We were lucky to catch up with Morgan Holly recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Morgan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I hope my legacy is creating a unique space where music is celebrated and enjoyed by many. A place where people can come together and discover new music. I hope I can play some role in inspiring a renewed appreciation for physical music in a world that is vastly digital. I hope to be remembered as someone who pursued their passions. Founding a mobile record store while being a full-time biology student has been difficult, but it’s taught me how to balance my passions. I want to show others that it’s possible to create something meaningful while balancing other commitments. Ultimately, I hope to leave an impact on the music community, and show others that it’s okay to do something different.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Morgan Holly, the Founder of Swindle Records, a mobile record store traveling around Downriver Michigan. I am a full time student, balancing my love of music while pursuing my degree. My passion for music started at a young age as I was always surrounded by music and started going to concerts by the age of 3. I created Swindle Records to share my passion for music and physical media in a unique and accessible way. Getting into the music business seemed natural to me. Watching old music documentaries, especially those on the punk, hardcore, and metal scenes from back in the 70s-80s, and thinking how much I would love to experience that incredible and revolutionary time in music. I wanted to create a space that felt as exciting as those times were. Physical media was more appreciated and exciting back then, and I want to help reignite the love for physical media again. We provide a unique genre-free experience, offering new and used vinyl and cds, imported band merch, patches, stickers and more! We have a wide range of musical choices and hope people branch out and try something new. What sets us apart from others is being mobile, as well as the personal music experience we provide. Swindle Records is more than just selling music, it’s about connecting and reigniting passion for music. I want people to come in and be excited about physical music again. Having flexibility to travel allows us to share our love of music to a multitude of different people and travel to them, which is unlike a traditional store.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Swindle Records started as a partnership which did not end up working out. Having to unexpectedly transition from creating a business with a trusted partner, to then alone was not something I planned for. I had to take on full responsibility (alongside help from my mother), and learn everything I needed to be successful. I had to step up for myself and the business. I needed to set aside my personal struggles to focus on keeping the vision I had alive. I did not want this tough situation to impact what I wanted to create. These challenges pushed me to focus my energy on things that I’m passionate about, in turn, they have driven the growth of my business and myself.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being a new business, we don’t have a set reputation yet, but I think our music selection and unique experience will be what builds it. We have a wide range of music choices that allows for people to branch out and try something new, or find something they haven’t heard before. Also, having a selection of imported band merch has been a popular conversation starter in store and drawn people in. Being a mobile record store is our main draw, as it’s not very common. It is something different and unexpected!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://swindlerecords.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swindlerecords_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Swindle-Records/61565188280131/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: Our Spotify:
  https://open.spotify.com/user/31yvugawrfqzr5ty5kmizkjkdwxi?si=2b7d100985d544ef&nd=1&dlsi=4072238494574122