AT THE HEART OF ZSTHEZS’S COLLECTION JOURNEY, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT OWNING WITH INTENTION, AND KEEPING THINGS SAFE. HE’S THE TYPE TO SCOOP UP RECORDS THE SECOND THEY DROP, ESPECIALLY KNOWING SOME OF THEM MIGHT DISAPPEAR FOR GOOD NOT LONG AFTER.

THEN THERE’S THE VINTAGE SIDE. ZSTHEZS HAS A DEEP STASH OF RECORDS FROM THE ’60S TO ’80S, AND MOST ARE ORIGINAL PRESSINGS. BEING A BIT OF A PERFECTIONIST, HE’S CONSTANTLY HUNTING DOWN MORE COPIES WITH BETTER CONDITIONS UNTIL HE FINDS THAT ONE COPY THAT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES. SO EVEN FOR THE RAREST RECORDS, HE OFTEN ENDS UP WITH DOUBLES OR TRIPLES THERE TOO.

BUT HE’S ALSO GOT A GOLDEN RULE WHEN IT COMES TO COLLECTING: ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP. SOMETIMES TWO, MAYBE EVEN THREE. FOR NEWER RELEASES, HE USUALLY GRABS AT LEAST THREE COPIES AS ACCIDENTS ALWAYS HAPPEN, AND IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. THAT’S WHY A BIG PART OF HIS COLLECTION IS MADE UP OF DUPLICATES, MOST OF THEM BRAND NEW, STILL SEALED, UNTOUCHED.

OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS COMES WITH A DOWNSIDE—STORAGE. WITH SHELVES AND BOXES REACHING CAPACITY, ZSTHEZS DECIDED TO LET GO OF A CHUNK OF HIS PRIVATE COLLECTION. NOT ONLY DOES IT FREE UP SPACE FOR NEW ARRIVALS, IT ALSO GIVES OTHER COLLECTORS A SHOT AT RECORDS THEY’VE BEEN CHASING.

THAT’S WHERE PRIVATE SALES COMES IN. ZSTHEZS IS BUILDING A SMALL, CURATED COMMUNITY AROUND THESE LIMITED DROPS. IT’S INTENTIONALLY KEPT TIGHT BECAUSE CREATIVITY THRIVES UNDER A BIT OF CONSTRAINT. AND WHEN THE SALE’S LIVE? THE ENERGY’S REAL. PEOPLE AREN’T JUST BIDDING, THEY’RE SWAPPING STORIES, SHARING RECS, TALKING STORES. IT TURNS INTO SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST BUYING RECORDS. IT’S A SHARED MOMENT, A REAL VIBE.