Mills Records’ new store now open at 4045 Broadway, opening parties and shows slated for each weekend in July

Judy Mills knows how to throw a party. For the official grand re-opening of her record store at 4045 Broadway (across the street from the Riot Room), Mills Record Co. has planned a full month of parties, including six days of shows featuring local bands from across the metro, as well as the sale of a giant cache of rare, high-quality records. The official grand-opening dates are Friday, July 8, and Saturday, July 9.

The new location opened last week after a surprisingly quick one-day move from its old location at 314 Westport Road. The new space is considerably larger and brighter than Mills’ first home, with a high ceiling that features the artwork of John Raux. Mills describes the custom work – silhouettes of birds clustered in between a series of trees – as having been inspired by the large community of birds that settles in the Crossroads and in the West Bottoms (you can most often see these birds under the I-35 overpass at Southwest Boulevard). The concept also reflects the type of local community that she is building with her record store. 

The new space also features a dedicated performance space in its northwest corner. Mills often had in-store shows in its old storefront that were popular enough that customers were unable to enter through the crowded doors. Now customers can shop while they listen, or just listen.

To celebrate the move, Mills plans three weekends of parties, complete with live performances and a Betty Rae’s ice cream pop-up, as well a special sale of 7,000 new record arrivals, much of it coming from a single audiophile’s estate. 

“These include mobile fidelity pressings, half-speed masters and some records that came straight from master tapes,” Mills says. “There are also some rare Japanese pressings.” This is all cause for celebration.

The schedule for the weekend in-store performances is listed below. Keep an eye on Mills’ Facebook page for more details, including information on performance times and the record cache up for sale, as well as giveaways and other promos.

Friday, July 8:

Real Adults

Thunderclaps

Conductor Williams & Weaver

Not a Planet

Saturday, July 9:

Deaton Chris Anthony

Tide Cruz

[Explicit Content]

Narc Parade

Friday, July 15:

Gnarly Davidson

Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Parents

Emmaline Twist

Saturday, July 16:

Orphans of Doom

Merlin

Keef Mountain

Youngblood Supercult

Friday, July 22:

Altered Beast KC

Inner Altar

Peasant

Saturday, July 23:

Rachel Mallin and the Wild Type

Drugs & Attics

The Ovaries-Eez