Terrestrial Funk Record Store Is Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time

Bright-orange couches, shelves of locally made apparel and crafts, and well-curated racks of vintage T-shirts aren't the most distinctive things about the new Terrestrial Funk record store in the Design District. That would have to be the two enormous speakers sitting in the middle of the shop.

Standing floor to ceiling between the bins and the marble sales counter, the JBL speakers were salvaged from the movie theater at the Dolphin Mall, where they sat behind one of the screens. The sounds of Hollywood action films flowing through the stacks have been replaced by a new soundtrack of funk, boogie, soul, house, and other genres found mainly on vinyl, all sounding crisp and clear.

How does such a massive sound system end up in a relatively small record shop? According to Daniel Edenburg, better known by his DJ name, Brother Dan, he found the speakers listed on the internet. The seller had apparently been part of a teardown crew at the theater and was able to rescue the setup from the scrap heap.

"I keep an eye on the online market for sound systems all the time," Edenburg says. "They're super full and super powerful too, like we barely push them. We had our first party last night in here, so we pushed the system as loud as we have and likely will. And that was like five out of ten around midnight. It's a really powerful system."
Although the shop is temporary — Edenburg was only able to secure a lease through the end of October, and the Design District has already lined up another tenant — Terrestrial Funk has quickly become a beloved fixture of the burgeoning corner of a neighborhood known mostly for luxury retail. It shares the block on NE 40th Street just east of North Miami Avenue with fellow creative local businesses such as the streetwear label Andrew, Harmony Korine's studio Edglrd, and the art book store and gallery Dalé Zine. In fact, according to Edenberg, Dalé co-owner Steve Saiz recommended the shop to the Design District management, allowing Terrestrial Funk to set up in the former Piccadilly Gardens restaurant across the street from the bookstore. The space came together within only three weeks.

Although its stay in the District is short, Terrestrial Funk is a stepping stone to something more permanent, according to Edenburg. While he's operated Terrestrial Funk online for years and plans on continuing that side of the business after the pop-up concludes, his goal is to eventually buy a building for the shop and operate it as a worker-owned business. He and the rest of the staff treated the pop-up as a dry run for what that future store could look like.

"When I got this opportunity, regardless of the fact that it was for a period of a few months, I needed it to be in line with what I would want my vision for what a more permanent space would be like, as close as I could get to that within the limitations that we have," he says. "I doubt anyone's gonna put the kind of love into the space that we did."

The pop-up has rapidly emerged as one of the best record stores in Miami's crowded vinyl market. It draws on Edenburg's existing online record sales business and practiced expertise in sourcing uncommon vinyl from around the world. You never know what you'll encounter at Terrestrial Funk, but there's a chance that you'll find something unexpected that you need to have.
Some eclectic digs I've picked out of the bins include a classic album from Japanese city pop idol Anri, releases from cult reissue labels such as Music from Memory and Numero Group, Nigerian boogie records, and Miami bass galore. There are bins for reggae, synthpop, deep house, acid, and rave, among other genres. And just a few days ago, I picked out a remix EP from early UK breakbeat hardcore collective 2 Bad Mice on the seminal drum 'n' bass label Moving Shadow, an incredibly rare find in the States. Releases from the Terrestrial Funk label are also available, including two of its latest: an album from Coral Morphologic and an EP of dance tracks from little-known '90s UK street-soul outfit System Exclusive, originally released as a white label.

That extends to its programming. Terrestrial Funk has hosted late-night parties and all-day vinyl sessions with local and out-of-town DJs. It's also used the space's courtyard to host the monthly Miami Record Fair, which Edenburg runs, and there are plans to start hosting movie screenings. (One idea Edenburg throws out is a double feature of the pilot episode of Miami Vice paired with Michael Mann's 1986 feature Manhunter.) It's even hosting a show of paintings by local artist Stephen Patterson on Saturday, September 14. Terrestrial Funk may not be in its current digs for a long time, but it will certainly make sure everyone who sets foot inside will have a good time.

"I want to create a space that actually can build and sustain some culture in this city," he says. "It's really tough existing as an artist here. So I want to create the space that I know, like myself and many others, want to have."

Terrestrial Funk. 35 NE 40th St., Miami; terrestrialfunk.com. Wednesday through Sunday noon to 8 p.m.