More than a store, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic NYC establishment — and one of America’s most legendary DJ stores.
New York City – In 1975, when Joseph Bechor founded the original Rock And Soul store in Manhattan, Gotham was having a tough time, even seeking federal assistance. It was the year of the infamous New York Daily News headline – “Ford to City: Drop Dead.” No bailout was coming, so NYC was on its own.
Bechor was on his own as well. Seeking a better life, he had recently emigrated from Israel alone and he put his heart into this new electronics store. When he realized it could work, he brought over his wife, Shirley, and his daughters. Things would get better.
Over the years, Rock And Soul evolved into one of America’s most legendary DJ stores. It sold DJ gear of all types from all eras. Plus, it sold tons of vinyl records for hip-hop and dance DJs looking for the very latest jams. Additionally, it sold independent music on consignment from artists and labels that would become legendary themselves.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Rock And Soul. Located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, the store has soldiered through all the changes that the DJ-retail world has brought upon it. In celebration of the store’s milestone, we connected with Joseph’s daughter Sharone Bechor, who runs the store now, and her mother, Shirley, to discuss the shop’s unique history.
DJ LIFE: Your parents, Joseph and Shirley, founded Rock and Soul – what’s their story? What did they originally envision the store to be?
Sharone Bechor: My parents immigrated from Israel. My dad was just trying to find a way to build a better life for our family here in America, just trying to make enough for them to survive and bring the family here. The store started as a typical electronics shop on 7th Avenue – very common at the time – with a music section in the back.
DJ LIFE: What was the main Manhattan competition at the time – the Canal Street stores?
Sharone Bechor: Our biggest competitors back then were Sam Ash, the Canal Street stores, and yes, Crazy Eddie, if you remember him! Later came Record Explosion, Discomat, Manny’s – and then, of course, all the shops on 48th Street and Canal.
DJ LIFE: What was the original Rock and Soul store like in 1975? What was it selling?
Sharone Bechor: We used to sell anything that we could – incense, pipes, Ray Bans, you name it. And it was an electronics store, like many others on 7th Avenue in Midtown, selling speakers, receivers, TVs, watches, and cameras. But the music section made up about half of the store. Once it was lucrative enough and my father, Joseph, saw that he could stay afloat, he brought the family over – my sisters and mom were still there.
DJ LIFE: Did that change the store?
Sharone Bechor: When my mom, Shirley, came in, she was really smart about buying music. She made sure we had everything people were asking for, and made sure we had enough of it. Small labels came in that no one knew, and she would wallpaper the walls with their label, test it out, and they were so grateful for the increased business, they would make sure she had the best price, so she could keep selling it and keep it out on display. New artists emerged and they just wanted to be on the wall. She would keep it on consignment, have the DJs that worked there play it, and then, before you knew it, it was a hit. One of the artists was the infamous Wu-Tang Clan. It all started from them bringing their records on consignment, same with DJ Premier of Gang Starr, Mobb Deep, Black Moon, and so many more artists.
DJ LIFE: At what point did the store begin to carry DJ gear?
Sharone Bechor: When records were going out of style and CDs were becoming popular, our clientele didn’t have CD players. And then the record stores stopped carrying records and only carried CDs, so we became the only store that still had records. When people were transitioning to CDs, no one thought about how it would affect DJs, so the DJs each told their friends and told each other that this one store still had records and it was Rock and Soul in Midtown. So once the DJ community started coming here for records, they started buying not one record, but two records at a time and they started asking for gear, so we quickly changed our electronics from cameras and watches to turntables, mixers, mixing boards and speakers. And then, more and more we started catering to the DJs – buying records that DJs wanted and singles that just came out or hadn’t even been released yet. DJs started coming two to three times a week to make sure that they were up to date with the newest and latest music.
DJ LIFE: From my understanding, when it came to selling DJ gear in its early days, a lot of Canal Street consumer-electronics stores were handling those products – early lines like GLI, Numark, Gemini, etc. The traditional music stores on 48th Street wouldn’t carry the DJ stuff or even know very much about DJ equipment.
Sharone Bechor: We became so specialized in that market that all the DJs were coming to us and telling all their friends about us for records and for DJ gear. To be honest, we didn’t bother ourselves with what other stores were buying or not. We just paid attention to what our customers wanted, and made sure we got it for them. The volume of the customers asking questions indicated to us what we need to buy and to carry, gear-wise. For example, Technics turntables, we were selling like hot cakes.
DJ LIFE: As an early vinyl shop, how much did the 12-inch single – for dance music or hip-hop songs – drive customers to the store? What was that culture like?
Sharone Bechor: Like I said, DJs were coming to the store two to three times a week making sure they didn’t miss out on a new record release. Then, the bigger DJs began coming twice a day – in the morning and then in the evening. Singles were selling all the time and they were buying two of them. We noticed the shift, that people were not buying albums; they were buying 12 inch singles. People would come in, and listen to every single record that would come in. Every record got listened to.
DJ LIFE: The DJ culture really took off right in your store…
Sharone Bechor: Definitely… the DJ culture played a big role in this. When DJs discovered the magic that two turntables and a mixer could create, I don’t think Technics or anyone could have imagined that their brand or their turntable could do that. It was organic, it was real, it was creative.
DJ LIFE: If you had to guess, how many pieces of vinyl has Rock and Soul sold since 1975? Any idea how many Technics turntables?
Sharone Bechor: Thousands and thousands. We have no idea how many. Sometimes thousands a day. How many Technics turntables? Also thousands. A lot.
DJ LIFE: Who have been your best-known DJ customers?
Sharone Bechor: Grandmaster Flash, Biz Markie, and Kool Herc were shopping here since the beginning of the DJ scene. Then came Funkmaster Flex, DJ Premier, Mark Ronson, DJ AM, DJ Skribble, Samantha Ronson, even Pauly D. Members of U2. Harrison Ford bought his son turntables and music when he was starting out as a DJ. Elvis Costello, and Diana Krall stopped into the store because they live in the area. Solange Knowles comes in. Erykah Badu rents her gear from us. Alicia Keys and Justin Timberlake, rent their gear from us. Beastie Boys. Jazzy Jeff. QBert. Shiftee. Lords of the Underground. Black Moon. QuestLove. A Tribe Called Quest. Biz Markie. Wu-Tang. Souls of Mischief, Talib Kweli. Kenny Dope. Breakbeat Lou. Mell Starr. Louie Vega. All the heavy hitters of the radio station. DJ Enuff. Scram Jones. Peter Rosenberg. Too many to mention. I’m almost afraid to mention, because if I left someone out, they will call me out on it!
Shirley Bechor: Right, every DJ used to come in twice a day. We’d get 10 to 15 shipments daily. DJs would stop by in the morning, and then come back in the afternoon to see if we got anything new – something they could spin that same night at the club. They didn’t want to play what was already on the radio; they wanted something unique, something fresh. So we tried to get everything we possibly could for them. Even young artists – kids, like the Wu-Tang Clan when they first came in – we’d take their vinyl on consignment and play it in the store to see how people reacted. That’s how we built our reputation – by getting the newest music before anyone else.
DJ LIFE: You had to have a genuine connection with your clientele…
Shirley Bechor: It was a true family business. My husband and I were in the store all day, every day – 10 hours a day. We weren’t in an office somewhere. We were on the floor, listening to what customers wanted. If one DJ asked for something and we didn’t have it and then a second one came in asking for the same thing – I had to have it in the store. That’s why we were different. We bought everything DJs needed because we were talking to them directly, every single day.
DJ LIFE: Sounds like a lot of DJs gained inspiration from the store and labels really thrived.
Sharone Bechor: A lot of DJs and music artists got their start at stores like ours. They didn’t have access to the labels, so they came to the record stores themselves. The smaller labels, before they got big, didn’t have access to big distribution, so they came to the small stores. Loud Records, Strictly Rhythm, they started their careers here. DJs would be inspired by the other music heads they met in the store or by some small release no one really knew, and made magic from it.
DJ LIFE: You’ve seen the evolution of the product market go from analog/hardware to digital. With seemingly less vinyl demand, how has that impacted your customer base? How do you think it impacted the DJ culture overall?
Sharone Bechor: We were there for the beginning – Final Scratch. And we launched Rane Serato in the store when it first came out, and it totally changed everything, totally changed the game. Made it so everyone can be a DJ, not just the ones who lived, breathed, and dug for music. Customers were coming in less and less often, because they didn’t need to hear the new music anymore. And they didn’t need vinyl.
DJ LIFE: Tough for a store…
Sharone Bechor: But look, that is part of evolving. Over the course of 50 years, we are bound to have to encounter changes. It definitely changed the game. We started seeing customers once a year, instead of twice a day. And then when they bought something, it would be online, and not even from us. I always say, if a part of you will be sad that a place shuts down, you need to buy from that place. I don’t mean buy something every day, but when you are buying something, buy it from your favorite places, the ones you would be heartbroken about, if they closed down.
DJ LIFE: In your time at the store, what products do you recall generated the most excitement from your DJ customer base?
Sharone Bechor: Again, I remember when we launched Serato at the store. That was a crazy moment. And then there was our annual holiday party when Kid Capri gave it a ringing endorsement. My mother was so mad because each customer who bought a Serato SL box was a customer lost in the record department. So, at some point, we had to say to ourselves, how long can we possibly keep this section in the store? The record department almost shut down so many times throughout the years. And look at it now, people crave something tangible, and vinyl is back.
DJ LIFE: How important do you think it is for DJs to have a place to congregate and talk shop, talk music? How did Rock and Soul help facilitate that?
Shirley Bechor: Every day customers and DJs used to come to the store. Most DJs used to have a job during the day and then at night they used to be a DJ. After they finished their job by 5 p.m., they used to come to the store and stay until 7 to talk to each other about what’s in, what’s good, and they used to discuss between all of them.
Sharone Bechor: I think that this is the most important part of what we do: Creating a space for music enthusiasts to congregate and talk about music. We have weekly DJs, and monthly workshops and meet-ups. We are always creating an environment.
DJ LIFE: How important for DJs is a brick-and-mortar shop, as opposed to buying everything online?
Sharone Bechor: So important. Yes, absolutely, someone explaining to you how an item works is a plus… and what the difference between the softwares or styles of gear is helpful. Making sure you have all the connections right – that is something you won’t find when you are buying online. But besides all of that, it’s the experience and the feeling of a music store. That pull, that energy you are doing this job for. Most people don’t make DJing their profession unless they love the feeling or love music. And that feeling you get in our actual store is something you don’t find everywhere.
Not to mention in a brick-and-mortar shop, especially ours, a family business, you know the people and know they won’t steer you wrong. When you are in a pinch, we aren’t robots, that are just following the rules. You are getting a person on the line who will go out of their way for you. The other day, a customer we know that we haven’t seen in a while, was in a bind. Was at their gig, and was down a cable and some needles and slipmats. We hooked them up, and delivered to their gig within 25 minutes. You can’t get that from a big superstore.
When you come into our shop, you will find people who have been working here 10-plus years. Our manager has been here for 35 years. When they buy a controller, we immediately find out what are you plugging it into, what speakers, what computer, to make sure they don’t go home and get started, only to find out they don’t have the right connection. When a person comes in wanting to start DJing, our instructor hooks them up with a lesson, showing them how to get started and gives a lesson on the spot. You just can’t get that experience from buying from online.
DJ LIFE: Quick Business Take: If these tariffs continue, at what point do you believe the DJs will begin to really feel it? Will present stock be impacted? What’s your view at the moment?
Sharone Bechor: Unfortunately, all the prices are going to go up and there’s no way around it. The companies that make the product are all under enormous pressure, and sadly, will have no choice but to raise their prices, making the dealers have to sell at a higher price. They will enforce pricing to be uniform, so there will be nothing we can do. Go visit the actual stores, then we can help you out with better pricing. In general, whenever you are looking for a better price, go to the actual shop. We will always have better margins in our store. Online, we have to account for shipping, web fees, and credit-card fees. If you want a discount, go to the actual store.
DJ LIFE: The store was recently recognized by NAMM for its anniversary. How does a retail shop in New York City survive for 50 years?
Sharone Bechor: The biggest reason we were able to stay afloat is being able to evolve quickly. Do not be afraid of change. I believe you need to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Because that is when magic happens, when you step out of your comfort zone. Most stores, when their lease is up, or have to move, they close shop. Not us, we find something better. And we grow and we move on. We are very in tune with what people are asking for. Have you seen my mom? She doesn’t know hip-hop music, but she listens to what people are asking for, and orders it for them! When we saw people asking more for professional mixers, we adapted. When we saw the shift in record sales from albums to 12-inch singles, we adapted. When we saw people wanting to buy online, we had to adapt as well. However, the one thing we know you can’t buy online is that feeling, and that is why, when you come to Rock and Soul, it is more of an experience, an energy, and a family.
