Ramirez said while people can stream music online, physical music media such as records, compact discs and cassettes can offer people a more personal experiences with features such as album cover art and enhanced sound quality.
“[Physical music media] is a rebellion against streaming services,” Ramirez said. “On streaming services your artist is available one month and then the next month is gone, but with records and CDs, once you buy it, it's yours forever.”
What's special about it
Ramirez said he sold his first records on Craigslist and decided to start selling his collection at the Frisco Mercantile antique store in 2009, where his business began to take off.
When he opened his first brick and mortar store, Ramirez said he named the record store after his daughters Zoe and Trinity with a focus on selling records and vintage media to younger generations.
Ramirez said customers can expect a friendly staff to offer them assistance when needed.
“I think sometimes people get intimidated going into record stores and can be afraid of not knowing enough about records to ask questions or to get help, and I want to create an environment where people can feel comfortable to ask questions,” Ramirez said.
Aside from records, ZT Records offers CDs, cassettes and posters as well as record trading and buying services. Ramirez said he hopes to hold community events at ZT Records in the near future.
“It's always interesting to look at other collections because you kind of learn more about the person that you never talk to for very long, but, when you look at their music taste or how they organized it, the collection tells a story,” Ramirez said.
Looking ahead, Ramirez said ZT Records new releases will be available on Nov. 29 for Black Friday. In addition, he has plans to expand the record store with a fourth location at the First Colony Mall in Sugar Land early next year.
- 1201 Lake Woodlands Drive, The Woodlands
- www.ztrecords.com
