Record Store Profile: Music Farmers NSW

What is your store called? 

Music Farmers

Where are you located? 

Wollongong, NSW and online here.

Tell us about the people behind the scenes?

The store was founded by Jeb Taylor and Simon Dalla Pozza, with current co-owner Nick Irwin joining in 2011 when Simo had moved overseas. The store is still run today by Jeb at Nick. Jeb also co-owns Farmer & The Owl record label.

When and why did the store open? 

2004

What do your customers most know you for?

I guess being a vinyl specialists and we are really the only record store in the Wollongong CBD. 

What is the most popular title you stock at the moment? 

This year's biggest seller is still one of last years big albums from Fontaines DC, although the last couple of weeks it has faced some strong competition with new releases from Turnstile and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

What is the most popular evergreen title? 

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours or Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon. MF Doom MM...Food has become a contender in recent years. 

What is the best thing about running a record store in 2025?

I think the same thing that has always been at the heart of it is that you get to go to work, listen to records all day and talk to people about all sorts of music, but also their lives. We've always really focused on connecting with local music and arts communities and I have run a label the whole time I've done the shop, so seeing young artists come through as music fans, then seeing them form bands and helping them release records and in some cases become successful touring artists is also rewarding.

What is the hardest thing about running a record store in 2025?

It is probably just the same no matter what business you are running at the moment, and that is people have limited extra money so they have to be careful with where they spend it. The rising costs of everything doesn't help this as ultimately it is the customers that pay more unfortunately. Specific to record stores, the supply issues of a few years back seem to have passed, so it is more just general business conditions that are the hardest thing rather than anything specific to a record store.