Since 1981, Newtown Book & Record Exchange (NBRE) has been a staple in Newton PA, thanks in large part to its owner, Chelsea Mitchell. Chelsea has carried on and continued to cultivate a warm, welcoming space where people can trade, discover, and celebrate the art of reading and listening.

Specializing in thousands of used books, along with a carefully curated collection of new and used vinyl, cassettes, CDs, and DVDs, NBRE provides customers with a unique and ever-evolving selection. Whether you're hunting for a classic novel, exploring new genres, or digging through vinyl crates in search of rare finds, they have something for everyone. For Chelsea, owning Newtown Book & Record Exchange is about preserving a piece of local history and keeping a beloved community space alive.

Outside of running the shop, Chelsea is the lead singer-songwriter of her band Dirty Dollhouse. They are signed to Renaissance Records and just released a new album called The End in November.

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

NBRE was my first real job aside from babysitting. I was hired 20 years ago. I started when CDs were the hot music commodity and vinyl records were deeply discounted in the back of store. I've worked here long to enough to watch them switch places.

What is a day in the life like?

After I arrive 5 minutes late (I am perpetually 5 minutes late), I order coffee from next door and put my old-timey wooden sign outside to let everyone know we're open for business. There are always several traders throughout the day hoping to get something for their books and records and a few daily crate diggers who check the New Arrivals bin with religious fervor. I spend the rest of my time cleaning and testing records, shelving the books, and perusing the upcoming vinyl releases on my distributor's website. And of course, chatting with my regulars.

Favorite sale / relationship made from behind the counter?

The best gift the shop ever gave me was my husband, Patrick. He started coming to NBRE at the beginning of his vinyl obsession, so I saw him frequently. Just about every day, actually. We grew up only 15 minutes from each other and graduated from the same high school, but I was 8 years younger, so we never crossed paths. After a few months of him pretending to shop and me pretending to work, I had a feeling we were meant for each other. We got married this past October. Our combined record collection is spectacular.

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 garbage bag full of mostly loose 45s was donated to the shop and I almost threw them away (how could 45s rolling around a garbage bag still be in playable shape?). Well, they turned out to be extremely rare soul 45s - some of which are worth more than any record I've ever had in the store. But not only are they rare, they also sound so, SO good. I'm still working my way through them all but they're incredible to hear.

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

Not taking anything too personally and separating myself from my business persona.

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

Well, it was before my time by a couple years, but they did film the bookstore scene from M. Night Shyamalan's "Signs" in my shop. People still come in asking to take pictures. Honestly, fantastic movie. It's one of my town's small claims to fame.

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

Speak confidently. Don't let people push you around. Believing in yourself makes all of this so much easier.

I would say keep your chin up? This can be a tough industry, especially for young women. Speak confidently. Hold firm to prices and trades you know are fair. Don't let people push you around. Believing in yourself makes all of this so much easier.

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.

I love that eco-packaging and recycled materials are becoming more common. I also love the effort that some artists are putting in, ex. Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets packaging was absolutely gorgeous inside, handwritten lyrics and great photos.

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

I am a collector. I used to love opening my CDs and taking out the lyric booklets to sing along. Records are like that but times one hundred. I inherited my dad's record collection and he took really good care of his vinyl, so it's fun to play them and imagine we're still listening to music together.

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

The first owner of NBRE and my mentor, Bobbie Lewis! She is the original badass of Newtown, PA and she taught me so much about customer service and attention to detail. She made notes on every piece of used merchandise she sold, like if there were a couple pops, or a light but playable warp. Aside from discount bin stuff, I listen to every single record that I put out for sale. Which I know sounds over-the-top insane to some people. And yes, to no one's surprise, I do have OCD. But I never want someone to go home with something that doesn't meet my standards.

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

Favorite act right now is Japanese Breakfast. They were the first band I saw with my husband - we're so excited for the new album!