“I worked at other stuff and I wasn’t enjoying myself, and I wanted to enjoy myself,” Aleman said. “So I opened up a music store so I could listen to music all day.”
Twenty-three years later, Piranha Records has become a Round Rock mainstay, building a loyal following that spans generations.
“I do have a lot of people that come back over and over,” Aleman said. “They graduated from high school, or wherever, they move off, they come back. Now they have kids, and now they’ve got more money to spend on their musical life.”
That loyalty has helped Aleman become more attuned to what his customers want, and to creating a place where they feel comfortable spending time.
“It’s just a matter of listening to what the customers are looking for,” he said. “When I play music in the store, it’s basically not for my own pleasure. It’s a matter of, hey, this is what I think these people might like, just to relax them here as a home away from home.”
Piranha Records carries a wide variety of physical music, including new and used vinyl, CDs and cassettes from major artists and independent acts, along with record players and other items for those looking to start or expand a collection.
“We have a variety of all kinds of styles of music, whether it’s rap, country, jazz, easy listening, Japanese jazz, K-pop,” Aleman said. “We have a little bit of everything. We have old stuff and new stuff. There’s a vast variety of pretty much anything you’re looking for.”
For Aleman, Round Rock has also been an important part of the store’s longevity. Although he lives in Georgetown, he chose Round Rock as the home for Piranha Records and has watched customers travel from throughout Central Texas to visit.
“In Round Rock, we’ve got a vast variety of people coming from Georgetown, from Taylor, from Waco,” Aleman said. “It’s special to me that people will come to the store after all these years and buy from my little store in Round Rock.”
Whether you’re visiting for the first time or haven’t stopped by in a while, Piranha Records is located at 1208 N. I-35, Suite 200, in Round Rock.
Check out piranharecords.net for more information.
Follow their social media: facebook.com/piranharecords and instagram.com/piranharecords.
