Easy Street Records

Easy Street Records is an independent record store based in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. It combines music retail with live performance, food and beverage service, artist appearances, and community programming. The business is known for selling new and used vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, clothing, and branded merchandise, while also serving as a gathering place for musicians, collectors, and local audiences. The business grew out of a Bellevue, Washington, record shop associated with Kim Harris and Diana Vaughan Harris. During the 1980s, that store became a meeting point for the Eastside heavy-metal community. Queensrÿche brought an early demo to the Harrises, who helped the group record its debut EP and managed the band from 1982 to 1986. Matt Vaughan, Harris's stepson, worked in the family business as a teenager. When his parents planned to leave retail and concentrate on their management company, Vaughan consolidated the family shop with another store that was also facing closure. The resulting Easy Street location opened in West Seattle in the late 1980s and moved in August 1989 to the historic Hamm Building in the Junction district. Vaughan developed Easy Street as more than a conventional shop. In the early 1990s he supplemented retail income through artist management and booking work, including management of the Seattle grunge band Gruntruck. A Kirkland branch operated from the early 1990s until approximately 2001. In 1997, the West Seattle business expanded into adjacent space and established a free, all-ages performance area. The venue made it possible to improve production facilities and host artists regularly; the store has ultimately presented more than 2,000 in-store performances. Performers have included influential Northwest acts as well as nationally touring artists. Food and hospitality became another defining part of the brand. In 1999, Easy Street remodeled its kitchen, added a coffee bar, and opened a full-service cafe serving breakfast, lunch, coffee, beer, wine, and cocktails. The menu uses music-related names and the cafe became a prominent Seattle brunch destination. In 2022, the business added an upstairs cocktail bar and lounge in its vinyl room, extending the store's role as a social venue. A second, larger Queen Anne location opened in 2002 in a former bookstore space on Mercer Street. It provided room for a substantial stage and hosted artists such as Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, Kings of Leon, Lana Del Rey, Jack Johnson, Regina Spektor, and many others. The Queen Anne store closed in January 2013 after a substantial rent increase; the West Seattle location remained the core business. Easy Street has played a notable role in independent music retail. It belongs to the Coalition of Independent Music Stores and was a founding member of Record Store Day. A surprise 2005 Pearl Jam performance at the shop for independent retailers led to the release of Live at Easy Street and helped build momentum for exclusive independent-store releases. Easy Street has also been associated with live releases by Gov't Mule, Brandi Carlile, the Sonics, and Duff McKagan. The store has served as a retail partner for the Sasquatch! Music Festival and later supported the Thing Festival. The brand's cultural identity is reinforced by its exterior murals honoring Northwest musicians Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Recognition has included inclusion in national record-store lists by Rolling Stone, Time, and the Travel Channel, a King County small-business award in 2012, and West Seattle Business of the Year recognition in 2023. Easy Street remains an independent, community-oriented music retailer whose proposition is built around discovery, physical media, live music, and Seattle's regional music history.

Easy Street Records traces its roots to a Bellevue, Washington, record shop operated by Kim Harris and Diana Vaughan Harris. The store became a gathering place for the Eastside heavy-metal scene during the 1980s. Queensrÿche brought an early demo to the Harrises, who helped the band record its first EP and managed it between 1982 and 1986. Matt Vaughan, the Harrises' stepson, worked in the shop during his youth. In 1987, as his parents prepared to leave retail and focus on Harris Music Group, Vaughan proposed combining the family store with another nearby business that was also approaching closure. The new Easy Street Records opened in West Seattle in the late 1980s and moved in August 1989 to the Hamm Building in the Junction, where the store established its enduring identity. During the early 1990s, Vaughan supported the shop through artist management and booking work. He managed Gruntruck and used income from these activities to help sustain the retailer and open a Kirkland branch at Park Place. The Kirkland store operated from 1992 until roughly 2001. Easy Street began presenting occasional in-store appearances before expanding into adjacent space in 1997. The new venue supported improved sound, lighting, and capacity, turning short retail appearances into intimate concerts. Artists from Seattle and touring circuits performed there, and the store eventually hosted more than 2,000 in-store shows. In 1999, a remodeled kitchen and coffee bar created the Easy Street Cafe, which developed into a popular breakfast and brunch destination. The cafe later expanded its beverage program, and an upstairs cocktail lounge opened in 2022. In 2002, Easy Street opened a large Queen Anne branch in a former Tower Books location. Its stage attracted major touring acts and provided a larger platform for regional artists. The branch closed in January 2013 after Vaughan cited a major rent increase. The original West Seattle shop continued as the central location. The retailer became particularly influential within independent music retail through its relationship with the Coalition of Independent Music Stores. In April 2005, Easy Street hosted a surprise Pearl Jam performance for visiting independent retailers. The resulting Live at Easy Street release was restricted to independent stores and is widely associated with the momentum that helped lead to Record Store Day in 2007. Easy Street subsequently hosted or released live material connected with artists including Gov't Mule, Brandi Carlile, the Sonics, and Duff McKagan. The store also built long-running festival relationships. From 2003 through 2018 it served as the exclusive retailer for the Sasquatch! Music Festival, operating a festival booth and hosting artist signings. After Sasquatch! ended, Easy Street was announced as a retail sponsor for the Thing Festival in 2023. Its cultural presence extends beyond commerce. The building's murals honor Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, reflecting the store's close connection to Northwest music history. Easy Street has received recognition from King County, Seattle media, Rolling Stone, Time, and the Travel Channel. Its community standing was reinforced by West Seattle Business of the Year recognition in 2023. The business remains active as an independent retailer and hybrid cultural venue.

• 2023

  West Seattle Business of the Year

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce recognizes Easy Street at the Westside Awards.

• 2022

  Cocktail bar opens

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  An upstairs cocktail lounge is added to the West Seattle location.

• 2013

  Queen Anne closure

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The Queen Anne branch closes after a rent increase.

• 2005

  Pearl Jam Live at Easy Street performance

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Pearl Jam performs a surprise set for independent music retailers, leading to an exclusive live release.

• 2002

  Queen Anne branch opens

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  A larger Seattle branch opens with a stage for major live appearances.

• 1999

  Cafe opens

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Easy Street adds a coffee bar and full-service cafe.

• 1997

  Expanded performance venue

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Adjacent space is converted into a free all-ages venue for regular in-store concerts.

• 1989

  Move to the Hamm Building

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The store moves to its long-term Junction location in the historic Hamm Building.

• 1988

  West Seattle opening

  [1]Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Easy Street establishes its West Seattle store after originating in Bellevue.

An independent music-retail and hospitality destination centered on physical music formats, artist discovery, intimate live performances, and Seattle's Pacific Northwest music culture.

• Music retail · 1988

  Physical music catalog

  The store sells new and used vinyl records and CDs across popular, independent, alternative, rock, metal, jazz, and regional music categories. Its physical-format focus supports browsing, collecting, discovery, and direct engagement with independent retail.

• Food and beverage · 1999

  Easy Street Cafe

  The cafe serves coffee, breakfast, lunch, beer, wine, and music-themed menu items. It extends the store into an everyday hospitality destination and has become a recognized Seattle brunch venue.

• Live music · 1997

  In-store performances

  Easy Street presents free or specially ticketed intimate performances by local and nationally known artists. The program has hosted more than 2,000 appearances and is central to the brand's role in Seattle's music community.

• Recorded music · 2005

  Live music releases

  Performances recorded at Easy Street have been issued as releases by artists including Pearl Jam, Gov't Mule, Brandi Carlile, the Sonics, and Duff McKagan. These releases connect the retailer to independent-store exclusives and Record Store Day.

• Hospitality · 2022

  Upstairs cocktail bar

  The upstairs vinyl-room lounge serves cocktails, rotating beer, and Northwest wines. Customers can take drinks through the store where permitted, use the patio, or remain in the lounge.

• 2015The Sonics and special guests

  Seattle, United States

  Easy Street staged a Record Store Day performance by the Sonics with numerous Northwest guest musicians.

  Outcome. Proceeds supported KEXP's headquarters move, and the performance was later issued as a live vinyl album.

  Source
• 2005Live at Easy Street

  United States

  Easy Street hosted a surprise Pearl Jam performance for independent music retailers and helped develop an exclusive live release from the event.

  Outcome. The release sold out in its original CD pressings and was reissued on vinyl for Record Store Day in 2019.

  Source
• 2003Sasquatch! Music Festival retail partnership

  United States

  Easy Street served as the exclusive retailer for the Sasquatch! Music Festival from 2003 through 2018, operating a festival booth and arranging artist signings.

  Outcome. The partnership ended when the festival was discontinued after 2018; Easy Street later supported the Thing Festival.

  Source

• 2022

  Expand into cocktail hospitalityStrategy

  Background

  Easy Street had already combined music retail with cafe service and live events.

  Action taken

  The business opened an upstairs cocktail bar and lounge in its vinyl room.

  Aftermath

  The store broadened its role as a social destination while retaining its music-retail identity.

  Source

• 2013

  Close the Queen Anne branchStrategy

  Background

  The Queen Anne location faced a significant rent increase, according to owner Matt Vaughan.

  Action taken

  Easy Street closed the branch on January 18, 2013, concentrating operations on the West Seattle store.

  Aftermath

  The West Seattle location remained the business's principal retail, performance, and hospitality venue.

  Source

1. 1Easy Street Recordsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Easy Street Records official websiteeasystreetonline.com