Joint Custody: D.C. record store and "general freak emporium"
by Vada Mercer
The walls of D.C. record store Joint Custody are lined with flyers for past and present underground punk shows, vintage apparel, and old magazines. A record player fills the store with an employee’s favorite album, whether that be ambient jazz or avant-garde noise.
More than a record store, the self-described “general freak emporium” serves as a place for people with all sorts of interests to spend time.
“It facilitates a place for all the weirdos in town to hang out,” employee Ari Goldman said. “It’s the middle of the Venn diagram for a bunch of different subsets of underground or DIY life.”
The store was started by friends James Ritter and Gene Melkisethian, who met through the hardcore punk scene. The pair loved collecting unique vintage items, and had originally started the business as an online retailer.
Looking for a physical place to sell, they opened the now-closed first Joint Custody on Sept. 11, 2011, in Adams Morgan. Two years later, they opened their U Street location, while their most recent store opened last year in Takoma.
“I don't think [when they started] there was any actual lofty goal. If the store closed in a year, I don't think they would have cared,” said Ambrose Nzams, an Joint Custody employee of over 15 years. “I think that the intention was just to do something cool.”
The store is full of used and new records ranging from heavy metal to gospel music. Their selection of vintage clothing features sports memorabilia and band merchandise. In the back of the store, there is a selection of VHS tapes, old magazines, and rare fanzines from the 90s and 2000s metal scene.
Despite the prevalence of streaming services, a strong fondness for it is present in the store. A listening station is provided for sampling records, and record players are available for purchase.
“It’s my favorite thing, to hold something in my hands and look at it and touch it,” Nzams said. “It's the easiest way for me to understand it.”
Goldman, who is a DJ and member of a band alongside other Joint Custody employees, said he never felt like the music he made was “real” until he could hold it.
“I’m always scared things are going to be lost forever,” he said. “It’s somewhat of archiving history.”
Their most expensive find, according to Nzams, was a 7-inch single Rolling Stones non-promotional vinyl.
“It was just in a box… that we'd already bought,” said Nzams. “ We didn't know. No one even thought it was worth any money.”
That record sold for over $9,000.
Every employee of Joint Custody is deeply involved in local music, Nzams having met the owners through watching their punk band Lion of Judah perform. They hold events in-store and book shows at a D.C. DIY venue called Rhizome.
“I love the atmosphere of the store, mainly because of the employees. You can tell they are very passionate about music,” a patron said. “They even remember me as a regular and give me personal recommendations.”
