums."
You could spend hours enjoying everything Daredevil Records has to offer, but Berry's favorite thing is a classic 1973 Seeburg Regency jukebox that is always free to play.
"It has music from different eras. You have Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston from the Super Bowl 'The Star Spangled Banner' when she sang, and 'Don't Stop Believing' from Journey, which I think is pretty neat."
Visitors are also encouraged to grab one of the thousands of titles from the listening library, throw on a head set, and drift away. All while enjoying an ice cold 'Moneybag" soda from Gene Simmons, or a cup of coffee from Oakland Coffee, which is owned by the members of the band Green Day.
So if you love music, or simply want to step back in time for a moment, Berry would love to have you visit.
"It's my personal love letter to Niagara Falls because of everything that the area has given to me over time. I wanted to give a little bit back."
Daredevil Records is opened Wednesday through Sunday from 1-8 PM.
Growth of Vinyl
Vinyl has been making a comeback for some time, and recently reached its highest sales week on record. According to a Billboard report citing Luminate, the week of December 22, 2022 saw the most vinyl sales (2.2 million) in one week since tracking began in 1991.
Luminate also reported 43.5 million vinyl LP sales in 2022— making vinyl one of only two physical media (cassette) to grow last year.
