Designing our "Showstopper" Record Cabinet

Spine-facing vinyl storage has its limitations—chief among them, it’s difficult to browse records. The text on the spine of a record is often small and hard to read, especially if the sleeve is worn. You either need to recognize the LP cover while flipping through at an angle or pull the record out completely to identify it. There’s a reason every record store uses front-facing flip-through bins: it’s simply the best way to browse.

That said, spine-facing storage has its advantages. While there's a classic aesthetic to a bookshelf full of record spines, the main benefit is spatial efficiency. Because records pull out rather than up, you can place a shelf directly above a row of spine-facing records. This maximizes vertical space. That’s why all of our furniture pieces use spine-facing storage on the bottom shelf—flip-through bins just wouldn’t work there; you couldn’t access the records because the shelf above would be in the way.

So, how do you solve this?

By using a pull-out drawer. flip-through record bins can slide out for browsing, they can also be stowed neatly under a shelf. This makes the storage unit more compact and functional. We’re not the first to come up with this idea, but we’ve been prototyping our version for a while.

We wanted to bring our signature Sidetracked Workshop style to this concept, guided by a few key principles:

Aesthetic Design with Quality Materials
The “Showstopper” is crafted using cabinet-grade plywood with real walnut veneers and brass accents. We aimed to give it a strong, distinctive silhouette. Using the shapes and angles in our design palette, we’re proud of how the piece interacts with light and space. The open design allows your collection to shine—literally. Some companies favor closed-off storage, but we believe your vinyl collection should be celebrated, not hidden. Our furniture is meant to complement your records, not compete with them.

Modularity
When customers choose our products, they pay a bit more than they would at a big box store. In return, they get something that’s beautifully crafted, built to last, and thoughtfully designed. But vinyl collections grow, which poses a challenge: why invest in a quality piece if you’ll outgrow it in a few years?

That’s where modularity comes in. We designed our furniture to grow with your collection. The “Showstopper” starts as a 2x2 drawer cube—your foundational unit. Need more space? You can expand it into a 4x2, 6x2, or even a 2x4 setup. We offer bolt-together kits for physical connection, or you can simply push multiple units together for a seamless look.

Reasonable Price Point & Free Shipping
Due to its size, materials, and design complexity, the “Showstopper” is our most expensive standard model—there’s no way around that. But we still wanted to offer excellent value. For what you pay, you receive a premium-quality piece of furniture made in Portland, OR.

To keep costs in check, we decided to offer only one modular model: the 2x2 version. Expanding our product line further would reduce manufacturing efficiency, driving up prices. Plus, the 2x2 is the largest size we can ship via standard UPS, allowing us to offer free shipping within the continental U.S.

Safe and Stable
This is the only piece we make with potential safety and stability concerns—records are heavy. With a slide-out drawer system, there’s a tipping risk when top drawers are fully extended and fully loaded. Physics doesn’t lie!

So we’ve taken precautions. Every “Showstopper” includes detailed loading instructions and a wall anchor strap kit to prevent tipping. It’s unlikely to be an issue, but we prefer to err on the side of caution—especially in homes with young children. We also include optional grippy furniture pads to prevent the cabinet from slowly shifting (“walking”) on slick surfaces like concrete or hardwood. After extended use, we noticed that the shifting weight could cause micro-movements over time. With the friction pads and wall anchor in place, the “Showstopper” stays firmly where it belongs.

Special Offer – August 2025
If you’re reading this in August 2025, the “Showstopper” is on sale for $250 off all month long. Don’t wait!

Happy listening,
Peter