Wade Ogle, Owner of Block Street Records (Interview 14/100)
Wade Ogle, Owner of Block Street Records (with 2 locations in Bentonville, AR & Fayetteville, AR). There are so many things that stand out about how he built his record store business. First of all, we start this interview talking about how the store doesn’t have a traditional website. They do have a Facebook and an instagram for each location (Fayetteville & Bentonville), but that’s it. They do almost all of their business in person save for an occasional sale via Discogs.
Second of all, he is pretty adamant that he’s not a traditional “business guy” even though he’s been in business for what seems like his entire adult life. Before he started the record stores, he owned a local bar and music venue. He started out booking and promoting shows. He’s been a touring musician. I’ll allow the description that he’s not a stereotypical stuffy business guy, but he’s clearly a competent and successful business man (perhaps we just need to come up with a more punk rock title for him…). He’s meticulous about what he wanted this “proper record store” to be like: fun, organized, and friendly.
I’m struck by his words of “if it fails, it won’t be because I didn’t try my very best.” That’s the kind of mentality that I think a true entrepreneur needs to have. The things we care about the most will need our very best effort in order to keep the whole thing running. In Wade’s case, he’s keeping it thriving. I first heard about his record store from a post I put on Reddit asking for “What are the coolest businesses that represent the city? Like, what are the ones that you’re really proud of, everyone seems to love, and they don’t end up in the news for shady things?” When Block Street Records came up, I did my normal background research and vibe check, when it clearly passed with flying colors. I even talked to my best friend who lives in the area about the store and she excitedly told me that she and her husband and just be in there recently (and had also high praises for some of the same folks he gave a shout out to later). This overwhelming and widespread love for Block Street Records in Northwest Arkansas is what all local retail stores and businesses should be working toward.
Further, his respect and support for both his employees (he gives a shout out to a number of them including Shelby and Logan) as well as all of the customers that enter the stores is obvious. He even tells a story about an employee that got a really great job offer after she graduated and supporting her decision to chase that next chapter in her career. It’s an example of a leader that cares about his employees beyond just working for him at the store at the moment. He even throws out some numbers of how long employees tend to work at the store (his “main guy” Logan has been there over 7 years) which are unheard of for a retail business. He also wants the staff at the store on a daily basis to be knowledgeable, but also friendly and inclusive. He respects that everyone has their own music they love and wants to help them find what they're looking for regardless of what it is plus maybe help them discover something that might be a little outside of their normal wheelhouse. That’s what he and the staff at Block Street Records are there for.
When thinking about business leaders that are doing things the right way to make a positive impact on their internal and external communities, Wade is a clear fit. We all have a lot we can learn from him to use in business, in life, and with music.
Shout outs to:
Arkadia Retrocade - Shea Mathis
Chris Selby (aka “Clunk”) - Owner of CHEW (Clunk’s Hungry Express Wagon) - Facebook
Hannah Withers - owner of Maxine’s (and who we may or may not hear from in the future…)
Bonus outs to:
Bonus shout out for his own music:
Diamond Meadows (latest project)
Wade Ogle for long band history & solo stuff
