fbpx

The biggest record collector in the world: the Brazilian magnate wants to buy all the vinyl in the world

Paul Mawhinney, a former record store owner in Pittsburgh, has been collecting records for more than 40 years, and by last year had accumulated about three million records. Among them, many that were just crowding the shelves and could not find buyers even at ridiculously low prices. Although it is an heirloom in dire need of a digital record, Paul did not find a buyer for a long time. Until the music omnibus was bought by bus magnate Zero Freitas.

People's indifference to vinyl, which resided in baskets for which the purchase seemed a steal, she made these phonograph records over time precious, as they were only preserved collectible or maybe even just 'graceful' specimens, which are today the only preserved 'written' sources of this music. Two decades Mawhinney searched in vain customer for your own font-tastic collection. When it seemed that he had succeeded 21 million business with the company CDNow, stopped the sale dot.com bubble. Years 2008 tried his luck on eBay, but the 2.2 million euros offered by an Irishman turned out to be a 'false alarm'. Last year but only Mary appeared to him, or rather, eight semi-trucks, which are a collection from the American one Pittsburgh taken to Brazil.

To make it easier for you to find specific panels, Zero Freitas not only organizes them thematically, but adds a visual anchor to the themes. Where you see Star Wars cards they keep Disney vinyls.
To make it easier for you to find specific panels, Zero Freitas not only organizes them thematically, but adds a visual anchor to the themes. Where you see Star Wars cards they keep Disney vinyls.

Paul Mawhinney the buyer is from Sao Paolo, Zero Freitas, he never met, but the Brazilian rich man with his line buses has been obsessed with buying gramophone records since childhood and already 40 years is visiting therapy, to discover the cause of his obsession. It must sound like a broken record to the therapist, but he's done a lot to preserve it by buying it musical heritage. And Paul's collection it's just a drop in the ocean, just another stop, as Zero diligently collects records from other smaller collectors as well as his busses of passengers. 'Compulsive' shopping records has its roots in his childhood, which started when his father bought him at the age of five hi-fi, with which it also came 200 albums.

READ MORE: Clearaudio: sound and design as expected

And what does Freitas intend to do with this mountain of records? Warehouse, where he currently keeps them, will soon turn them into some types music library with a name Emporium Musical, where people can be listened to vinyl records, if there is a duplicate, get them too borrowed.

With you since 2004

From 2004 we research urban trends and inform our community of followers daily about the latest in lifestyle, travel, style and products that inspire with passion. From 2023, we offer content in major global languages.