Wade Ogle, Owner of Block Street Records (with 2 locations in Bentonville, AR & Fayetteville, AR). There are so many things that stand out about how he’s built his record store business. First of all, we start this interview talking about how the store doesn’t have a traditional website. They do have a Facebook and an instagram for each location (Fayetteville & Bentonville), but that’s it. They do almost all of their business in person save for an occasional sale via Discogs. Second, he is pretty adamant that he’s not a traditional “business guy” even though he’s been in business for what seems like his entire adult life. He’s meticulous about what he wanted this “proper record store” to be like: fun, organized, and friendly. I’m struck by his words of “if it fails, it won’t be because I didn’t try my very best.” That’s the kind of mentality that I think a true entrepreneur needs to have. The things we care about the most will need our very best effort in order to keep the whole thing running. In Wade’s case, he’s keeping it thriving.

Further, his respect and support for both his employees (he gives a shout out to a number of them including Shelby and Logan) as well as all of the customers that enter the stores is obvious. He's an example of a leader that cares about his employees beyond just working for him at the store at the moment. He even throws out some numbers of how long employees tend to work at the store (his “main guy” Logan has been there over 7 years). He also wants the staff at the store on a daily basis to be knowledgeable, but also friendly and inclusive. He respects that everyone has their own music they love and wants to help them find what they're looking for regardless of what it is plus maybe help them discover something that might be a little outside of their normal wheelhouse. That’s what he and the staff at Block Street Records are there for. 

When thinking about business leaders that are doing things the right way to make a positive impact on their internal and external communities, Wade is a clear fit. We all have a lot we can learn from him to use in business, in life, and with music. 

Shout outs to:

• Arkadia Retrocade - Shea Mathis
• Chris Selby (aka “Clunk”) - Owner of CHEW (Clunk’s Hungry Express Wagon) - Facebook 
• Hannah Withers - Owner of Maxine’s

Bonus outs to: 

• Michael Myers
• Record Bar

Bonus shout out for his own music:

• Diamond Meadows (latest project)
• Wade Ogle for long band history & solo stuff

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