Norwood Store Still Spins Sales with 45s-October 5, 1992

Norwood’s Peter’s Records One Stop Still Spins a Steady Half-Million-Dollar Business

In a modern music industry dominated by flashy MTV music videos and shiny compact discs, traditional 7-inch vinyl 45s might easily seem as dated as American Bandstand and the nickel jukebox.

Yet for a Norwood music wholesaler, 45s and jukeboxes continue to generate a steady half-million-dollar-a-year enterprise.

Specializing in Singles, Oldies, and Niche Markets

Peter’s Records One Stop, located on Route 1 in Norwood, specializes in supplying single records to jukebox operators, mobile disc jockeys, and dedicated individual record collectors. While carrying a comprehensive catalog of classic “oldies,” owner Peter McDermott also stocks the recording industry’s newest chart-toppers—a surprising number of which are still pressed and released in the 7-inch 45 rpm format.

“I’ve got Madonna, Mariah Carey, Dwight Yoakam, Elton John and Eric Clapton,” McDermott said, running through a list of current Billboard Top 100 artists while pointing out tracks freshly released on 7-inch vinyl.

When McDermott launched his career in the record business 32 years ago, vinyl singles were at the absolute peak of their popularity. Today, however, most major retailers and wholesalers have completely abandoned the vinyl singles market because sales have slowed and record companies prohibit product returns.

“Peter’s Records is capitalizing on a niche market that the bigger companies have left behind,” noted Mickey Granberg of the record merchandisers’ group, describing the business model of a “one-stop”—an industry term for a wholesaler that sells records and distributes promotional materials to customers too small to maintain direct accounts with major record labels.

Adapting to Compact Discs While Honoring Vinyl Roots

While McDermott once stocked upwards of 30,000 vinyl singles, cassette tapes and compact discs have steadily encroached upon traditional single bins. “We’ve had to adapt to it,” McDermott said regarding the growing demand for compact discs from commercial jukebox clients. “When we saw that 45s were slumping, we needed to start leaning heavy on the CDs.”

Nevertheless, as long as classic coin-operated jukeboxes requiring 45s remain in service, Peter’s will keep them in stock. Operating as a regional hub, McDermott’s business supplies jukebox operators and retail clients stretching from Maine down to Virginia.

Visitors walking into the Route 1 storefront encounter a towering wall of 5,000 singles and can even test out new releases on a working jukebox located in the back of the store. McDermott runs one of only two remaining one-stops in the immediate area, alongside Dick’s Records on Route 1 in neighboring Dedham, which supplies retail stores and select jukebox owners.

Loyal Customers: Collectors and Disc Jockeys

For local music aficionados, Peter’s remains an indispensable destination.

Customer Anita McDonald of Roxbury, who owns nearly 900 singles, explained why she remains a regular patron: “My old 45s are all abused, so I’ll get new copies here. And I’ll still find new things I’m looking for.”

Foxboro disc jockey Steve Mancini also relies on the shop to source both vintage and contemporary 45s to spin at private parties and wedding receptions. “I’ve got a compact disc player, but I’m kind of partial to 45s,” Mancini said. “Some of these songs are so old, nobody wants to hear them, but [my DJ partner and I] buy them for ourselves.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger