UNFD To Do The ‘Unthinkable’ And Open Music Store

Melbourne-based music company Unified plan to “do the unthinkable” and open a music and lifestyle shop before the end of the year as they re-brand and expand their existing online store, 24 Hundred.

As the new site is launched today UNFD's Head Of Recorded Music Luke Logemann told theMusic.com.au that work has already started on the physical store.

“Our office in Melbourne has a huge area down the bottom where we have actually done BBQs and artist signing sessions for the last year. We're right next to the Corner Hotel so we do it whenever there is a show on there.

“That gave us the idea to open an actual shop, which we'll do by the end of the year – we began fitting it out this week and had Joel Birch from The Amity Afflcition start painting the entrance.”

Logemann described the act of opening a music store in 2013 as “unthinkable”, but believes the brand's built-in fanbase and the fact that they already have the space as enabling factors.

Physical products and merchandise have emerged as an important revenue booster in recent years for bands who've found the margins and quantity of recorded music sales dwindling.

The company, which features label, management and promotion arms, has been selling records and merch from its artists, including The Amity Affliction, Northlane, Illy, Dead Letter Circus, for a number of years but has also struck deals to represent Epitaph's artists and the products of Hopeless Records, Equal Vision, Kanye Lens, One Love Apparel and Mistake Clothing amongst others.

The biggest addition to their stock list recently has been the Kings Road Merch catalogue, which represents bands including Dropkick Murphys, Bad Religion and Converge, while they are finalising a European deal which they estimate will “almost double” their range.

“Changing the name and brand to 24 Hundred gives us the chance to take on whatever we want and not mix the message up,” said Logemann. “So along with the launch is a whole range of artists and brands that have come on board for the new site.”

There are plans to strike deals with Australian labels, but at this stage they are just dealing with individual bands in a direct-to-fan sales approach. It's up to the artists to engage their fans with 24 Hundred giving them the platform of the site's traffic, 24-72 hour ship times and customer service channels.

"If they promote it right and provide the right products and message to their fans, that's when they can really see results."