Port Jervis Welcomes New Heavy Metal Record Store

Metalheads across the Hudson Valley, you're in luck. A niche record store has officially opened for business in Orange County with a specific focus on heavy metal, punk and hardcore. They're also selling other cool merch and fun items, let's introduce you to Ironhead Records.

Ironhead Records Brings Heavy Metal to Port Jervis

Now open for business at 169 Pike Street (just next to the liquor store), Ironhead Records is bringing the Hudson Valley a new spot for all things heavy metal, punk/hardcore. Offering items like vinyl, CDs, even tapes, as well as genre specific shirts and patches, owner Jesse Traynor has shared that Ironhead will also be selling 'witchy books, tarot cards, candles, and other fun gothy stuff.'

The shop is closed Mondays and Tuesdays but open 12pm to 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 12pm-9pm on Friday, 12pm-8pm on Saturdays, and 12pm-5pm Sundays.

The Ironhead Records Backstory

Back in July, a brand new Instagram account for a soon to be record store posted a simple image of a storefront with a for rent sign, formerly home to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu business, soon to be a 'haven for metal, punk, and underground sound' called Ironhead Records.

In the months that followed, Ironhead owner Jesse Traynor has shared the journey of turning his vision and lifelong dream of opening his very own record store into a reality, and as he put it, turning 'this skeleton into a monster.'

Traynor teased a collector culture vibe, with loud music and regular events. He's no stranger to the metal scene, running a DIY metal label called Sunshine Ward Recordings for a number of years, and spending nearly 30 years playing in various black and death metal bands too.

Followers have been able to watch the space transform from 'four walls and a floor' into what Traynor hopes to be the spot for the best metal and punk selection ever, and now that doors are open, the response has been overwhelming.

The response from the community has been incredible — our opening weekend had an outpouring of support that honestly blew me away. It’s amazing to see how many people around here are genuinely excited for a metal and punk record shop. This has been a labor of love and a childhood dream come to life. We’re already planning monthly events like horror movie nights, listening parties, battle vest and zine-making sessions, band signings and meet-and-greets, and even a few collaborations with local breweries for loud-music-and-beer nights. I can’t wait to see where it all goes.

So metalheads, what do you think?