The company quietly reemerges in Williamsburg as “Tower Labs,” a new lounge area for musicians to interact in partnership with other neighborhood venues, 16 years after Tower Records filed for bankruptcy.
Once known for its album release parties for artists like Elton John and Dave Grohl, Tower Records had yet to have a physical store location since the company went bankrupt 16 years ago. The new Williamsburg, Brooklyn iteration, called Tower Labs, intends to work with other venues in the area to create “an intimate space with a lounge-inspired feel” for performers to socialize before and after shows.
The Tower Labs website states that “the idea is for artists and bands to arrange exclusive events with their community, comparable to a backstage experience.” With monthly shipments of limited edition Vinyl LPs and merchandise partnerships with artists and brands, Tower Labs breathes fresh life into Brooklyn.
According to Danny Zeijdel, president of Tower Records, “In an increasingly digital world, it is vital for artists to have a physical venue where they can connect and create.”
Tower Records first made a comeback in 2020 as an online store after closing its doors in 2006. Elton John and Dave Grohl appeared in Colin Hanks’ 2015 documentary, Tower Records: A Cultural Impact Story, which also lamented the label’s closure. Grohl has a personal connection to Tower Records because he had worked there in the early 1990s in Washington, DC.
The “warmly lit” wood-paneled space was designed by creative director Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz and architect Louis Rambert. Rambert is known for his work on the Lower East Side shop Beverly’s NYC.
Patrons will have the opportunity to pick up limited-edition vinyl records and merch from a window on Kent Avenue, The New York Times describes. Small events will be held on a stage with speakers custom-made by New York DJ Booker Mitchell.
Architect Louis Rambert and artistic director Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz created the “warmly lit” wood-paneled area. Rambert is renowned for his work on the Beverly’s NYC store on the Lower East Side.
According to The New York Times, customers will be able to purchase limited-edition vinyl albums and merchandise from a window on Kent Avenue. On a stage with speakers designed just for it by New York DJ Booker Mitchell, small events will be held.
