There’s something about records for any true music lover; they are special. There’s a whole new element of art to it. In a world of the intangible, you touch this; and it touches you. Plus people think you’re cool and deep when you have them, so it’s a win win. With all the benefits of vinyl there is one more any vinyl head will happily tell you about, and it’s the community at the local record shop. One such community can be found at Cactus Records and Gifts. Cactus has been a part of Bozeman for over 45 years. It is an amazing collection of dedicated and unique individuals, as it should be the case. For as much effort as it takes to get a unique selection of music, a record shop puts the same work into making sure the staff is right. Owner Mike “Bueño” Good puts emphasis on not only Cactus’ retail experience, but also on a true knowledge of music. The end result is an employee that loves their job and is better suited to help you. I asked Cactus manager Ryan Cassavaugh what made them better than Best Buy or some record store in the mall? He replied, “better is a weird word... we look outside the box to get original stuff.” And in the end, isn’t that what we want in our record store?

Born and raised in the heart of Virginia, Evan arrived in Montana with a snowboard and a dream. Over the years the boards changed, but the dream didn’t.