Q&A: Brenna & Calvert – Luna Record Shop

In 2015, sisters Brenna and Calvert Gentry realised their lifelong dream of owning their own record store when they opened Luna Record Shop in Franklin, TN. We caught up with them to learn about their favourite albums of the year and how they’re inspiring younger generations to get into record collecting…

What was the first record you ever bought?

Brenna: I was lucky enough to be gifted so much music in different formats when I was young and when I could buy I always tended to buy in multiples (I blame the thousands of dollars I ripped from BMG/Columbia House). So I really have no idea what the very first one was!

Calvert: Culture Club – Colour By Numbers.

 

What inspired you to open Luna Record Shop?

B: Wanting to run a business with my sister and realising that my childhood dream of having a record store was actually possible. Music has always been my biggest passion and no environment ever made me feel more comfortable than an awesome record store. So we wanted to make our own.

C: My sister and I had talked about owning our own business for years. Our love of music and the resurgence of our favourite music medium of vinyl inspired us to take the plunge into a record shop.

 

What’s the most rewarding thing about running a record store?

B: Talking music and building friendships. Although for me personally, seeing the excitement younger generations have over physically buying music for the first time in their lives is pretty damn special.

C: Getting to know so many wonderful people that are as passionate about music as we are. Especially all the friends we have made from regular customers.

 

Thank You. Today was really amazing. No live music, no fancy event, just a nonstop flow of (very patient and kind) music loving people hanging out in our favorite space. We've been hustling our asses off this whole year to get ready for today. So we could order as much product as our small shop could get. We've been full of anxiety, mega stress, nausea, exhaustion, and excitement.. all because we wanted you to be happy. Turns out that our shop vibe (which is always us giving you 100% us) is the same on the busiest day of the year as it is any other day. You made our day so pleasant and you all kick ass. We're going to sleep for a couple of dayzzzzzz -Brenna & Calvert 👸🏼👸🏻 PS- thanks for all the sweet texts and messages from people who don't live here or couldn't make it in today. It means a lot! 📸: @nataliemicah #recordstoreday #rsd2017 #franklin #nashville #thefactoryatfranklin #lunarecordshop #vinyl #vinyladdict #recordshop

A post shared by Brenna & Calvert (@lunarecordshop) on Apr 22, 2017 at 9:03pm PDT

 

Which women in music do you look up to?

B: Courtney Love, Tori Amos – ultimate queens since [I was a] teenager. Some new girls I’m obsessed with: Banks, K. Flay, Blaise Moore, Jessie Ware.

C: Courtney Love, Tori Amos, Regina Spektor, Dolly Parton and Siouxsie Sioux just to name a few.

 

What has been your favourite album of 2017?

B: Future Islands – The Far Field.

C: Cold War Kids – La Divine.

 

If you were cast away on a desert island, what’s the one record you’d take?

B: Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream That record has proven to be capable of getting me through anything.

C: Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine.

 

Check out Luna Record Shop on Instagram here.