By Rich Larson, KYMN News
As Valentine’s Day approaches, one Northfield small business is turning tradition on its head—inviting customers to skip the chocolates and flowers and instead fall in love with something a little more unexpected: a mystery album.
Verbena Vinyl Record Store, owned by longtime local music champion Vicki Scott, has launched “Blind Date with a Record,” a playful promotion designed to help listeners break out of their musical routines—and help the shop expand its reach during the busy winter retail season. Inspired by the popular “blind date with a book” concept, Scott’s version wraps hand‑selected vinyl in brown paper, embellishes it with stickers and artwork, and includes a few clues about genre and mood. The album itself, though, remains a surprise until customers take it home and unwrap their “date.”
While the idea may be whimsical, Scott’s approach is anything but random. “I try to signal that you will like it,” she said in a recent KYMN interview. After years of getting to know her customers’ tastes, Scott often tailors suggestions on the spot. Some regulars even walk in, hand her $40, and say simply, “Give me something good.”
The promotion has already sparked creativity among shoppers: couples buying separate albums and swapping them, groups picking up multiple packages for a themed evening, and listeners using the concept to shake off what Scott jokingly calls “the musical rut.”
The growing enthusiasm has Scott considering a subscription service built around surprise curations—a steady, predictable way for music lovers to expand their collections and for the shop to cultivate deeper customer relationships.
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon and a fresh wave of new releases landing each week, Verbena Vinyl is reminding the community that discovery, connection, and a little mystery are all part of what makes falling in love with music so enduring.
