RECORD MAN—The personal record collection of attorney Michael Curtis, right, is close to 2,000. At his store American Pie Records on Ventura Boulevard in Camarillo, he tries to match customers like Lila Germann, above, with the perfect vinyl. Photos by MICHAEL COONS/Acorn Newspapers
Michael Curtis was able to turn a soul-satisfying habit into a successful business venture, right on Ventura Boulevard.
Curtis owns and operates American Pie Records, a vinyl record shop he opened in 2022 when the practicing attorney was looking for a new groove.
Prior to opening the shop, Curtis’ personal collection of records amounted to nearly 2,000.
“I still practice law, but I have much more fun playing in my record store,” Curtis said. “My goal was to open a business on Ventura Boulevard that would add something to the neighborhood.”
The longtime Camarillo resident was on the right track about that. Aside from the average, old-school vinyl record collector, Curtis said the shop is especially popular among younger people.
“Compressed music sounds louder and bigger when you hear it on the radio,” the 45-year-old said. “But it’s not sonically correct to how the music sounded when it was actually recorded.”
It’s the sonic quality of the music, the artwork and stories on the packaging, the vintage feel of vinyl records and “the hunt” for a rare or desirable record that continue to appeal to people like Curtis.
The excitement surrounding the record store is evident in its online reviews.
“These guys care about music,” Bryan Powers wrote. “Went in today just to browse. . . . I ended up only buying a record, but overall I will be recommending this place to my friends and family. I had an amazing experience.
“How cool is this? I’ve lived in Camarillo for nearly 20 years and I’ve always thought it would be neat to have a record store and music spot on Ventura Boulevard,” Tim Peters commented.
To add more verve to Old Town Camarillo, Curtis is planning a combination coffee shop and jazz club, projected to open this summer, that will be located a couple doors down from American Pie.
The coffee house also will be situated next to the future destination tiki bar, House of Bamboo.
“I figured people under 21 years old could use another place to hang out in Camarillo,” he said. “I was at the local car show one week, and someone asked me where they could get a cup of coffee. The few coffee shops here closed in the early afternoon. So, I didn’t know where to tell them to go.”
This will be no ordinary morning coffee joint, though. Curtis took inspiration from 1960s-style coffeehouses that open later in the afternoon and stay open into the evening. Live jazz and blues bands will play inside the American Pie Coffee House while patrons relax, grab a cup of coffee or browse the vinyl record stacks.
“We’re not the place where you stop at 7 a.m. on your way to work. Come have some coffee and hang out,” Curtis said. “We’ll also have a listening room in the back with turntables that are set up to speakers or headphones.”
The coffeehouse will have nibbles, including little hand pies made by Bread Basket Cake Company, which is located in Camarillo. The pour-over coffee shop will also have ice cream so that guests can make their coffee a-la-mode.
Vinyl is alive and well, Curtis said, and soon people will have a new venue on Old Town to add to their rotation.
“I love it. I mean come on. Hanging out at the record store, talking to other people who really enjoy music, being on the hunt for a piece of vinyl I’ve been looking for,” Curtis said. “That’s about as good as it gets.”