Growing up in Alhambra, California, with roots in local arts and her father’s community newspaper Street News, music and community have always been part of her DNA, meet Angelle Laigo, owner of Str33t Records. In 2021, she merged those passions by opening the record store along Main Street amid cafes, and boutiques. The shop holds carefully curated crates of funk, soul, indie, oldies, and beyond. Laigo’s shop honors nostalgia while working to bring people together.

When not running the store, Angelle is collecting and curating records/collections, as well as enjoying film photography, and travel.

How did you get into your industry / What motivated you?

Everyone in my family are musically-inclined. Grew up with a father who plays guitar and was in his own band in the Philippines when he was young, a mother grandmother and other family who plays piano and other instruments, sang in choir (including myself), or collected physical media. I was always around it everyday. My late great uncle passed down his hi-fi system to our family when I was a teenager and I grew a love for analog at a very young age, when I started making my own money and driving I started going to local record shops and thrift stores in LA, greater LA area and long beach regions and started collecting and records around 17 and 18.

What is a day in the life like?

I am a new mom and so it is a lot of balance with my 2 year old. We usually get breakfast together before heading to the shop where he hangs out with me and enjoys the wonders of the records while I focus on curating and operations for the shop. On days I am not at the shop I am sourcing, which may entail reaching out to private collectors, or suppliers online or setting up meetings in person or doing house/location visits to browse and buy collections. I also work a remote job for supplemental income, which I attend to during hours outside of the shop.

Favorite sale / relationship made from behind the counter?

I was playing the record The Escorts - Recorded Live at Rahway State Prison when a lovely older couple came in. The gentleman immediately knew the song that was playing "Look Over Your Shoulder" and started singing it to his partner. They started slow dancing in the middle of the shop and it seemed the world around them did not exist and it was just them dancing and existing in love in their own world. They thanked me for playing this record in that moment and bought it from me off the turntable. They revealed to me they were on one of their first dates and this moment in the shop dancing together made it very special for them. They pop into the store here and there and it is always a joy to see them, knowing their relationship continues to flourish and Str33t Records is a fond memory of its beginnings.

In your opinion what has been the coolest thing to come through your shop / thing you had to keep / almost couldn't put out for sale:

The Salesian High School Rock N Roll 1964 show live on vinyl, the first of only 5 shows that were recorded from 1964-1965 and only a couple hundred of each album pressed. Many young musicians that went on to be the most today’s celebrated were native to East LA and these shows were a treat to the community and students of Salesian HS and other surrounding neighborhoods. This record includes Thee Midnighters’ first recordings from April 19, 1964 at East Los Angeles College, a band which would later become one of the most acclaimed Chicano Rock N Roll bands of all time.

What has been / is the most difficult part of your job?

I am a curator at heart, and enjoy the process of finding and putting together collections and selections that are an extension of myself. At the same time, creating a space and shop for the community and larger audience definitely comes with requests outside of my understanding or larger demands like making sure the inventory is restocked consistently and always stays fresh and new. Requests for more new, modern or contemporary music and re-pressings can get quite expensive and higher expenses are almost always expected now to keep the shop running and inventory relevant.

What has been the craziest experience that has happened at the shop?

I think watching the shop evolve into a space that is not only for record shopping - it is now a home to many local musicians and artists as a space to perform and share their art form during in-store shows, open mic nights and more. The potential of our space has been growing diverse and bigger and better than I ever imagined.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to get into pursuing what you're doing?  

Support local musicans + artists as often as you can.

Buy their merchandise, concert tickets, and physical media as a true means of supporting and find and make genuine connections with musicians and artists to understand how they are impactful to the industry and how we really need them and their art to thrive and continue to be inspired.

What types of things are happening in your industry / with vinyl that you're excited or worried about?  i.e. innovation, or trends you're seeing.

The evolution of music came with the vinyl record, CD, cassette going obsolete then coming back with a resurgence full force. Physical media in any form is now considered a collectible which makes street releases and events like Record Store Day even more exciting and rewarding because there is a new generation of collectors (young and old) that are finding or rediscovering a love for analog and it is a joy to witness as a shop owner.

Who has been influential to you and your growth as a professional in this industry?

Other women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ in the industry, such as shop owners, DJs, artists and musicians that continue to thrive in a historically male-dominated industry.

Anything else you want to share? If not, tell us what you're listening to right now?

Our shop is woman-owned and BIPOC fronted. Favorite music genre at the moment dream pop/shoegaze.