GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — On a Thursday afternoon, Della Marie Levi and her staff are doing inventory at Della Soul Records. It's a task they're happy to tackle after celebrating one month in business earlier this week.
Della Soul Records became a dream for Della after she learned to DJ on vinyl during the COVID 19 pandemic.
"I love vinyl, and my dad used to listen to it growing up. He was an avid collector. And so I decided I was going to start collecting vinyl as well. And so one day, I thought 'I don't want to work my nine to five forever. I want to do something. I want to chase my dreams,'" she said.
"I wanted to sell vinyl because that was my dream. That was my bucket list thing. And to hear that I'm the first Black woman to own a record shop in Grand Rapids is phenomenal. I might be the first, but I definitely will not be the last."
Della grew up just blocks from where her store is now. When she was looking for a location for Della Soul Records, she says finding a spot in the 49507 zip code on the southeast side of town was a must. They found just what they were looking for on Kalamazoo Avenue just south of Hall Street.
"My mom still lives in the home that I grew up in. This was my stomping ground as a child. We came here. Miss Norris did hair. Next Door, it used to be a party store, so we'd get candy from there. We'd also ride our bikes through this neighborhood. So this is home."
Della wants her store to be more than a business. She wants it to be a community hub.
"This is where you can come. You can buy records, listen to music, meet up with friends. I want people to feel comfortable and safe here. This is a place where you can come relax for a little bit. We have a sofa in the back. We have a high top and a couple of chairs. But I want people to walk past and feel the friendly vibe. Our mission is to make sure that we build community here," she said.
If you'd like to follow Della Soul Records for yourself, you can visit their Facebook page or their Instagram.
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