WILKES-BARRE – Black Friday is synonymous with deep price cuts that draw consumers out into the wilds of retail, and record stores are using a proven method to leverage some of that spending into their cash registers: Record Store Day.

“It’s the model of record store day but definitely on a smaller scale,” Gallery of Sound co-owner Joe Nardone Jr. said about Black Friday Record Store Day. “The idea of coming out at 4 a.m. to buy CDs wore out a while ago. This is our answer for that.”

Among this year’s Black Friday RSD releases, Nardone cites the “Garden State” soundtrack, a Dave Matthews Band live record and a Nine Inch Nails box set as top contenders for bestseller. He said a Judas Priest 10”, a Mighty Mighty Bosstones live record and a Run DMC singles boxset as some of this year’s top draws. Nardone said specialty releases help record stores stay competitive during a day when music may not be the first priority for shoppers.

“This is what our customers are interested in on an urgent basis,” Nardone said. “Buying the Adele CD might not be urgent on Black Friday, but this makes visiting the store urgent and interesting.”

Gallery of Sound on Mundy Street will open at 8 a.m. on Black Friday. In order to carry Record Store Day and Black Friday Record Store Day releases, participating stores are required to abide by rules designed to make the acquisition of these rare releases a fair fight. Those rules don’t dictate a store’s hours of business, just a time that the day’s limited edition products can hit shelves.

“Black Friday isn’t what it used to be,” Nardone said. “All the midnight shoppers are tired, so they go home at 3 p.m. There’s a backlash against some of that now, but we’ll be open at 8 a.m. Nothing crazy.”

Downtown Wilkes-Barre record store Musical Energi will also open its doors at 8 a.m. For a list of other participating record stores, visit recordstoreday.com

Reach Gene Axton at 570-991-6121 or on Twitter @TLArts

By Gene Axton

gaxton@timesleader.com

In this file photo, Joe Nardone Jr. holds collector’s record albums, singles, and other items at Gallery of Sound in Wilkes-Barre Township during a previous Record Store Day event. Friday, Nov. 27 will see the release of a new batch of collector’s items for Black Friday Record Store Day.
http://www.theweekender.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL041815RecordDay_1.jpg.optimal.jpgIn this file photo, Joe Nardone Jr. holds collector’s record albums, singles, and other items at Gallery of Sound in Wilkes-Barre Township during a previous Record Store Day event. Friday, Nov. 27 will see the release of a new batch of collector’s items for Black Friday Record Store Day.