The comradery was amazing. You’d always find what you are looking for and get help from the staff. It was like its own rock universe. There was no social media and fans rarely got to see their bands in person. I spent countless hours researching to bring this authentic replica model to life.
The owner Phil gave me helpful and little known information. To help me capture the spirit of Zig Zag Records. As a kid, Phil was constantly in the shop. One day the owners offered him a job, he was ecstatic. The original owners were Arnie and Gary. Interestingly, Arnie Goodman went on to have a huge career in the music and photography business. Zig Zag was his stepping stone. Phil took over in 1986, a booming time in rock history.
This replica is special in many ways. I recreated the iconic signs and restored them to their former glory. I added some throwbacks like the actual poster announcing the Metallica and Wasp performance at L’Amour. The tickets were sold at Zig Zag. For nostalgia, I also added an Iron Maiden flyer highlighting their appearance at the record store. And some may spot a few stickers like one from the band Snot.
One thing I noticed was that the side gate of the store was always closed. And the window boarded up indefinitely. I asked the owner, why didn’t you ever open the side gate? He said “Because of those neighborhood disco tough guys. They kept on breaking our window.”
Zig Zag Records was an iconic place for those that rock. And it was a special time period in our lives. This Brooklyn location closed for good in 2011. Many people today look back at this amazing place and see it as a true gift. This authentic miniature recreation is available as of now for those that want to take home a piece of history.
Dimensions: L 7.4in x W 6.7in x H 5.4in
Interesting external links and articles:
Video: Motorhead In store Zig Zag Brooklyn 1982 Pt.2 RARE (youtube.com)
Video: Iron Maiden – New York 07.1981 Instore Signing Session @ Zig Zag Records Brooklyn – YouTube
Podcast: The Debut – Episode 1: Phil DiBenedetto owner of Zig Zag Record stores in NY (youtube.com)
Article: An Interview with Arnie Goodman – VWMusic (vwmusicrocks.com)
