Wax Trax is a brick & mortar record store that has been in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood for nearly 5 decades, and the flagship location is the oldest record store in Colorado.
Wax Trax now has 4 locations in Denver and Aurora.
Founded in 1975 by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher, it was sold to Dave Stidman and Duane Davis (pictured far left) in 1978, and Jim and Dannie moved to Chicago to launch the Wax Trax! Record Label (look for the “!” to tell the two apart). Since 1978, Wax Trax has been a small family-owned business. During the 2020 pandemic, Pete Stidman, Dave’s son, (pictured at left) took the helm as the second generation owner alongside his father, Dave.
Wax Trax has always specialized in bringing the best in independent music to Colorado. In the 70s that meant being one of the only stores in Denver importing Punk and New Wave from England. In the 80s and 90s that search for the latest and greatest music expanded, eventually establishing one of the most diverse selections of recorded music in the country.
Wax Trax has long been Denver’s counter-cultural hub with free weekly music events at its various locations. These include nationally-touring and local musicians holding in-store events, advanced album listening parties, free all-vinyl DJ sets, and other themed music events and parties.
“Wax Trax distinguished itself as the center of the universe for a new kind of fan, obsessed with whatever was new and fashion-forward, and the people they hired fit the niche and met that public with a famous attitude.” -Westword (Nov. 2018)