Nicole Brice
Feb 26, 2026
Capital City Records has a vibe all its own.
In a world dominated by streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music, physical media stands resilient, offering an experience that digital platforms simply can't replicate—a tangible, authentic connection to the music and its creators. The act of holding a vinyl record, flipping through liner notes, or admiring album artwork transforms passive listening into a meaningful ritual. Placing a record on a turntable or sliding a CD into a player requires intention, inviting one to slow down and truly engage with the moment. Physical albums, unlike ever-changing digital libraries, are enduring treasures to keep, revisit, and share. Dana Labat exemplifies the movement to keep physical media alive, curating a cozy atmosphere and unmistakable vibe at Capital City Records, 4641 Perkins Rd., in Baton Rouge, LA.
Back in the ’90s, Paradise Records in the University Shopping Center near LSU was my go-to spot for CDs. After it closed, I never found another space in Baton Rouge that captured that same magic—until I discovered Capital City Records in 2017. The moment I walked through the doors, I was transported back to the glory days of the indie record store: music humming over the speakers, rows of carefully curated vinyl, and Dana welcoming me with a warm smile as he helped me hunt down the elusive Ministry albums I’d been searching for.
Every corner of the shop reveals Dana’s passion for music, as showcased in a meticulously curated collection spanning genres and eras. The selection is impressively diverse—you’ll spot everything from Acid Bath to Jefferson Starship, and countless gems in between.
Baton Rouge boasts a handful of other notable record stores, but what consistently draws me back to Capital City Records is more than just its convenient location or carefully chosen selection—it's the unmistakable energy that fills the space. This isn't just a store—it's an experience.
Mixed Alt Mag recently sat down with owner Dana Labat for an in-depth, one-on-one conversation. Read on to discover more about the passionate music lover behind Capital City Records.
MaM: Thank you for speaking with me today. Tell us a little more about yourself. Where did you grow up?
Dana: I grew up in LaPlace, just outside New Orleans, and I’m 68 years old. Growing up there, there wasn’t much, and everything we did, we did in New Orleans – you know, going to the doctor, going to Schwegmann’s, visiting Canal St. for shopping, but anyway, yeah, I grew up there in the River Parishes with a normal childhood.
MaM: What got you into music initially?
Dana: I don’t know if anything particularly got me into music, but my earliest recollection of stuff is that my sister, who’s 16 months older than me – I’m the oldest of six kids, yeah, she had two albums I remember listening to those things over and over. They were The Lovin' Spoonful's Greatest Hits and The Beatles’ Rubber Soul. I just remember listening to those non-stop, and then my sister had some friends who played music, and she had a boyfriend who played in a band, too. This was probably when we were pre-teens or teens. I call them “bands”, but they’re little garage-type bands. My folks would let her boyfriend practice in the garage or on the patio, so I would have to say it was many things, but most of it was because of my sister.
MaM: Do you happen to remember the first record you ever bought? For me, it was Care Bears: Off to See the World. I bought it at K-Mart on Florida Blvd. in Baton Rouge with my mom. It was less than five dollars.
Dana: That’s great, the Care Bears. And how old were you? You were just a young girl.
MaM: I was five years old.
Dana: I remember those two records I mentioned, but the first I ever bought … I’m trying to think. I do remember a 45 I had asked my mom to get me at TG&Y. I think it was John Lennon’s ‘Instant Karma!’, which would have been around 1970 or 1971, so that would put me at 12-13 years old, but that’s the earliest one I can remember. I do remember listening to the radio and hearing ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’, so like, pre-Rubber Soul and all that. I really liked listening to AM radio because of all the British Invasion stuff that was going on in the early '60s, naturally, but yeah, it was all in my formative years.
MaM: I still have my Care Bears record, too. It’s on my shelf with all the others. When my daughter was into Care Bears, she always wanted to hear it. Crazy how that stuff comes back around.
Dana: Yeah, that’s great memories. As you get older, you don’t recall everything, but I remember going with either just my mom or my parents, I think it was just my mom at the time, or maybe my siblings were there, but we had gone to The Clearview Mall off Veterans, and there was a place – a record store called The Gramophone. It was on the side by Sears, but I remember buying Bruce Springsteen’s second album, ‘The Wild, The Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle’ there. I’m thinking this was in ’72, but maybe I was in 8th grade. It was somewhere around that period, and I’d heard the song ‘Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)’ on the radio, and I was blown away, so I bought that album. I was even lucky enough to see him several times early in his career, playing small venues.
MaM: Wow, what memories. Do you have any favorite bands or musicians?
Dana: Well, it’s funny. I get that question a lot as a record store owner, but the answer is always, "It depends on my mood and the time of day, you know?" I mean, I like The Ramones, but not necessarily on a Sunday morning. I might listen to something more ambient on a Sunday morning. Throughout the decades and years, I could easily say that the 60s were the Beatles and the 70s were, you know, like progressive like Pink Floyd, and the 80s became R.E.M. and the indie stuff, and then in the 2000s, we had Radiohead, which I love. I mean, there are so many in between. I love really good lyric writers like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Costello – stuff like that.
MaM: What about Jim Croce? Are you a fan?
Dana: Well, yeah, of course. It’s hard not to be. It’s hard to not leave out people when they ask what you listen to.
MaM: That’s how I feel. Too much to describe.
Dana: Right, I mean, again, if I say I like some Hüsker Dü or something, you might think that’s all I listen to, but I also love Nat King Cole. If you’ve ever heard him sing ‘Nature Boy’ and it didn’t stir some kind of emotion, I’d be surprised. My tastes are really all across the board.
MaM: So, what year did you open Capital City Records?
Dana: 2014 – We started at the beginning of the year with the hope of being somewhere around a six-month start-up. If I recall, we started moving into the doors in July or August because the building needed some renovations. By the time natural setbacks were done, I think it was November 2014 when we were officially opened.
MaM: How would you say business has evolved over the years with your store?
Dana: Well, it’s been steady growth – more and more each year. Last year, I saw a slight decrease in business, but it was mostly due to the economy. Just the state of the world. I’m fortunate, though, because people seem to like the store. I always like getting good reviews or hearing customer feedback. Sometimes, it’s not a local customer, it’s a collector, and I like talking to people. Just like when you’re in another town on vacation, where do you go? To check out the local record stores.
MaM: Do you find your customers to be younger or older? Or is it just a combination of both?
Dana: It’s definitely across the board. One thing I see a good bit of is that when parents come in with their kids, they’re not only buying the popular stuff, but also classic rock like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and other older artists.
MaM: Are there any records people come in seeking the most?
Dana: By artist or type?
MaM: Just anything, really.
Dana: Acid Bath – now that you’re saying it. I sell a lot of them. I know the owner of Rotten Records, and I get them through him.
MaM: How long do you plan to keep the store open? I’m hoping until you can’t do it anymore.
Dana: I don’t know. I don’t really have a plan. I’ve thought about retiring again after these past 12 years, but I enjoy working at the store. I did cut back a few hours recently, because I lost my helper. Everybody wants to work at a record store, but it’s not just sitting at the register selling records. There’s a lot to do. You have to pay attention to what moves and what doesn’t, price points, and other factors. It’s fun, but getting in Baton Rouge traffic, the older I get, the more aggravated I am.
MaM: I can relate.
Dana: It wouldn’t be like I would just close. I would hope someone else would take over the store. It’s just a record store, but it’s a good business.
If you haven’t visited Capital City Records in Baton Rouge yet, what are you waiting for? Dana always has something special on hand, with records, CD's, and tapes thoughtfully curated just for you—so stop in and see for yourself and be sure to strike up a conversation with him while you’re there. We guarantee you’ll walk away with a new music friend.
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Capital City Records (@capitalcityrecords) • Instagram photos and videos
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mailto:ccrbatonrouge@yahoo.com
*All photos by Michelle Ramey
Questions or comments? mixedalternativemag@gmail.com