Being a business owner in Alhambra is a full circle experience for Angelle Laigo.
She grew up here, took piano lessons in this neighborhood at Pedrini Music when she was a kid and still sings in the choir at her local church. Her father started a community newspaper here after immigrating to the U.S. from the Philippines.
He called it Street News.
And here, on Main Street, is Str33t Records — Laigo’s homage to her father’s newspaper, community and her love of vinyl (Fun fact: the full name of the shop’s logo is Str33t Records ⅓, which is a nod to the revolutions per minute that records spin).
“Str33t Records is the continuing legacy… of my family,” she says. “It’s a family passion project. I really couldn't have done this without my entire family.”
Str33t Records is right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Alhambra's Main Street, snuggled between restaurants, boutiques, cafes and entertainment. The standing chalkboard sign at the front of the shop is an invitation to check out the music inside.
The space is cozy. There’s art on the walls, including a Lauryn Hill vinyl mosaic, with players and records everywhere — from Aretha Franklin classics to Beyoncé’s “Renaissance.”
The shop has been here since 2021, and according to Laigo, it’s Alhambra's first record store in 20 years. The most rewarding part of operating here has been bringing music — albums and other items she’s collected over the years — back to this part of the San Gabriel Valley, she says.
There’s examples of funk, soul, rock, indie, pop and the “oldies” the customers seek out, she says. Nearby neighbors also bring in boogie and low-rider music to sell and trade, Laigo adds, giving a nod to the shop’s close proximity to East L.A. and the city’s longtime residents.
One of the unique things at the shop is that local DJs come to check out the 12-inch singles and vinyl to use in their sets. This is one way folks discover classic artists and put them back on the map at shows and parties, Laigo says.
Record stores “are gems in the communities that they're in because they will have music that you won't see” on modern streaming platforms, Laigo adds.
Part of the charm of the record store is that it’s not overwhelming: the genres are labeled and there’s just enough vinyl where it doesn’t feel like a lot. It invites you to pause and browse in a busy corridor of the city.
We’re “in an age where everything happens so fast, and we're consuming so much content,” Laigo says. “I always encourage people to take some time to just slow down and be present.”
Another way Laigo likes to share music is by hosting open mic events and showcases at her shop. There’s an upcoming event on March 2 that’s inviting folks to sing, play instruments, recite poetry, set up DJ sets, do stand up comedy and more. All artists are “welcome here,” she says.
Parting words from Laigo:
“I think that all artists and all songwriters and producers and everyone involved in making music deserve the royalties and so the best way to support artists is to buy physical formats [and] go to concerts. It's the best experience ever.”
Since Laigo is tapped into the music scene in the SGV, I asked her what artists folks should check out to support local talent.
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