Deeper In

That Five Points is the epicenter of cool in Jacksonville needs little examination. That Five Points is on its way to being the coolest place in Florida may require a tick more discussion. So, what can take it over the edge? It already boasts the Five Points theater, a small handful of boutiques and thrift stores, a bad ass Irish pub, some really good diner food, and a park full of positive energy. One of the few things missing was a record store. No more. Deep Search Records has joined Five Points, and it feels so good.

Deep Search sells used books and new records on Lomax Street, right next to Tapa That. The front part of the store is open with couches that invite you to sit with a cup of the Bold Bean Coffee sold at the counter. Used books greet you first, followed by new vinyl- everything from Cat Power to Miles Davis to A$AP Rocky. It is the kind of place that could anchor a neighborhood- a venue for poetry readings and local music and the robust exchange of ideas.

If Deep Search’s Grand Opening is any indication, the new kid on the block will be exactly that kind of venue. The celebration lasted all day, from noon until 10:00 at night. I arrived at around 4:00 with the express purpose of seeing one of my favorite local bands, Four Families. Each band only had about thirty minutes to do their thing, and man did they. Next up was Sea Cycles, an atmospheric, Explosions in the Sky-esque local outfit that occasionally features a female vocalist with a beautifully haunting voice. The impossibly cool-ly dressed crowd enjoyed free Intuition People’s Pale Ale, browsed and bought records, and made friends with other impossibly cool strangers. It was a fitting beginning to what I hope is a long tenure of cultural events and quality records.