When you walk into SOOK Vinyl & Vintage in Mt. Airy, you're stepping into more than Philadelphia's only Black-owned record store. You’re entering a vibrant time capsule of cultural history. 

The shop at 7169 Germantown Ave. (whose entrance is actually on Mt. Airy Avenue) is a modern take on Dickens's "The Old Curiosity Shop." Every inch of space is chockablock with treasures: more than 7,000 vinyl records spanning 33s, 45s, and even 78 RPMs, alongside vintage CDs, VCR tapes, antique toys, paintings, clothing, books, photos, figurines, and cultural artifacts of every conceivable variety.

Proprietor Rashied Amon proudly displays a 45-RPM record on Utopia Records featuring Howard Tate singing "You're Looking Good" and "Half-a-Man." His eyes light up as he reveals, "This is one of only two in existence. The other one is in Japan." Using the Discogs app — a digital database beloved by record collectors worldwide — he estimates its value between $400 and $500.

There are other rare finds: Donald Austin's "Crazy Legs" album, worth around $200, notable as the artist's only release. There's also Roy Ayers' "Lots of Love" album, still sealed in its original wrapper. "I'd love to play it," Amon says, gesturing toward the pristine package, "but I'd have to take it out of its sealed wrapper, and the value would immediately go down."

For collectors, this cornucopia of collectibles is nothing short of nirvana. While the overwhelming majority of items represent aspects of Black culture and musical history, browsers might be surprised to spot albums by artists like Andy Williams – not exactly known for R&B, soul music, or hip-hop — nestled among rarer finds.

"I wanted to rub elbows with other Black record store owners," Amon explains, his long dreadlocks and distinctive presence as notable as his carefully curated collection. "But when I researched it, I found there were no elbows to rub. There is only one other Black-owned record store in Pennsylvania, and that's in Phoenixville."

At 36, Amon's path to becoming a cultural curator in Mt. Airy has been as eclectic as his inventory. The Charleston, South Carolina, native has lived in Wyndmoor for the last five years, but his journey to Philadelphia's Northwest neighborhood followed many twists and turns.

"I do not like working for other people," Amon admits with a smile, explaining his series of entrepreneurial ventures.

As a teenager, he lived in Levittown and attended Bucks County Technical High School before earning a BA in communications from Cheyney University. Though skilled as a trumpet player in a jazz band, Amon explored various careers – from used car salesman to teaching American history at charter schools in Chester and North Philadelphia.

"I was not passionate about it," he says, reflecting on his teaching experience. "I really could not engage the students."

The self-described "visual pluralist" found more satisfaction in creative pursuits, doing freelance photography and video production for weddings and portraits, and serving as a marketing and brand ambassador for several companies. When Covid made close-contact photography work impossible, Amon pivoted again.

He launched a clothing line named Blum, creating custom textile pieces with his own heat press and screenprinting equipment. Despite being self-taught, his fashion designs found success online, reaching customers as far away as Australia. This venture led him to the vintage clothing circuit, where he toured shows around the country.

"I toured the U.S. to shows, selling my wares and also selling mostly apparel on eBay for four years," he explains, the rhythms of his speech matching the enthusiasm he brings to his entrepreneurial spirit. "I found old records in thrift stores and other undervalued stuff, mostly vintage apparel. I started to buy Black culture items and do pop-ups at the Imaginarium Art Studio in Germantown."

His hunter's instinct for rare finds developed during his travels. "Whenever I went to a town, I would check out all the thrift shops and record stores. I would buy every Black album I could find. I bought whole collections."

The vinyl connection runs deep for Amon – it's in his blood. "My father was a deejay," he says, a hint of reverence in his voice. "He died when I was 15. My dad had a huge record collection. That inspired me to look them up and learn more about these records."

What began as a personal connection grew into a business insight. "I learned how lucrative they can be and how many collectors there are for the vintage items. I have put records on eBay and sold them within an hour."

After a string of successful events, including a 30-day stint at Our House Cultural Center at Germantown and Johnson Street, Amon was ready to establish permanent roots. "I wanted to prove the concept," he says of his temporary locations, before finally deciding to open his brick-and-mortar store.

The name "Sook" offers its own story – a deliberate misspelling of "Souk," which refers to an outdoor bazaar in Africa. Amon's travels to Egypt, Morocco, and Tanzania three years ago inspired the name. "If I named my store Souk," he explains, "then people who Google the name would see a zillion things. But Sook is the only one."

In a city with such a rich musical heritage, Amon envisions SOOK becoming not just a store but a community gathering space. "I want to have events here in the spring and summer with music, food, and drink," he shares, excitement clear in his voice. "I will call it 'Book the SOOK.'"

SOOK Vinyl & Vintage is open Wednesday to Friday, 3 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12 to 7 p.m. For more information, call 484-620-5487. The store's website, sookvinyl.com, will be available soon. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com