Waterloo Records Announces Grand Opening Date for New Austin Location

Austin’s beloved music shop Waterloo Records announced the grand opening date of their relocated storefront at 1105 N. Lamar Blvd., coming Aug. 30. The new destination is only five blocks away from their longtime home at 600 N. Lamar Blvd. where the business stood for 35 years. The late-August grand opening celebration will feature music, commemorative gifts and giveaways throughout the day.

Waterloo Records to continue under new ownership

In January, Waterloo Records announced that ownership will pass to Gold Rush Vinyl founder Caren Kelleher and investor Trey Watson with the move. The new location boasts 50% more space with a larger stage for in-store performances. All current staff will be retained in the transition.

“My decades-long hope, dream and endeavor has been for Waterloo Records & Video to live on forever, continuing to promote Austin’s vibrant music culture and community,” former Waterloo Records owner John Kunz told the Statesman in January. “Now with this transition, all of my boxes are checked: a new larger home, just five blocks away.”

New Waterloo Records includes lounge with coffee, beer

The expanded floorplan will include an in-house lacquer cutting display for customers to watch the first steps in a vinyl production from inside the store. New music memorabilia will be available for purchase, including 24-karat gold and platinum records. Waterloo Records is also installing a café-style lounge with beer, wine and coffee available for purchase at a new bar.

Waterloo’s most technical addition is their Dolby Atmos spatial audio mixing studio designed by Grammy-winning audio engineer Chad Franscovisak. Along with a podcast studio, the rooms are available for rent through the company’s new business division, Waterloo Sound. Live, in-store performances and tapings will level up with new equipment and the remodeled stage will feature historic flooring from the original Austin City Limits Studio 6A space, donated by KLRU.

“This isn’t just a new space — it’s a love letter to the Waterloo team, the artists we’re proud to support and the city that has kept Waterloo going all these years,” Gold Rush Vinyl owner Caren Kelleher said in a July news release. “We’ve designed the new Waterloo to be a place where musicians, fans and creatives of all kinds can come together — whether to shop, record, perform or just spend time with friends. It’s the kind of place Austin has been missing.”

Waterloo Records has been an Austin cultural institution since 1982. A musical cornerstone sitting in the heart of a bustling, tech-driven epicenter, Waterloo persists as a symbol of “Old Austin,” where live music was king, creativity thrived, and local businesses defined the city’s character. Kelleher and Watson aim to bridge the two Austin identities to ensure Waterloo Records remains a touchstone as the city evolves.

“There would be no Gold Rush Vinyl without Waterloo Records and the work it's done to keep physical music alive and thriving,” Kelleher told the Statesman in January. “In a time when we're more digitally connected than ever, people still crave something tangible. Record stores offer a place where we can unplug and experience music together, and I look forward to facilitating those kinds of connections for years to come at Waterloo.”

Waterloo Records has been open in Austin for over 40 years

Founder Louis Karp first opened Waterloo Records on April 1, 1982. The same year, John Kunz joined as co-owner. The first year it was open, Waterloo was voted “Best Record Store” by the Austin Chronicle. The store added VHS video rentals in 1985.

Kunz became Waterloo’s sole owner in 1987. In 1989, the store relocated to its iconic corner location at West Sixth Street and North Lamar Boulevard. Since then, the store has become a symbol of Austin’s enduring cultural identity.

“As Austin continues to grow, we will make sure Waterloo Records will continue to be a music destination for both Austinites and its visitors,” Waterloo Records investor Trey Watson told the Statesman in January. “With John’s involvement, we will deliver the same record store with a little twist of fun and additional music engagement.”

In this new era, Kunz will not be retiring but instead taking on a chair emeritus position, giving him more time to enjoy the store, as business tasks turn to Kelleher and Watson.

“I get to work less, and play more,” Kunz said. “I am confident that the new energy and innovation from Caren and Trey, along with the entire Waterloo Records & Video crew, will fulfill the dreams I have always had.”

For more information on Waterloo Record’s grand opening party, visit waterloorecords.com.