Charleston's East End is set to get a taste of rock nostalgia when Sullivan's Records opens later this month.

Owners Sam Lowe, 33, and his girlfriend, Alycia Adams, 31, have spent the last few weeks remodeling the storefront at 1588a Washington St. E.

For Lowe, who worked in a Huntington music store for several years, running a music store of his own is a dream come true.

"I love going to work," Lowe said. "There's nothing like being able to talk all day with people about your passion."

He and Adams hope to make their store a hub for people who like good music packaged in its original form.

Sullivan's Records, as the name indicates, will actually sell records.

(For the MP3 generation, records are the black, circular, vinyl things your parents and grandparents grew up listening to in high fidelity back in the 1970s).

Lowe and Adams have spent months on Craigslist, eBay and traveling to several shops around the region to accumulate a collection of more than 6,000 vinyl albums.

"We went all over West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky just buying stuff we thought people wanted," Adams said.

Lowe said he could only buy about 1,000 albums at a time on a road trip, otherwise his truck would become a moving version of the War song "Low Rider."

Their collection has all the favorites — from The Beatles, The Doors, Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix — and also has rarities and bootlegs from artists like Frank Zappa.

He will not only sell the albums, but he will also buy anyone's old records or trade them for other albums.

Lowe said he wants the store to satisfy both the casual listener and the well-versed collector.

Regardless of what you may have heard, vinyl records have not gone the way of the dinosaur. In fact, they're seeing somewhat of a resurgence.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, vinyl record sales last year were at their highest level since 1997.

Music sales tracker Nielsen SoundScan reported vinyl album sales rose 19 percent to 4.6 million records sold. Vinyl sales are growing even though total sales of albums — in digital, CD or other forms — are declining in the U.S.

Lowe said he thinks people are beginning to rediscover the art of the album — not just the music, but the cover art, liner notes and other details artists used to include when they sold a record.

He said kids today have grown up in a virtually all-digital music world, making their own CDs using tracks pulled from services like iTunes or formerly free Napster.

He said when some teenagers have walked by and looked at his stock, they've been amazed at what used to be included with a recording.

"I think there's this generation that didn't have anything in their hand, and when they get a vinyl, they just lose their mind," Lowe said.

Lowe said that while he'll have a lot of the mega-albums from the 1960s and 1970s, he plans to cover a lot of niche genres, including underground punk, heavy metal, hip hop, jazz and blues.

You'll note that even though the store is named Sullivan's, that word's not in either of the owners' names.

"We named the store after our dog," Adams said.

Lowe and Adams said it was actually fitting.

They were sitting at home one evening when someone sent them a photo of a Dalmation-American Boxer mix dog at the local animal shelter. The dog, Sullivan, was set to be put down unless someone came to claim him.

Both Lowe and Adams fell in love with the dog in the picture and went straight to the animal shelter to get him. He's been a beloved part of their family ever since.

They said they felt the same feeling about the storefront on Washington Street as they did with Sullivan the pooch.

While they live in Huntington, they think the East End's music and arts scene is the perfect fit for the store.

"We absolutely love the area," Adams said. "We're really excited about this."

They said they have already received a warm welcome from area businesses.

"Everyone we've talked to is like, 'Oh my God, this is a great idea, let us help you,' " Adams said.

Ric Cavender, East End Main Street executive director, said he's already talked to the pair about helping set up signage and advertising the business.

"I really think that it's a perfect fit for the neighborhood," Cavender said. "It's a good compliment to all the live music we have.

"I think it's the perfect time, and perfect location for that business," he said.

Lowe said he's not only going to have records in the store. He'll also have CDs, used DVDs and vintage music posters.

They will also sell record players, turntables and other parts to help people listen to the classic albums.

Lowe also plans to sell accessories for musical instruments. That way, if a performer playing at the Empty Glass breaks a string, they have a store nearby to purchase a replacement.

Lowe and Adams planned a soft opening for the store on May 11 to coincide with the East End Yard Sale.

They plan an official grand opening June 1, though the store will still be open between May 11 and then.

Lowe said he plans to be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, but said that could change depending on how customer traffic flows.

Most of the vinyl records will be priced under $10, depending on condition. But Lowe said some could end up being priced higher because of their value as collectors' items.

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Information from: Charleston Daily Mail, http://www.dailymail.com