Music Village Records flourishes at 34 Bloomfield
Avenue in Newark by offering Latin music and more. “We get people
from all over the country that come in here, even Alaska,” says Jose Rodriguez, owner of the store. “Doctors, lawyers, judges, DJs from all over the country have
been here in search of that hard- to-find album.”
Music Village Records, which has been around for three decades, is at the heart of the Bloomfield Avenue
community. The store is an eclectic mix of CDs, tapes, and salsa instruments. The
performers on sale range from salsa
artist like Tito Puente to country artists like George Strait.
The Bloomfield district is a
melting pot of hispanidad. The neighborhood
is home to Hispanic immigrants from countries such as Rodriguez’s native Puerto
Rico as well as Ecuador, Colombia, Cost Rica, and Mexico. Rodriguez
credits his community and its people for his success.
“These people
are the driving force to my longevity, without them and their love of music I
would not be here.”
The proof of his
commitment to the community can be seen in his interactions with his customers.
“I’m looking for
Angel Canales’ Lejos de Ti album,
I’ve been looking everywhere for it,” says a customer with a hint of
desperation in his voice
“Sure I can get
it for you but I have to do a special order because I don’t have it in stock,”
replies Rodriguez.
“Man, I’m going
to PR tomorrow, it’s for my mom.”
After a bit
reflection Rodriguez tells the anxious customer, “I’ll tell you what I’ll go
into my personal collection and burn you a copy.”
“People hear
something twenty years ago and they remember it one day. I’m just glad I have
it,” says Rodriguez.
Fernando Villar Jr. is a Rutgers-Newark student. This report is part of an occasional series on Bloomfield Avenue in Newark. Posted April 2008.
