At Track City Records, co-owners Donabel (Bel) Dacumos and Aubrey Espiritu have turned a shared passion for vinyl into an inviting downtown Escondido’s destination. What began as a shared love of music and record collecting, has grown into a place for discovery, connection, music, and community. As local residents and independent business owners, they’re on a mission to bring joy and a safe space for music lovers.

Track City Records stands out not just as one of the only record shops in the area, but as a curated hub for both new and used vinyl, cassette tapes, CDs, turntables, and record care accessories. With fresh arrivals weekly, preorders available, and a focus on creating a welcoming space where beginners and seasoned collectors alike can dig through crates and connect, the shop has quickly become a cultural anchor in Escondido’s historic downtown. From classics and hidden gems to new releases and local artist support, there’s something for every music lover to explore.

Outside of work, Aubrey enjoys shopping, coming up with new food ideas, exploring new places, and playing puzzle games. Bel likes discovering new food, watching movies, and listening to true crime podcasts, documentaries, and audiobooks. They share a love of camping, digging through record stores when traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

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

We were collectors first. Growing up Filipino, music was always a big part of our lives. We originally started downsizing our own collection to make room, but it ended up doing the opposite. We began as a pop-up at markets and events, and people kept asking us if we have an actual physical store.

At the same time, we realized there hadn’t been an actual record store in the city we live in for almost a decade. The people we met and the shared experiences along the way are what motivated us. We wanted to create a space like that in our own community. Track City Records grew out of a desire to share music, support artists, and build a welcoming place where people could connect through physical media.

What is a day in the life like?

There’s really no typical day for us because we’re kind of living a double life (in a good superhero kind of way). We both have full-time day jobs, so Track City Records for us, happens in the margins. Early mornings, late nights, and everything in between.

On weekdays, that means answering messages, pricing inventory, posting on social media, and planning events before or after work. We’re open seven days a week, so mornings are often covered by family and friends, and we bring in help when we can. Once our regular workday ends, we take over at the shop.

On weekends, it’s all us. When we’re in the store, we’re opening the doors, putting a record on, checking in inventory, helping customers dig, and catching up with regulars. It’s a constant balance of time, energy, and organization but showing up consistently is part of the commitment. At the end of the day, it’s worth it because we’re building something we genuinely care about.

Favorite sale / relationship made from behind the counter?

Some of our favorite moments are the relationships that grew naturally from behind the counter. Regulars who started as customers and now stop by just to catch up, talk music, or show us what they’ve been listening to. Those connections mean more to us than any single sale, and they remind us why we wanted to open the shop in the first place.

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:

A lot of cool things have come through the shop, but some of the most memorable pieces have been equipment. A couple of items we almost couldn’t put out for sale were a vintage Motorola turntable cabinet with an 8-track and an ’80s Sony boombox that was gifted to us by one of our regulars. Pieces like that aren’t just gear, they come with stories, which makes them really special to us.

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

The most difficult part is balancing everything. Between full-time day jobs and running the shop, it can be a lot to manage. Time, energy, and consistency are constant challenges, especially when you care deeply about doing things right. But even on the hard days, it’s worth it because we’re building something meaningful.

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

One of the craziest moments was our very first listening party. We were a new shop with a really small space and didn’t know what to expect. We honestly didn’t think many people would show up, but the place ended up filling up. Seeing that many people come out to support, especially so early on, was overwhelming in the best way and made us realize how much the community wanted a space like ours.

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

Be courteous, stay humble, and never step on anyone’s shoes. This industry is built on relationships, and how you treat people matters just as much as what you sell.

Take the time to learn, listen, and show respect to those who came before you. Always credit the people who helped you, encouraged you, and motivated you along the way. Giving credit where it’s due goes a long way and helps build a strong, supportive community around what you’re doing.

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.

On the exciting side, physical media continues to grow in interest and appreciation. Especially now in 2026, we’re seeing a shift toward analog and more intentional experiences. As AI becomes more common and less reliable in some ways, people are craving things that feel real, tangible, and human, and physical media fits naturally into that. There’s something grounding about slowing down, putting a record on, and actually listening. More people are getting into collecting, newer pressings are getting attention, and artists are choosing to release on physical media again. We’re also seeing more creativity in how music is shared. Listening parties and community events are becoming a bigger part of what it means to be a record store today.

At the same time, there are challenges we’re mindful of. Big box stores and major retailers have significantly more buying power than independent shops, which can make it harder for smaller stores like ours to compete on pricing and availability. Pressing plant capacity is still tight, leading to long wait times and higher costs, especially for indie artists and small labels.

Overall, us independent shops offer something big boxes can’t: personality, curated collections, community, and real conversations. People don’t come to us just to buy a record. They come to find something meaningful, ask for recommendations, share stories, and connect with others who care about the same music. Leaning into what makes our store unique is what keeps physical music meaningful, not just another trend, and it’s why we’re hopeful about where vinyl is headed.

Are you a vinyl collector yourself?  What drew you to it?

We’ve always been collectors. Bel started young, spending her allowance on CDs and building a collection inspired by her parents. When vinyl made a comeback and newer artists began releasing LPs again, it felt like a natural transition.

The collection really restarted during COVID, when we bought nearly 100 records from an older collector who was downsizing. Hearing the stories behind those records and seeing how he cared for them shifted how we viewed vinyl records. It stopped being about collecting for the sake of it and became about discovery, preservation, and community.

That perspective is what keeps us invested in vinyl records today.

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

A lot of our growth has come from the people around us. Fellow record store owners who were willing to share advice and encouraging us to build something by us, collectors who trusted us with their records and stories, artists who believed in what we were building early on, and customers who kept showing up and spreading the word.

Our family and friends have also been a huge part of it, from helping staff the shop to supporting us behind the scenes when things got tough. This industry is very community-driven, and we wouldn’t be where we are without the people who took the time to guide us, encourage us, and grow alongside us.

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

Right now, we’re just grateful for the community that’s formed around the shop, the people who keep showing up, and the chance to build something meaningful together.

If we had to answer the second part, our tastes are always changing, but lately we’ve been spending a lot of time with jazz, indie releases, and a mix of old and new records that keep finding their way onto the turntable.