Counterculture on Center: Mountain Music
Story by Max Tempel | April 1st, 2020
Nostalgia abounds in one Center Street store
Step into 5 Center Street and you’ll find a nostalgic paradise full of bins of records, cases of jewelry, and racks of tie dye tees. Brightly-colored tapestries and posters line the walls while the soft sound of classic rock and jam bands permeate the room.
Meshach Tourigny, owner of Mountain Music and Mountain Man Jewelry in Downtown Rutland, started his business in Maine before moving to Rutland’s Diamond Run Mall and most recently, to downtown.
“My father owned a small jewelry business when I was growing up so I’ve been around [the small business] environment for years. I’ve been collecting records since my teens, so I’ve always had a passion for both,” Tourigny said.
He was 16 years old when he first discovered a stack of vinyl records in the closet of his parent’s bedroom.
“The album that to this day has the most sentimental value to me is Neil Young – After the Gold Rush. When I played it from their collection, memories came flooding back from when I was much younger and they would play it in the house,” Tourigny said. “Music is memories and emotions, it can make you feel happy and not alone,” he said.
The record industry is a surprisingly thriving one in today’s world of instant downloads and digital streaming services. Vinyl records have enjoyed a resurgence since their near-death in the mid-2000s, and Mountain Music is 1 of 1000 true indie record stores in the U.S.
Why collect vinyl? According to Meshach, records hold a more sentimental value to people than digital music due to the memories they invoke, their collectability, their unique appearance and art, and the inclusion of lyrics.
In addition to an extensive selection of new and used vinyl and vintage record players, visitors will find a large selection of handcrafted jewelry made right in the store. Meshach values that he can carry on his father’s passion in his daily life.
“I learned the trade from my father 20 years ago — my inspiration comes from the thought that someone is going to cherish and wear something that I made. This motivates and honors me,” he said.
Much of the creations at Mountain Music are made out of coins from Puro’s Coins, Jewelry and Antiques, another downtown business located on Strongs Ave. Tourigny can crank out around ten necklaces of various shapes in a couple hours and takes order for custom creations online at mountainmusicvt.com.
When he’s not making jewelry or running the store, Tourigny spends his free time digging for vinyl in garage sales and thrift shops while planning for future events and sales.
Record Store Day is one his biggest events. “Record Store Day which is a nationally recognized event for record stores where musicians and producers release rare and collectible vinyl and huge sales will occur,” Tourigny said. “I usually have 15-20 people line up at the door for our opening.”
The first record store day happened in 2008 after a group of independent record store owners wanted to celebrate the unique culture surrounding the independently owned record stores in the US. Today, the only continent not participating in the festivities is Antarctica. The next Record Store Day is currently planned for June 20th. You can find a list of the 2020 Record Day releases here.
Meshach hopes the nostalgic environment he’s created will invoke happy memories when customers walk in and also inspire others to come together to share individual passions for music with one another. “This place should be a spot for people to collab and share with one another the different music experiences they create or just enjoy, bringing people together is what it’s all about,” he said.
Mountain Music even books live performances on occasion. Local legends and young, aspiring musicians can perform for the public and share their creations surrounded by their musical influences in a cozy environment that’s free of charge to the public. “As a new business downtown I just want people to come in and check things out. I want them to learn more about us and that we are much more than just one particular thing, we offer a lot here,” Tourigny said.
You can reach Mountain Music at 802.747.0428 or on Facebook, and you can shop online at their new website, mountainmusicvt.com.
Max Tempel is a Senior Media and Communication major at Castleton University, he is currently interning at the Downtown Rutland Partnership.