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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015
Local record store oldest in the US BY EMILY PLOCH Staff Writer
During the 21st century, it’s not often you see a store stand the test of time. But Rinehart’s Music and Video in downtown Kirksville has not only lasted — it has thrived. Rinehart’s Music and Video, located at 114 S. Franklin St., has sold music since 1897, and holds the title for oldest record store in the United States. Rinehart’s started as a news agency developed by Rupert Rinehart during 1913 by merging two already-established news agencies in Kirksville, according to The Adair Historian archive. Rupert’s brother, Edwin, merged his music business with the news agency during 1920. Edwin Rinehart’s business has carried sheet music, wax cylinders and players, and Victrola records since 1897, which marks its starting date as a record store. The Rinehart family was responsible for Adair County’s first radio station, “The Kirksville Radio Laboratory,” and Rinehart’s also was the first business in Kirksville to have its own website during 1996, according to The Adair Historian archive. Current owner Karl Hildebrand said he has owned the store since 1999, when he purchased it from Mabel Rinehart Wilbanks, the previous owner. Hildebrand said he is a distant cousin of the Rineharts, which made it a family transaction.
“[Rinehart’s] has been a part of everything because they’ve seen it all.”
-Blytha Ellis, Adair Historic Society president
Hildebrand said the key to keeping the store running for so long has been staying relevant. He said there should be a balance between knowing what buyers want and staying true to what the store is about. Hildebrand said some record store owners believe a true record store only sells records, but he said he tries not to discriminate among different types of music media by selling record albums and also DVDs, VHS tapes, CDs, cassettes and video games, as well as any merchandise involving those products. “You can’t have a good video game unless you have a good soundtrack,” Hildebrand said. “You can’t have
Submitted photos
Above: Rinehart’s storefront displays many antiques the owners have collected throughout the years. Rinehart’s has sold music since 1897. Right: An old example of an advertisement for Rinehart’s displays the role of Rinehart’s as a news agency, including distributing newspapers, periodicals and stationary to the community. Rinehart’s originally was developed by merging two already-established news agencies in Kirksville. a good movie unless you have a good soundtrack. The arts are not independent of themselves.” Although Rinehart’s does not fix gaming consoles or keep up to date with gaming systems, Hildebrand said the focus of their store allows them to adhere to their consumers. He said even though they don’t have a high traffic flow, Rinehart’s is the only store of its type in the area. Hildebrand said the store works well for the community and he plans to keep it that way for as long as he can. Hildebrand said he still maintains the news agency and publishing sides of the business. Because the news agency acts as historical documentation of Kirksville dating back to the early 1800s, Hildebrand said he has collected any local history that has come his way. To maintain the historic nature of Rinehart’s, he said several years ago he restored the façade of the building. Hildebrand said Rinehart’s was one of the first buildings on The Square to do so. Blytha Ellis, Adair Historic Society president, said Hildebrand provided the AHS with most of the information it currently has about the Rinehart family, as well as additional historical information. Ellis said she can remember going to Rinehart’s as a child with her mother to buy newspapers and later going as a teenager to buy records. Ellis said after looking at some of the pictures Hildebrand provided her, she could recognize the Rinehart family from other historical documents she has looked through during her research about
the city. She said prior to seeing the pictures and having them explained by Hildebrand, she probably would not have recognized the significance and the connection Rinehart’s had to the overall history of Kirksville. Ellis said she is glad Rinehart’s has maintained its legacy throughout the years because not all historical places in Kirksville last. “[Rinehart’s] has been a part of everything because they’ve seen it all,” Ellis said. “A lot of time people don’t think something’s important until later on . . . [the Rineharts] didn’t see that what they were doing was important or would be historic.” Ellis said Rinehart’s will be included in a yearly calendar the historical society will release next month featuring local buildings that will be 100 years old. Rinehart’s is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information about Rinehart’s Music and Video or their merchandise, visit the Rinehart’s Music and Video Facebook page.
Truman students garden for grades BY PAIGE YUNGERMANN Staff Writer
Truman State students cultivate knowledge alongside fresh food during AGSC332:Principles of Vegetable Production. This biennial agricultural science course teaches students the fundamental principles underlying commercial and home garden production, and the basic practices required to successfully produce the wide variety of vegetables in the Midwest. It currently is taught by horticulture professor Steven Salt. For this course, Salt said students complete projects, take field trips to local gardens and farms, write papers and take exams. He said the biggest aspect of the course is a semesterlong project where students design and grow a garden. Although growing a garden is a large portion of the class grade, Salt said students will not fail the course simply because their plants do not grow. He said it is more important that students understand why their garden was or was not successful. Salt said AGSC218:Introduction to Horticulture is a course prerequisite, but this requirement sometimes can be waived. “Technically, you’re supposed to have the general horticulture prerequisite, but a person who’s serious about gardening, raising vegetables and herbs, willing to work hard and has a little bit of background in plant biology can sign up to take it,” Salt said. Salt said he recommends this class because it has many real life applications. For example, he said taking this course can benefit students who want to work with the Peace Corps, because this work sometimes involves agriculture projects and the need for agriculture volunteers.
“You get to reach out to the real world, see Mother Nature with the good, bad and ugly and eat what you grow at the end,” Salt said. “It’s a very liberating experience, and it’s a lot of fun.” Five percent of Peace Corps volunteers work in positions related to agriculture, according to the Peace Corps website. These agriculture volunteers work with small-scale farmers to increase food production and adapt to climate change while promoting environmental conservation practices, according to the Peace Corps website. The volunteers also work alongside farmers on integrated projects that combine vegetable gardening, livestock management and nutrition education, according to the Peace Corps website. Junior Kaitlyn Meyer said she is taking this course because she is an environmental studies major with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Meyer said what she enjoys most about this class is growing a garden. Prior to this class, she said she had never grown her own garden but now plans to grow as much of her own food as possible during the future. Meyer said she would recommend this course to any Truman student. “I think it’s important that everyone learns how to grow their own food because we are very disconnected about where our food comes from,” Meyer said. “Often, we buy processed food from the store, but I think everyone should have a connection to their food and know how it’s grown.” For more information about agriculture science classes, contact the department at agriculture@truman.edu. For more information about the agricultural opportunities offered by the Peace Corps, visit peacecorps.gov.
“You get to reach out to the real world, see Mother Nature with the good, bad and ugly and eat what you grow at the end.” -Horticulture professor Steven Salt
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