Meet Brendan Boyle: owner- Folk Arts Rare Records

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brendan Boyle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brendan, what matters most to you?
I’ve grown to value being ethical in every business decision I make. This largely has evolved as a group effort with my team, in which we have detailed discussions about every nuanced aspect of our day-to-day decision making. It is too frequent in the business & vinyl record world (my work) to see unethical behavior. I believe that behaving ethically will bring your work good karma and will lead to great things happening in your space. 

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The beauty of owning a small business is you largely have the freedom to do what you want to do. I like to remind my team that we have the liberty to exercise our own independence, as long as it’s legal. We strive to create highly unique community events, involving live music, DJ sets from all walks of life, showcases of extremely rare musical relics and spontaneous conversations & collaborations. We are motivated by creating a community friendly space that is unique on planet earth. It’s never been easy to get where I am today. Early on I had days where not a single human being walked into my business, nothing but a ghost town. Those experiences reminded me to never be complacent & motivated me to work even harder. You are going to face a myriad of challenges, constantly. You have to face them head on with courage, kindness & professionalism. I’ve found that the keys to success are staying true to yourself, being kind, working your ass off and mixing it up with creative ideas, every day of the week.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love the city of San Diego. I’d first take my friend to El Borrego Restaurant for some incredibly tasty lamb chilaquiles. SD culture definitely involves drinking beer. We’d go to Bottlecraft Little Italy for the wide selection and views of the planes landing. Bottlecraft North Park also has the tastiest charcuterie in town. The most iconic & beautiful place in town is Chicano Park in Barrio Logan, a living dedication to community, righteousness & art. It is absolutely glorious and will live forever. Would be sure to go on a tour of the incredible Salk Institute in La Jolla, one of the most epic & beautiful modern American architectural structures. And right down the hill is Black’s Beach, a spacious gem with great waves & the eccentricity of being a “nude beach”. Catching a few Padres baseball games at Petco Park is a must. Fernando Tatis Jr. is a once in a century type player. Tons of fun is going to happen there. We’d be sure to visit many of San Diego’s great bars, places like the Til-Two Club, The Whistlestop, The Black Cat Bar & The Tower Bar. A day or two in Tijuana is a must, as that town is easily the coolest neighborhood in San Diego. Catching a sunset at Sunset Cliffs is a must. I also really love Coronado dog beach. The Wednesday night Jazz jam at Panama 66 is essential and features some of the finest Jazz players you’ll see anywhere, with the amazing atmosphere of being in the heart of Balboa Park. We’d visit some of San Diego’s awesome DIY art galleries, places like Teros Gallery & Trash Lamb Gallery. Shopping at Verbatim Books is a must, as is my record store, Folk Arts Rare Records, cause it’s honestly really awesome.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I was lucky enough to purchase a business that had already been operating for 47 years. Lou Curtiss started Folk Arts Rare Records in 1967 and was one of my biggest mentors in life. He always valued his passion for music & people over the concept of making money, sometimes in a very extreme way. Being the torch carrier for a historic business keeps me humble & grounded. I always have to remind myself of what’s actually important in life. And thanks to Lou, a rather remarkable precedent was set. He organized close to 50 music festivals in San Diego, bringing countless legendary musicians to this great city. His extreme knowledge, eccentricity & passion for music attracted customers as wide-ranging as Rupaul and Tom Waits. I’ve got very big shoes to fill.

Website: www.folkartsrarerecords.com
Instagram: folkartsrarerecords
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/folkartsrarerecordssd/