Kaiser Record Store

Kaiser’s Record Shop was located at 105-a Henry Street, sharing a location with Reynold’s Barber Shop and across the street from the Dumas Hotel. Run by Napoleon and Louise Kaiser, the store opened in 1957 and offered a wide selection of records, including the latest R&B and Gospel releases.

Many leading African American musicians passed through Roanoke. They performed in Gainsboro as part of the “Chitlin’ Circuit,” a series of Southern venues where Black musicians could play in the era of segregation. While in Gainsboro, musicians often stopped by Kaiser’s Shop and signed records.

Kaiser’s Record store closed in 1973.

See Also

Sources

Dragovich, S. (2016, June). Roanoke, Henry Street and all that jazz. The Roanoker.

Reynolds, E. B. (2006, October). Interview by C. Lewis [Audio recording]. Neighborhood Oral History Project. Virginia Room. Roanoke Public Libraries. Roanoke, VA. United States. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from http://www.virginiaroom.org/digital/document/ReynoldsEarl