Park Slope will get a new record store courtesy of Depeche Mode founder Vince Clarke

By Gabe Friedman

Park Slope diggers can thank their own personal Jesus: The neighborhood is getting a new record store at Fifth Avenue and Sterling Place.

The aptly named Sterling Records, which aims to open by May 19, is the brainchild of Gary Giddens and Ray Gish, two longtime Brooklyn business owners, Brooklyn Paper reports. Giddens owns the Gowanus Gardens bar and restaurant, and Gish owns the Commonwealth Bar in Park Slope (which since its earliest days has had a fully stacked jukebox).

But the store is also being financially backed by Vince Clarke, the co-founder of legendary British synth-pop groups Depeche Mode and Erasure. He’s a former Park Slope resident and an old friend of Giddens, who also grew up in England.

“I’m really excited to be involved with Gary’s project, an opportunity to share our passion for music, history, vinyl and the art of audio,” Clarke tells Brooklyn Paper. “As an investor, I also get a discount at the store, so it’s a win-win situation.”

In addition to new releases, the shop will offer music memorabilia, books, clothing and even turntables. Giddens hopes to eventually sell coffee in the back of the store, too.

He’ll also host his ongoing radio show on Maker Park Radio, a nonprofit that broadcasts out of Staten Island, from the store. Brooklyn Paper reports that the shop could eventually host live concerts connected to the station, which will be permanently featured in the store’s front window.

Further south, Park Slope has two other small record stores: the venerable Fifth Avenue Record Shop, whose owner has recently struggled with Covid-related health issues, and Psychic Records, on Seventh Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets.

Sterling Records has started a GoFundMe campaign, hoping to raise $40,000 in grassroots donations for inventory and other costs.