Owners of new music store go on the record with LPR

LPR staff report

Bluebonnet Records is open for business, adding another feature to a downtown district that already boasts a brewery, several eateries, clothing stores, antiques shops, art galleries and a community theater.
The shop located at 112 E. Market Street sells new and used vinyl, CDs, cassette tapes, turntables, CD players, tape players, record care supplies, audio accessories and music-related gift items that include pins, stickers and jewelry
Bluebonnet Records is owned by Kana Harris, 31, and Cody Kimball, 27.

The two are both musicians and began dating four years ago shortly after their band played a show together.
The two recently took some time to answer some questions from the Post-Register about their new business venture and how they fit it in with a busy schedule that includes still performing with their respective bands.

LPR: When did y’all decide you wanted to have a record store, and what led y’all to choose Lockhart for its location?

Cody: We actually made the decision to open Bluebonnet Records after we had moved to Lockhart. Initially, we visited just to see friends and eat good food, but we quickly came to love the town and decided to move here. We both have worked in music our whole lives so opening a store seemed like a natural way for us to serve the community.
Kana: Opening a record store has always been my dream. I started getting into my parents’ CDs, records and cassettes at a very young age. By high school, I was in love with listening to the radio and making mixtapes. I spent all my lunch money on vinyl at record stores in Austin, where I grew up, at a time when “vinyl was dead.” I got teased for being into a dying art form, but the resurgence in vinyl the last few years has proven that I am not the only person who prefers an LP to an mp3.

LPR: Describe the process of the inception of the idea to the grand opening. What were the steps you guys took to make the dream into a reality?

Cody: Honestly, we just Googled stuff and asked our family and friends for advice. Once the word got out that we were considering opening a store, we got tons of encouragement and lots of offers to help make the store happen.
Kana: It all happened really fast. I knew we liked Lockhart because to community is so kind and encouraging, but they really shocked me with how much they were willing to support us and our idea.

LPR: You’re both musicians who play in bands in the punk/rock genres. Kana plays bass in a band called XETAS and Cody plays guitar in a band called SUPER THIEF. You play together in a band called ILINX. How do you find time to do all of this and run a new store?

Cody: Trying to juggle running a business and playing in a band is definitely challenging, but we have found that a lot of the skills we use to run our business are the same skills we use while booking tours and promoting our bands. The two really go pretty well together and there is a lot of overlap in terms of our connections and contacts.

LPR: How did y’all get your hands on so much vinyl? What categories of music do you sell?

Kana: I have experience as a buyer and manager at Waterloo Records so I try to apply the skills I developed working there. The used selection varies based on what people bring into the store. The new selection is curated by Cody and I based on our tastes and feedback from our customers.
Cody: We sell all categories of music and try to have a little of everything! We are proud to say a portion of our new section was bought in person from record labels based in the area (12XU, Reptilian Records, Super Secret Records, Digital Hotdogs) and our used vinyl comes directly from our friends and members of the community.

LPR: Finally, why do y’all love Lockhart?

Kana: People are nice and the sunsets are pretty!
Cody: Everyone out here is genuinely excited about things. It’s both refreshing and infectious. It makes me want to go for it.

Bluebonnet Records is officially open from noon-6 p.m. Thursday-Monday and is closd Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but often opens early and plans to stay open later for special events like Lockhart Sip and Stroll, Old Settlers Music Festival and the Lockhart Queso Crawl. Contact them at 512-668-4489, e-mail them at bluebonnetrecordstx@gmail.com, or check them out on Instagram @bluebonnetrecords.