San Antonio is home to a healthy helping of record stores, but none are like Music Connection. This record store boasts a wide variety of media beyond vinyl — such as cassettes, VHS, CDs and 45s. Offering brand new and used records, Music Connection personally checks and cleans all used vinyl before sale. Upon stepping into the unassuming store, customers are instantly immersed in a time capsule from the golden age of vinyl. Collectors and casual listeners alike are greeted by smiling faces and rows of music, just scraping the surface of what Music Connection offers. Yet, what sets this humble record store apart is the spectacular story and care that the owner puts into running the business.
Jesse Galvan started selling records in 1982, though not in the current Music Connection stand open today. Galvan himself has always been involved in music. He started off playing rhythm guitar in garage bands and doing his fair share of DJ work, including owning a DJ company. His record-collecting legacy kicked off at the Marbach Road Flea Market, originally selling various household items to clean out his home.
After buying a box of unwanted records from another vendor, he began to notice and enjoy the connection made with customers over the music. Other vendors heard of this interaction and followed suit, and Galvan leaned into it. The Paisano had the opportunity to sit down with Galvan to hear his story.
“That was the beginning of my business,” Galvan said. “That went into two tables, then went into a little area… After three years at the flea market, [my stand] was the second largest in the flea market.”
From there the only direction was up for what would become Music Connection. Beginning in the flea market as 45’s Unlimited, the store continued to grow, changing several locations and names, from Record Connection to the current Music Connection in 1998. However, this journey was not all smooth sailing.
“99’ was the pinnacle of my life as far as success with the store… I sold close to a million dollars in retail… and that was the beginning of the end.”
In 1999, Napster was released, changing the music industry. Napster enabled the sharing of MP3 files, leading to mass pirating and sharing of music. This majorly disrupted traditional music distribution, including major sales drops at record stores across the country.
“There used to be record stores in San Antonio everywhere you went,” Galvan commented. “Every mall had multiple stores… Hastings, Music Land, For Your Entertainment, they were everywhere. We were merely one store in a plethora of stores. All those stores are gone. I’m still here. And there’s a major reason for that.”
Music Connection’s sales began to slowly decline after 1999, reaching an all-time low in 2007. Going from over 10 employees to running the store solo, Galvan found himself in a very uncomfortable position.
“In 2007, it was me, myself and I,” Galvan said. “I opened, I closed, I went back and cleaned the bathrooms myself. I mean, I was nothing. I would look outside the window to an empty parking lot and I would go ‘What the hell am I doing man?’ I had days where I would sell two CDs. 38 dollars. Not exactly keeping the lights on with 38 dollars. I would eat a bologna sandwich for lunch. A single piece of bread with one piece of bologna, folded, and water. That’s pretty f-cked up.”
With Music Connection coming to an end, Galvan was ready to hang it up. Scraping by with his DJ side business, keeping the store afloat was becoming too much. Accumulating 19 tax leans, he believed the end of his music career had come. The night before he planned to go into the shop and begin shutting down, he prayed for a miracle.
“I went home and I hit the knees, and I actually started crying, because I realized it was over,” Galvan said. “So I asked the good Lord, I just said ‘Hey, you know what? I need you to do me a little favor here…Well, I need a miracle… just tell me what I’m supposed to do. If it’s over here, please give me a sign…’’
The very next morning on the way to shut down the store, Music Connection got its miracle. The miracle came in the form of a friend, who ended up giving Galvan and his store the break they needed to stay in the game. Galvan’s friend, J. Lee, sold mixtapes to Music Connection regularly. J. Lee also happened to be a major distributor for the rap artist Chamillionaire, best known for his hit song “Ridin’,” which hit the Billboard Top 100 and won him a Grammy Award. J. Lee went the extra mile and connected Chamillionaire with Galvan, setting up the first SA autograph session in the past 5 years. And what better place to hold the session than Music Connection. Hearing about this, the number one rap station in San Antonio at the time, Xaviers World, got word of the event. They contacted Galvan, asking to set up a mobile studio for coverage of the event.
Music Connections miracle began to form, as Chamillionaire and Xiavers World set up for a massive signing session. Fans lined the block for a 2-hour chance at signed CDs, resulting in over 650 people visiting Music Connection in just that timespan.
“I sold over 5000 dollars,” Galvan said. “That was the miracle… So I know I’m meant to be here. I don’t have any intentions of going anywhere or doing anything else, this is my heart and soul.”
The success of Chamillionaire’s signing session boosted the store into the coming years, and eventually the resurgence of vinyl records. Since the beginning Galvan has continued to put all of his care into maintaining a genuine and quality record store. His passion shines through in even a small conversation, showcasing his love for music and the connections it can create.
Stop by Music Connection, located at 7121 W US Hwy 90 # 140, San Antonio, TX 78227. Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week. For Thanksgiving week, Music Connection will be closed Nov. 28, and open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 29.
