Records, Comics, Books: 3 Special Days To Support NJ Shops — Deals, Dates

Tunes, an independent record store six blocks from Hoboken's train station, plans to open at 8 a.m. this Saturday to take advantage of Record Store Day — and like dozens of shops, they'll have special inventory and promotions.

Three special days are scheduled for three weekends in a row this spring, designed to entice consumers to shop small: Record Store Day, Independent Bookstore Day, and Free Comic Book Day.

The days will feature celebrities, discounts, and even giveaways.

Store owners said this week that each year, the days bring hundreds of clients to their stores.

Upcoming Record Store Promotions

This weekend, the Princeton Record Exchange welcomes special guest Billy Squier, who topped the charts in the 1980s with "The Stroke," and "Rock Me Tonight."

Owner Jon Lambert said he's looking forward to the day.

"Record Store Day has helped drive the market for independent brick-and-mortar stores like us," he said. "Growing up working in record stores, I would never have anticipated crowd control being one of my main responsibilities! In the last several years, we have opened the doors to 300 to 400 folks patiently waiting."

"It's a real pleasure to have so much interaction with our clientele," he added.

Chip Heuisler of Tunes in Hoboken said he looks forward to the day as well.

"While Tunes did not participate in the inaugural 2008 event, we did get on board the following year and participated ever since," he said. "By creating limited edition pressings available only at participating stores, the team at RSD has brought customers to Tunes in numbers that continue to exceed my expectations.:"

Besides vinyl, Heuisler's shop sells CDs, turntables, t-shirts, and other memorabilia.

Record stores in Montclair, Maplewood, and other parts of the state are also participating in the day.

A full list of participating New Jersey shops can be found here.

Free Books And Specials Coming Up

Merchants often supply the stores with special promotional items to give away or sell on the days.

Alex De Marco, the manager of A&S Comics Two in Teaneck and A&S Comics in North Bergen, said that his stores will let people choose up to five free comics on Free Comic Book Day, May 2.

At least two dozen special books will be released for that day, says the Free Comic Book Day website.

De Marco said that lines are usually steady on the days, but not overwhelming.

"We 're doing our normal thing, giving away hundreds, probably over a thousand books," he said Tuesday. "We usually have them laid out on two tables. Last year there was a constant flow all day." The shop will open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"You get new eyes on the store," he said. "You get people who just want to start the hobby, people who are getting back into the hobby. The word 'free' definitely helps."

He added, "You get parents coming with their kids, families coming in. People travel to other stores and see what they're doing. People make a whole day of it, which is pretty cool."

Independent Book Store Day

Kate Jacobs, who owns Little City Books in Hoboken with Donna Garban, is looking forward to Independent Bookstore day on April 26.

Their shop opened on the first Independent Bookstore Day in 2015, she said.

"It holds a special place in our bookish hearts," Jacobs said. "We're usually super busy that Saturday, and we run a raffle for people to guess how many books are in the Bookstore? The closest guess gets a $100 gift card!"

More than 2,000 shops will participate this year, says the American Booksellers Association. A map is here.

Lisa Lynch, who co-owns Howling Basset Books in Lambertville with Zohar Kfir — and has a basset hound mascot who visits, naturally — said, "It’s always amazing to see the turnout. People organize their day around visiting independent bookstores and showing support for us. A lot of folks will come for the first time and discover the store, but our regulars come around as well — it’s like a big hug for indie bookstores!"

West Orange dad Richard Fulco, who achieved a dream by opening Big Red Books in Nyack in 2023, said he has a slew of events planned at his shop that day. These include story time, music, and a raffle.

Who's Participating?

A list of all New Jersey stores participating in Record Store Day on Saturday can be found here.

Bookstores participating in Indie Bookstore Day can be found here.

More information about Free Comic Book Day is here.

Know of a New Jersey business or restaurant opening, closing, or doing something extra special? Let us know.