Time Traveler Records Reopens at New Akron Location
The 46-year-old music retailer has moved to 1375 N. Portage Path, requiring adjustments to customer trade-in operations.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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After 46 years of operation, Time Traveler Records moved to 1375 N. Portage Path in Akron and officially reopened on Aug. 8, 2026. The independent retailer, which specializes in rare imports and music trades, transitioned from its previous storefront on W. Market St.
Why it matters
Relocating a multi-decade retail operation requires balancing established brand equity with the necessity of refreshing a shop's physical environment. Owner Scott Shepard initiated this move to transition the business to a new space following a 12-year tenure at the former location.
Founded in 1980, the business is now 46 years old and recently concluded a 12-year stint at its prior W. Market St. location. The shop, established when founder Scott Shepard was 26, continues its focus on curated imports and trade-in inventory.
The players
Scott Shepard
The founder and owner of the store who established the business in 1980 and manages its inventory of imports and trade-in records.
Time Traveler Records
An independent music retailer with 46 years of history that specializes in rare albums and imports.
The details
The store maintains its business model by managing a revolving inventory of CDs and records acquired through customer trade-ins and direct purchasing. Shepard complements this secondary market activity by sourcing imports and releases from obscure bands to maintain specialized stock. This transition follows a long history of identity shifts, having operated under the names 4711 Records and Title Wave prior to its current branding.
Timeline
Scott Shepard opened the store as 4711 Records in 1980.
The shop was renamed Title Wave in the early 1990s.
Time Traveler Records reopened at its new Akron location on Aug. 8, 2026.
Market Landscape
This move marks a new operational chapter for the store, following the brand evolution necessitated by the legal naming dispute that ended the Title Wave identity. The current transition follows a pattern of adaptation that has allowed the 46-year-old business to survive shifts in physical retail.
Retail operators should note that moving a long-standing business requires careful communication of the new address to loyal customer bases to mitigate traffic loss. Founders of aging businesses should monitor how changing store environments influence customer trade-in activity versus new inventory sales.
The takeaway
Maintaining a retail business for over four decades requires frequent operational pivots, whether through rebranding or location changes. Owners should track customer feedback during a move to determine if the new physical space successfully maintains the trade-in velocity of the previous location.
Further reading
For more on shifts in local retail, explore the latest updates in Akron Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Clevelandmagazine.
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