
Alex
Born in LA, raised in Bakersfield, Alex has been DJing vinyl records in Los Angeles for 20 years and is the music curator at Pinky’s bar in Los Feliz. Alex sold records at record swaps across the country and has run Glass House Record Store in Pomona for the past 8 years, before being tapped by Coachella to build a record store for the festival. The recent documentary, Record Safari, features one of Alex’s cross-country record shopping trips. Record Safari is also the name of the new record store In Atwater Village Alex will open this summer.


Tell us what you do and why you love to do it?
I buy and re-sell vinyl records. I love doing it because I love the fact that I can somehow contribute positively to someone's life. By them finding a cool record at the record store and taking it home to enjoy, that makes me happy to know that I am giving them something they are stoked about.
What’s your favorite Secret LA spot?
One of my favorite spots, and one I love to take people to, is a spot in Malibu. A lot of times people go to Zuma beach or other state beaches. I like to go to El Matador and Leo Carrillo state beach because it’s a lot more private, a lot less people, and a little more relaxed.
What is something you will never wear again after this winter and what are you excited to wear this summer?
Something I am looking forward to never wearing again are masks - hoping that the pandemic ends, although I will continue wearing mine as long as we need to. Something I am looking forward to wearing, in the beginning of the pandemic I said I would grow my beard out until we had to stop wearing masks. Here we are a year and a half later and I have this giant beard. So I am excited to wear my actual face again.


What’s something new that you’ve learned recently?
Due to the recent pandemic, I've definitely learned to appreciate things I didn't appreciate as much before, like going out to a restaurant or going and hanging out at a park. I work in the concert industry so I've definitely learned to appreciate concerts a lot.
Did you bake bread during quarantine?
I didn’t bake anything. I think I still did a lot of microwave dinners. I like Amy's brand, they make really good vegan mac and cheese.
Would you take Sunset or the Freeway?
Whenever I drive, if I don't have to be somewhere by a certain time, I always take the long route and the scenic route. Even if I do have to be somewhere at a certain time, sometimes I plan and leave earlier so I can take the scenic route.