New record store brings vinyl charm to NJ mall

I am so pleased to hear that a brand-new record store will open, specializing in both new and used vinyl records, compact discs, limited audio equipment, and a collection of music-inspired gifts.

The Sharp Notes opening in NJ

The Sharp Notes will open in Paramus in the Westfield Garden State Plaza Mall.

The store is scheduled to open on Labor Day, Sept. 1, 2025.

Evan Toth owns the store

Evan Toth, who is a high school principal by day, has a deep passion for music overall, specifically for restoring the integrity of vinyl, and he shares his deep love of music as an educator, radio host on the Farleigh Dickinson University radio station, singer, songwriter, and podcast host.

This will be a unique store, and I have the feeling that we will get a good look into the passion of owner Evan Toth.

He has plans to host his podcast at the new store location. The inaugural inventory will come from Evan Toth’s own personal archive, which is a collection of over 10,000 records.

Vinyl is an experience

I deeply regret giving away most of my vinyl collection, with a good portion of my records lost in a flood.

There is a unique sound with vinyl, the occasional crackling at the beginning of the album as your stylus hits the record was very soothing to me. I was anxious to hear what followed.

When I spent time in a record store, time flew. It was an experience listening to a few cuts of what the salesperson had up at the counter, or going into the listening room and hearing some of the album you would eventually purchase.

Flipping through the thousands of artists in a good record store educated you and made me work harder so that I could afford more records.

I was on the radio at my college radio station, and I chose my own music to play for my audience. I introduced the audience to new cuts from older albums and new albums that carefully met my criteria.

It was a wonderful experience and one that I will never forget. I can now revisit that experience at The Sharp Notes record store in Paramus. I hope you do too.