Entry No. 16 — the Memphis file — filed under: records
Memphis Listening Lab
Built entirely around the personal record collection Ardent Records co-founder John King donated before his death — 35,000 45s, 15,000 LPs, 25,000 CDs, 2,000 books, and over 1,000 pieces of music ephemera — free to the public, played back through a reference-quality sound system in a room called the SoundRoom.
The story
Ardent Records co-founder and music promoter John King spent decades amassing physical music with the scale of an institution and the appetite of an obsessive. Before his death, he donated the entire payload to the public: 35,000 45s, 15,000 LPs, 25,000 CDs, 2,000 music books, and over 1,000 pieces of ephemera. Instead of letting the stash rot in a climate-controlled basement or get auctioned off piecemeal, it was built into a public listening library inside Midtown's Crosstown Concourse.
Most private archives hide this kind of trove behind research credentials and white gloves. Here, the whole collection sits accessible in a dedicated space centered on the SoundRoom—a chamber built around a reference-quality playback system. You aren't browsing crates to make a purchase; you are pulling obscure pressings from a single music insider's lifetime hoard and hearing them through speakers engineered to reveal every micro-detail etched into the vinyl.
What it's like
Head to Suite 269 on the second floor of Crosstown Concourse. It functions as a non-profit listening library and archive, so entry is free. The smartest strategy is to drop in without a fixed agenda, pull two records you've never heard of, and secure a chair in the SoundRoom's audio sweet spot. Keep in mind that hours can adjust around live panel talks or community events, so confirm they are open before climbing the stairs.
The move: Pull two records neither of you has heard, sit in the SoundRoom's good chairs, and let the reference speakers make the case for why vinyl still wins the argument.
- 📍 Crosstown Concourse, Midtown Memphis
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1350 Concourse Ave, Suite 269, Memphis, TN 38104
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Tiger & Peacock Rooftop — The Memphian — Follow up an afternoon of intense hi-fi listening in Midtown with rooftop drinks down the road in Overton Square.
- Lucyja Hygge — Continue your Midtown outing at another quiet, highly specific neighborhood spot built around tea, folk magic, and quiet atmosphere.
- Mary's Bar of Tropical Escapism (Mary's B.O.T.E.) — Cap off your archival music deep-dive by ducking into Midtown's small, heavily decorated tiki enclave on Cooper Street.
Good to know
How much does it cost to visit and listen?
It is completely free to enter and use the archive.
Can I buy or check out records to take home?
No. The collection is a permanent reference library and archive, so all listening takes place on-site through their equipment.
What exactly is in the collection?
The archive holds John King's personal collection: roughly 35,000 45-rpm singles, 15,000 LPs, 25,000 CDs, 2,000 books on music history, and over 1,000 items of music ephemera.
Where is it inside Crosstown Concourse?
You will find it at 1350 Concourse Ave, Suite 269, on the second floor.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · commercialappeal.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-20