By Zach Collier
One of Provo, Utah’s most beloved and iconic record stores has gotten an upgrade. 3hive Record Lounge has re-opened at a bigger space on Provo Center Street in the heart of downtown Provo. This new location features 3hive’s signature trendy vinyl catalog, as well as a cool event space in the basement where they hope to host local artists.
From the golden age of MP3 blogs to the modern age of streaming and the vinyl resurgence, 3hive has been there through it all as a tastemaker and purveyor of good noises. Founded in 2004 as one of the first MP3 blogs, they started selling records as a pop-up at Velour Live Music Gallery in 2017. Its first brick-and-mortar iteration opened in 2018, and its online radio station, Radio 3hive, began in 2022.
“3hive has been around a long time in various incarnations,” says Sam Cannon, the owner of 3hive. “This new space will allow us continue dreaming up new ways to share handpicked music with the world – starting here in Provo!”
“We’ve loved the space on 500 North – so many great memories there,” says Rex Blair, the store manager. “This new space on Center Street consolidates everything under one roof and gives us extra room to grow and become even more of a third space for the music community.”
That theme of being a third space for Provo is at the heart of everything they do. Radio 3hive’s tagline, “Escape the Algorithm,” encourages listeners to live consciously and connect to likeminded people over things they truly care about. Not only is 3hive seeking to foster community as a whole – they’re also constantly looking for ways to support Provo’s growing music industry.
“Local musicians are the lifeblood of our community,” says Sarah Bledsoe, 3hive’s Marketing Manager. “They’re our biggest customers, supporters, and inspiration. We try to stock any physical media that local artists put out and we don’t take a cut on it so every dollar goes back to them.”
“No matter your music knowledge, or taste, you’re welcome at 3hive,” says Cannon.
To celebrate the new location, the store is hosting a grand reopening party on July 4th and 5th. They’re also seeking renters above their shop who will contribute to the creative and music community. For more information, follow 3hive on Instagram here.
For a taste of the fresh sounds coming out of the local scene, check out Cinders’ new track “Back to Shore.”