The Record Ship Launches

There’s a story behind the name of Wichita’s newest retro-styled record store. And it does not involve a floating sea vessel.

“It got the name ‘Record Ship’ because when I was in my basement I was going and shipping records every day. So, it wasn’t a record shop; it was a record ship,” said Les Easterby, the owner and operator of the new music retail store at 230 N Cleveland.

Les’ musical roots in Wichita date back to the 1990’s and one of his earliest band projects: And Academy. Originally from Washington, Les moved to Wichita when his father transferred to the Boeing facility here. That is also the time when Les began to put his full energy into a music career.

“In 2005, I was in five different bands, practicing five days a week, with shows once or twice a week,” said Les.

As a member of Paper Airplanes, a DYI (do-it-yourself) Wichita Emo band, Les recalled touring and paying to have their 7-inch albums pressed.

“We had 500 copies made, and after 20 years I think I still have 50 of them,” Les said, smiling, as he lifted the sleeved record up from the bin marked “Local.”

Les uses the term “DIY” a lot. But he believes it is the best description of what his experience in the music scene was and continues to be.

“The DIY scene died down in the late 2000’s, but it has starting to build back up again,” Les said.

He credits the resurgence to a new generation of like-minded people wanting to accomplish the same goal together. Les believes now is the right time for The Record Ship because it is a DIY record shop, owned and operated by a veteran of the DIY music scene, now here to support a new generation of DIY musicians.

“In 2020, I was doing real estate and selling records out of my basement,” Les recalled.

As things started to open back up, he would do pop-ups and sell at flea markets.

“I didn’t plan this, but then the right set of circumstances came together,” Les said.

Les describes The Record Ship as a “90’s kind of record store.” It is as much a resource for music enthusiasts as it is for DIY musicians. Les has decades of experience in the local scene putting music out without major label support and booking shows through community-based means, and he is eager to share that knowledge with anyone he can help.  

“I had acquired so much stuff, I figured I could keep working from home or I could roll the dice and open a store,” Les said, “There’s a lot to it, but it’s way more fulfilling to be out in the community providing a place for people to go.”

Owning and running his own business consumes a large portion of Les’ daily life. “I’m pricing records before I go to bed, and I’m constantly thinking of what needs to be done. But I get to be my own boss, and that, as they say, is the American dream,” Les said.

Les embodies the DIY spirit in many aspects of his life. From his own personal musical pursuits that recently led him to produce a limited-edition cover of the entire “Pet Sounds” album, to his ideas for following record store tradition by expanding The Record Ship into a venue, Les is constantly interested and involved in the Wichita music scene.

“People will always go out of their way to find a record store; it’s like it’s a hidden gem. It might turn out to be someone’s favorite store, or a place where they like to go to find the stuff that’s not picked over,” he said.

Les believes the record store will always be a cornerstone of any thriving music scene.

“I’m living the dream, but I’m really just happy to have a place that’s my own and to provide something for the community.”

The Record Ship is located at 230 N Cleveland Ave where you will typically find Les eager to talk about anything music related. The Record Ship buys, sells, and trades vinyl, CDs, tapes, and offers various other music-related memorabilia.

Insider tip: this store probably has the best Shoegaze collection in the entire Wichita area.