Former Employees Reunite at Palm Springs’ Beloved Record Store Location: The Warehouse

Before Spotify playlists and digital downloads, music and movie lovers in Palm Springs had The Warehouse—a bustling retail hub where vinyl, cassettes, CDs, and even VHS tapes lined the walls. One of its most beloved locations, Store No. 214, opened in 1985 and quickly became a hangout spot as much as a shopping destination.

NBC Palm Springs historian Steve Sumrall was part of the original crew. “I worked here starting in ’89,” he said. “I took a semester off college and kept coming back summers through ’92.” That staff included future Bob’s Burgers executive producer John Schroeder, and many others who formed lifelong friendships on the sales floor.

“We still had a big vinyl section and a wall of cassettes,” Sumrall recalled. “I once sold Sonny Bono a Bob Marley CD.”

The store was filled with characters and unforgettable moments—like their “Lethal Weapon 2” display with an exploding toilet, or the April Fool’s prank that left the manager pinless and flustered.

Today, the building that once housed The Warehouse is home to the Hair of the Dog Irish Pub. But on March 7, 2020, just days before the world shut down, former employees reunited there to celebrate the store’s 35th anniversary. Many, like Troy and Marie Zabo, met at the store, fell in love, and built a life together.

“It was exactly like the movies they made about working in a record store,” said one former employee. “It’s sad that today’s youth can’t experience that.”

The reunion served as a touching reminder of a bygone era—one that lived on not just in music, but in memory.

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.