Sonic Boom Records
Sonic Boom Records is an independently owned Seattle record store founded in 1997, operating a single Ballard storefront selling new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and branded merchandise to music collectors and the local indie community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sonic Boom Records does
Sonic Boom Records is an independently owned record store founded in 1997 in Seattle, Washington, currently operating a single storefront at 2209 NW Market St in the Ballard neighborhood. The business sells new and used vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes, with a curated focus on indie rock, punk, metal, soul, jazz, rap, and classic rock, and also purchases used collections from customers, offering a 25% premium for store credit. Ancillary revenue is generated through branded merchandise (T-shirts, hoodies, hats, beanies, tote bags, stickers, dog collars), gift certificates denominated from $25 to $500, and an annual ZINE publication. Distribution is anchored by the physical Ballard location, supplemented by an e-commerce website (sonicboomrecords.com) and a verified Discogs seller profile for catalog sales.
The store's commercial model is direct-to-consumer retail with no disclosed technology platform, no digital distribution product, and no AI/ML systems; all buying, appraisal, and merchandising is performed manually by an 11–50 employee team under owner Mike Pitts, who acquired the business from founders Jason Hughes and Nabil Ayers in 2016. Sonic Boom differentiates through deep community integration with the Seattle music scene, hosting recurring in-store performances, listening parties, Record Store Day celebrations, and artist collaborations — including historical ties to Death Cab for Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, and Band of Horses, and recent events such as the Panda Bear & Sonic Boom listening party.
Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the business operates without venture capital, private equity, or parent-company involvement. The go-to-market relies on foot traffic, organic social (Instagram), community events, and the annual Record Store Day cycle, with customer segments split between music enthusiasts/collectors (primary) and individual sellers of used collections (secondary). No patents, regulatory actions, M&A activity, or institutional funding rounds are associated with the company.
Sonic Boom Records firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sonic Boom Records
- Legal name
- Sonic Boom Records
- Website
- https://sonicboomrecords.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sonic Boom Records is an independently owned Seattle record store founded in 1997, operating a single Ballard storefront selling new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and branded merchandise to music collectors and the local indie community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sonic Boom Records industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Record Store
- NAICS
- Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)
- SIC
- Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Physical Recorded Music Manufacturing (Vinyl/CD/Cassette) (MPAIAAAE)
Keywords
Where Sonic Boom Records is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sonic Boom Records business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Sales of Music Media: Primary revenue from selling new and used vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes. They purchase used records from customers and resell them at markup. They also sell music merchandise including apparel and accessories.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, beanies, stickers, tote bags, and dog collars. Gift certificates also available for purchase.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Certificates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apparel and Accessories |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Sonic Boom Records product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sonic Boom Records is an independent record store that sells new and used vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes, with a curated focus on indie rock, punk, metal, soul, jazz, rap, and classic rock. The store also purchases used collections from customers (offering a 25% bonus for store credit) and sells branded merchandise including apparel, hats, beanies, stickers, tote bags, dog collars, gift certificates, and an annual zine. Community programming through in-store listening parties, live performances, and Record Store Day celebrations is integral to the offering.
Product overview
Sonic Boom Records is a Seattle-based independent record store founded in 1997, operating as a single-location retail business with no digital platform. The store's core offerings include vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes—both new and used—with a particular focus on indie-rock, punk, metal, soul, jazz, rap, and classic rock. The company also operates a used record purchasing service that buys items from customers, offering 25% extra value for store credit. Ancillary offerings include branded merchandise (apparel such as t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and beanies, plus accessories like tote bags and stickers) and gift certificates in various denominations. The store hosts regular in-store events including listening parties and live performances, and publishes an annual zine. All operations center on the physical Ballard location.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vinyl Records New and used vinyl LP records offered across all genres, with particular interest in indie-rock, punk, metal, soul, jazz, rap, and classic rock. Sold to individual music enthusiasts and collectors.
- CDs
Companies that use Sonic Boom Records
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sonic Boom Records technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sonic Boom Records partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Sonic Boom Records competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Criminal Records: Independent record store in Atlanta, Georgia, with new and used vinyl, in-store events, and a curated indie/alternative focus. Comparable in store size, curation style, and event-led community engagement.
- Rough Trade NYC: Iconic independent record store with locations in Brooklyn and London, specializing in curated vinyl, in-store concerts, and a strong indie/DIY community identity. Operates the same combination of curated retail, live events, and cultural cachet that defines Sonic Boom's model.
- Waterloo Records: Austin, Texas-based independent record store with a similarly curated selection, in-store performances, and a strong local-music-scene identity. Closely comparable to Sonic Boom in operating model and event-driven community engagement.
- Amoeba Music: Iconic independent record store chain operating multiple large-format locations in California (Hollywood, Berkeley, San Francisco). Operates the same brick-and-mortar indie record store model with new and used vinyl, in-store events, and a strong community identity — the most direct comparable to Sonic Boom in scale and operating philosophy.
- Easy Street Records: Long-running independent record store in Seattle's West Seattle and Queen Anne neighborhoods. Sells new and used vinyl, CDs, and merchandise; hosts in-store performances. Direct Seattle-metro competitor with overlapping customer base and very similar Indie-focused curation philosophy.
- Reckless Records: Iconic independent record store with multiple locations in Chicago, known for deep new and used vinyl inventory and a strong local-music-scene presence. Direct comparable on format mix, used-buying model, and community-driven operation.
- Zia Records: Arizona-based independent record store chain with multiple retail locations, trading cards, and merchandise. Comparable in offering breadth (vinyl, CDs, collectibles, branded merchandise) and independent multi-store operations.
- Bull Moose Music: Independent record store chain across New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont) with physical storefronts and e-commerce. Comparable new/used vinyl, CD, and cassette inventory mix with a strong community store identity.
- Strictly Discs: Independent record store in Madison, Wisconsin, renowned for its curated selection and Record Store Day programming. Same brick-and-mortar indie model with deep community ties and a strong used-vinyl pipeline.
Others
- Discogs: Online marketplace and database for physical music media, where Sonic Boom itself maintains a seller profile. Not a direct peer but a key distribution channel and competitive context for used-record sales nationally.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sonic Boom Records social profiles
Digital presenceSonic Boom Records financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sonic Boom Records leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Sonic Boom Records funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sonic Boom Records M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sonic Boom Records
What does Sonic Boom Records do?
Sonic Boom Records is an independent record store that sells new and used vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes, with a curated focus on indie rock, punk, metal, soul, jazz, rap, and classic rock. The store also purchases used collections from customers (offering a 25% bonus for store credit) and sells branded merchandise including apparel, hats, beanies, stickers, tote bags, dog collars, gift certificates, and an annual zine. Community programming through in-store listening parties, live performances, and Record Store Day celebrations is integral to the offering.
Is Sonic Boom Records a public or private company?
Sonic Boom Records is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sonic Boom Records founded?
Sonic Boom Records was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sonic Boom Records based?
Sonic Boom Records is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sonic Boom Records make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales of Music Media is the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales.
Who are Sonic Boom Records's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Criminal Records, Rough Trade NYC, Waterloo Records, Amoeba Music, Easy Street Records, Reckless Records, Zia Records, Bull Moose Music and Strictly Discs. Discogs is listed as an others.
Does Sonic Boom Records have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sonic Boom Records.
What industry is Sonic Boom Records in?
Sonic Boom Records's product category is Independent Record Store. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAAAE, Physical Recorded Music Manufacturing (Vinyl/CD/Cassette). Its NAICS code is 45914 and its SIC code is 5735.