Wall of Sound (Seattle)

The record shop Wall of Sound is located on Capitol Hill and stocks media in a variety of genres such as avant-garde, electronic jazz, and world music.^[1] According to Shane Handler of Glide magazine, Wall of Sound "specializes in avant garde, Japanese, Noise, Industrial, Indie, Alternative, Art Rock, Free-jazz, Folk, Experimental, Ambient, World, Electronic, Electro-Acoustic, Neo-classical and other genres for the discriminating listener. That being said, the main focus is avant garde/experimental and world music."^[2] The Seattle Times has called the shop "tiny but expertly curated".^[3] Fodor's says, "If you're on the hunt for Japanese avant-rock on LP, antiwar spoken word, spiritual reggae with Afro-jazz undertones, or old screen-printed show posters, you've found the place. Obscure, experimental, adventurous, and good? Wall of Sound probably has it."^[4]

Mark Sullo and Eric Hoffman opened the shop at the intersection of Second Avenue and Bell Street in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood in May 1990. Jeffrey Taylor and Michael Ohlenroth purchased Wall of Sound in 2000.^[2] The business moved to Pine Street on Capitol in 2003, and later relocated to the intersection of 12th and Pike Street.^[1][5]

In January 2004, Wall of Sound started sponsoring a monthly concert at the Jewel Box Theater to promote the store and local musicians.^[6] The shop has offered specials for Record Store Day.^[7]