In our post-pandemic world the concept of the “third space” has gained momentum — a spot, not home or work, where people can meet, engage with their local community, and feel a sense of place. Boro Records, which opened last summer on Throckmorton Street, aspires to be just that: not just a vendor of thoughtfully curated albums but a wholesome neighborhood hangout where people can chat about music, bespoke vinyl pressings, and local issues.
Magdalena O’Connell and Vincent Minervino opened Boro Records as an outgrowth of their two record labels, Hi-Tide Recordings and Nu-Tone. They started Hi-Tide in 2016 after producing live surf and exotica shows in Asbury Park — eventually signing artists like The Ventures of “Hawaii Five-O” theme-song fame. Nu-Tone followed in 2022, focusing on funk, Latin, rock, and soul. Minervino, a musician who drums with the Black Flamingos, initially balanced the music ventures with a corporate day job until 2022, when he committed full time to his passions.
At 200 square feet Boro Records is small but expertly organized and inviting. The store occupies a front corner of their label offices. The couple strives for a friendly vibe, where people feel welcome, O’Connell says. Minervino adds, it’s “a place to try and bring some new music into the world and connect with people who love music.” Customers linger, chat, and explore while Elvis, the couple’s friendly pitty-mix, greets everyone. The shop also offers used records and CDs, Audio Technica turntables and equipment, funky point-and-shoot cameras, 45’s, and whimsical gifts like vintage-style Christmas lights.
“We like to think of ourselves as a shop where you can get an album you love, and also discover something new in the same visit,” says Vincent Minervino, who owns Boro Records with his wife, Magdalena O’Connell.
The music selection is curated with the personal touch of self-proclaimed “nerds,” spanning about 600 titles from Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” to Bruce Springsteen, The Cranberries, and emerging acts like Durand Jones and The Indications and Brooklyn-based Say She She. Boro also specializes in rare Japanese releases from the late ’70s and early ’80s, like virtuoso guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka and pop singer Anri. “We like to think of ourselves as a shop where you can get an album you love, and also discover something new in the same visit,” says Minervino.
Beyond their music business, both are invested in the borough — O’Connell, a former educator at the Newark Museum, serves on the town library’s Board of Trustees and Minervino on the Freehold Board of Directors. They want more foot traffic, more storefronts lit up at night, more reasons to “pay the meter” and spend an afternoon downtown. They’ve even created a Google list of favorite local spots to help visitors map out a perfect Freehold day.
“We love this town,” Minervino says. “We want everybody to be welcome here.”
Next year, they hope to expand into a larger space that would make the “hang out” part a little easier, perhaps a small stage for events. High schoolers already stop into the shop, asking about jobs. The couple hopes that with more space will come the ability to hire some of them — and help cultivate the next generation of crate diggers.
“I think we’re in a position to potentially diversify the music offerings within the borough,” Minervino says, “and also get the young people excited about what’s happening.”
