Music Country – 728 Anderson Ave., Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
Open – since 1934
Recently made the journey to Music Country in Cliffside Park (near Fort Lee). I must admit, I was drawn to the claim it was the oldest record store in the country. It was a small but nice shop, run by Joan and Bill Demarest, who are pictured below. Bill was playing a Beatles tune when I came in, with lyrics written by hand. He followed with House of the Rising Sun, by the Animals, and then his wife joined on harmony on another. They had worthy records to browse, and I snagged a couple of 45 picture sleeves including the Rollings Stones Mothers Little Helper b/w Lady Jane. They even discussed the local music scene. All in all, an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. And as for the claim they are the oldest record store in the country? Who knows, they just might be.
Wanna go? You can find Music Country on our Record Stores Map
Here’s a link to a story that appeared about the store on Fox5 in July 2015 by Mac King titled NJ Record Store in Business Since 1934 with an interview of the store’s owners Joan and Bill Demarest singing a tune or two.
Here’s a link to the store’s website, where they feature old photos of the store’s history, and in particular, the original owner.
Anthony Locicero wrote Nostalgia Sparks Cliffside Park Music Store’s Renaissance an article that appeared in June 2016 in the Cliffside Park – Edgewater Daily Voice with more on the store’s history.
And finally, here’s a recent piece from New York Live, published in April 2019, interviewing the store owners about the store and its history.
