Round Rock store feeds the need of vinyl enthusiasts

After working in a record store for several years and accumulating a large collection of his own CDs and records, Piranha Records owner John Aleman said opening his own store was a natural evolution.

The store, which opened in 2003, has grown from Aleman's personal collection to offering a variety of CDs and vinyl records throughout several genres—from the Beatles to Lady Gaga, as well as DVDs, VHS tapes, video games and related merchandise. Despite the growing competition of online downloads, Aleman has managed to stay in business for more than 10 years by offering a variety of products.

"You have to be diverse to stay in business," Aleman said. "That's with any market, you have to adapt."

A Georgetown resident, Aleman said he found the perfect place for his store by watching the flow of vehicles on I-35.

"I didn't want to drive any further into traffic. That's literally how I came to the conclusion to stop right here," he said.

Aleman said his attentiveness to his customers is what makes Piranha Records preferable to big-box stores that sell CDs and DVDs.

"What's better is the more down-to-earth, person-to-person [experience]," Aleman said. "I'm listening more to the person, and I don't have a lot of [obstacles] to go through to get things done."

1208 N. I-35, Ste. E, Round Rock, 512-238-0418, www.piranharecords.wix.com/piranha-records, Twitter: @PiranhaRecords, Hours: Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. noon–7 p.m.