But the vinyl revival has been an unexpected success story amid the doom and gloom of declining physical music sales.

Shane Godfrey, owner of Prehistoric Sounds, has seen this firsthand over the past eight years running record stalls (formerly Sweet Little Hi-Fi) out of markets in Geelong and Warrnambool.

The boom in record sales meant that it was time to strike out on his own, hence the official opening today of Prehistoric Sounds in Parkers Carpark in Warrnambool.

“It was just the right time – I needed to do it, to branch out on my own,” Godfrey said.

“It felt like the sales were there to justify it.”

Last year alone, vinyl sales in Australia rose by 75 per cent.

“It used to be just middle-aged man, now it’s a bit of everyone, including women and children,” he said of his customers.

Although the shop has been unofficially open for a few weeks, Godfrey has timed the official launch to coincide with Record Store Day – a worldwide celebration of independent music stores that began in 2007. 

To mark the occasion Smoke Witch and The 2nds will perform live.

Godfrey said the types of records that sell was incredibly diverse.

“I’m surprised by what sells sometimes,” he said.

“But Australian music is always popular. As is classic rock – Bowie, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones … all the old classics.”