Michele Swanson didn’t retire from her longtime HR job at Delta Airlines just to open a record store. She also didn’t want to open just any record store.
“I actually never thought about opening a store until this particular space came open,” said Swanson, the new owner of Lucky Cat Records.
Opening this weekend on the corner of Lyndale Avenue and 26th Street, Lucky Cat takes over the long-shuttered storefront that used to house Oar Folkjokeopus and Treehouse Records. In its ‘70s and ‘80s era as “Oar Folk,” the shop was a meeting hub and incubator for legendary bands including the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, the Suburbs and the Jayhawks.
All of those local groups happen to be personal favorites of Swanson, a point that becomes obvious when you see all the posters, original artwork and rare album covers that line the walls of the lovingly refurbished space. The Golden Valley native even has the Replacements’ Tommy Stinson coming in to perform with a band led by Al Church on her store’s new stage Saturday night for its opening party.
Here’s an edited conversation with Swanson about Lucky Cat.
Q: Why was this store location calling to you so much you had to open a store here?
A: The history here. I’m such a fan of local music and local history. Just the fact that Replacements were discovered here, and all the stories from all the bands — stories of them hanging out here watching “All My Children” on the TV, things like that. I’m thrilled to now be just a small cog in that history.
Q: What’s it been like transitioning from the corporate world at Delta to running your own little indie store?