No proper college town is complete without a record store, and lucky for Oxford, it has The End of All Music. Lauded by Garden & Gun, Southern Living and USA Today, among others, as one of the best independent record stores in the country, the shop carries mostly new and used vinyl, with a wide selection of the Mississippi Blues.
Owner David Swider opened the store in 2012, and he says the name is a nod to the late north Mississippi blues artist Junior Kimbrough, who was once called “the beginning and end of all music.” Swider believes that record stores go hand and hand with a town’s art and music scene, and the shop is his small part to help keep Oxford's creative spirit thriving.
For Splinter Creek residents, Swider will curate the foundation of a great Southern record collection. The End of All Music signature crate comes with about 50 records, chosen with the homeowner's specific tastes in mind. For those who are partial to the Blues, Swider will likely include albums by legends T. Model Ford, R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, all of whom are found on Oxford's Fat Possum label. For those with more classic tastes, Swider might suggest Bobby Charles, Link Wray and The Band. Soul lovers will be pleased with his knowledge of Memphis greats.
All crates are fully customizable, and Swider will work with buyers individually to understand their musical tastes. A crate of new records is $800; a crate of collectible vinyl is $400; and a crate with a mix of both is $600. All prices include the crate, which can be printed with The End of All Music or the Splinter Creek logo. The shop also stocks turntables and Swider offers assistance purchasing custom sound systems.
