Taylar at Kops Records, part of the team shaping its next era.
Walk into Kops Records today and you will still find what has made the store special for decades: walls of records, deep catalogue, and people who love music. But you will also notice something else — a new generation helping carry that history forward.
Founded in 1976, Kops has survived every major shift in how people discover music, from vinyl’s decline to CDs, downloads, streaming, and now the renewed excitement around physical records. But record stores have never survived simply because of what is on the shelves. They survive because of the people who create the experience. Among those people is Taylar, a musician from Wellington, New Zealand, whose journey at Kops began behind the scenes and grew into a role helping connect the store with a new generation of listeners A Musician From Wellington Who Found a New Purpose in Toronto Kops Records’ Queen Street West location, shaped by the people who walk through its doors.
He came to Toronto for personal reasons, arriving in a new country without a clear plan beyond staying connected to music.
Back home, he played guitar and wrote songs, drawn to indie and alternative music. Music had always been part of his life, not necessarily as a career, but as something that helped him understand the world around him. Kops Records became the place where that relationship with music found a new direction. 
Learning Vinyl Culture From the Inside Out
Before becoming a familiar face in the store, Taylar started in the warehouse.
It was there, surrounded by thousands of records waiting to be sorted and discovered, that he learned the foundation of record store culture. "I learned everything by being in the warehouse. You understand the store differently when you've touched every box."
The experience taught him that a record store is not simply about inventory. Every album, every section, and every display tells a story.
Most people discover vinyl culture by walking through the front door.
Taylar discovered it from the back of the building, learning how collections move, how customers search, and why certain records become meaningful to people. Making Vinyl Feel Accessible to a New Generation
A full house at Kops, reflecting the community‑driven evolution behind the counter.
As his role expanded, Taylar became increasingly interested in how people discover music today.
He noticed something important: younger listeners were not necessarily looking for expertise. They were looking for connection. "Younger collectors don't care about being experts. They care about feeling connected."
That idea has influenced how Kops presents itself today.
Rather than creating an environment where people feel tested, the goal is to make discovery feel welcoming. “Some people collect. Some people just listen. Both matter. Both belong here.”
For Taylar, curation is not about proving knowledge. It is about helping someone find the right record at the right moment. “A good wall should feel like an invitation, not a test.”
And perhaps his simplest explanation of modern record store culture says the most:
“You can't curate for algorithms. You curate for people.” A Record Store Built Around Personality
One of the reasons Kops feels different today is because the people behind the counter are visible.
The store’s identity comes from the personalities of the staff, the conversations with customers, and the shared enthusiasm for music. “The store should feel like the people who work here. Not like a brand trying to sound cool.”
That philosophy extends beyond the shop floor. Events, listening parties, signings, and live performances have helped make Kops more than somewhere to buy records.
It has become a place where music happens. “Kops Records is a workplace where your personality can really shine.” 
Watching the Vinyl Resurgence From the Inside
Having watched generations of listeners walk through Kops’ doors, Taylar believes vinyl’s resurgence represents something deeper than nostalgia.
"Vinyl came back because people wanted something real again."
Streaming has made music more accessible than ever, but records create a different relationship with listening.
They ask people to slow down, choose an album, and spend time with it. "Younger fans want to show what they love. Vinyl lets them do that."
He has also seen longtime collectors return, rebuilding collections they once sold or reconnecting with albums from different moments in their lives.
"A record feels like it belongs to you. Streaming never feels like that." The Emotional Connection Behind Every Record
For Taylar, the appeal of vinyl has always been emotional.
"People don't buy records because they need them. They buy them because they feel something. A good album finds you at the right time. That's why people come back to vinyl. It's timing." He sees that connection every day. "You can tell when someone is buying their first record. There's a look. It's excitement and fear at the same time." And maybe the quote that best captures what Kops represents today is: "People come here for music, but they stay because it feels like a place they belong." The Next Chapter of Kops Records
Kops today is not defined by one person.
It is shaped by decades of history, generations of collectors, the staff who bring their personalities into the store, and the customers who continue searching through the bins for their next discovery. Taylar is one part of that story. His journey from Wellington musician to part of Toronto’s vinyl community reflects something larger about record stores themselves: they survive because they continue to create connections. Because vinyl culture has never only been about the records. It has always been about the people who keep the stories spinning. 
For collectors young and old, Nick Koppel’s Picks is one of those rare constants in vinyl culture — a place where great records never stop showing up.
Keep Exploring
Kops Records is one chapter in a much bigger story about the people and places keeping record-store culture alive.
Explore more independent shops in Record Store Stories, find more places to dig with Find Your Next Record, or see what’s coming up in Record Shows. Explore Record Store Stories → Find Your Next Record → Find a Record Show → Take Care of What You Find
Bringing records home is only the beginning. These Vinyl Vibes guides can help you keep them clean and protected.
VSS Premium Vinyl Sleeves → GrooveWasher Record Cleaning → 
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