There’s a new hub for music fans in Miami, and it’s already buzzing with activity.
Specializing in rare vinyl and sound equipment for audiophiles, Fruit Fly Records opened its new location on US-1 between Coral Gables and Coconut Grove back in November. Owned and operated by University of Miami biology professor Giovanni Hanna, the spot aims to become a destination for audio aficionados locally and abroad.
“I kind of knew at one point that I was bound to open a shop in the world of music, and specifically with vinyl,” he said. “I knew it was a question of when, it was just a matter of time. I didn't expect to open it this fast.”
(Courtesy Fruit Fly Records)
Originally in South Miami, Fruit Fly Records relocated to a storefront on US-1 in Coral Gables in November.
Housed on the second level of a strip mall on the road’s south side at 430 S. Dixie Hwy., the new, larger iteration of Fruit Fly has plenty of space for more than just vinyl. Hanna plans to use the shop as a community gathering space, hosting classes, performances, and other events. They hosted DJ sets from local selectors such as Brother Dan during their Black Friday grand opening. They’re also hoping to host live musical performances, and even a stand-up comedy show is in the works.
“We have so much local talent,” Hanna said. “People can anticipate that at least once a week we have resident DJs come and spin vinyl. People can walk in and just have a good time.”
Education is a big component of the shop’s programming too. They held an introductory workshop on modular synthesizers during Miami Art Week, and January will see classes on DJ mixing, both with digital equipment and vinyl. And Fridays are open decks, where customers can use the shop’s decks to spin whatever they desire.
Still, for dedicated diggers there’s plenty of impressive wax in stock, much of it rare jazz, Latin, disco, dance, and global styles. Hanna also mentions the shop’s hip-hop section, with records from the ‘80s to today, and its selection of reggae 45’s. One recent visit yielded classic records by Chick Corea, Glenn Gould, and Steely Dan. Refurbished vintage audio equipment such as speakers, record players, and hi-fi receivers are also available for reasonable prices. Looking for a Technics SL-1200 turntable to practice DJing on? You might just find one here.
(Courtesy Fruit Fly Records)
Fruit Fly Records in Coral Gables plans to serve as a community space for Miami music lovers.
Despite being geared toward audiophiles with an emphasis on high-quality vinyl, Hanna wants the shop to be accessible to all, not just the high rollers.
“Half the shop is under $20, everything is in really good condition,” he said.
Since vinyl can be an expensive hobby to get into, the shop also runs occasional sales and multi-buy deals, and has even rolled out curated mystery bags. Serious collectors meanwhile might salivate at Hanna’s assembly of Daft Punk and French Touch records and memorabilia found on the higher shelves, some worth hundreds, even thousands of dollars – but sorry, those aren’t for sale.
All of this would have been impossible at its previous location in South Miami. The original shop, opened in 2023, occupied space in an office park south of Dadeland Mall that was hardly conducive to foot traffic, or even potential customers driving by. Hanna managed to keep the business going through Discogs, the online marketplace for record collectors, until he finally secured the new space right off US-1. He said people have started turning around once they see the shop’s sign from their cars.
Hanna, a geneticist, started the business as a distraction from his PhD studies, naming the shop after his research into fruit flies. He was encouraged to start the business by his fiance, now wife, also an academic and a Miami native, after they moved to the city from California.
(Courtesy Fruit Fly Records)
Find rare records from around the world in the bins at Fruit Fly Records.
“I was really super motivated by Erica specifically to just be fearless and try new things, and it's helped me get out of my comfort zone,” he said. “That's why, to me, the space will always evolve. We will always do new and different things, and we'll try things out. And I have no fears of sometimes trying new things and seeing how they work.”
The shop joins a vibrant community of record sellers in Miami that includes Technique Records in the Upper West Side and Sweat Records in Little Haiti, among others. Hanna says he doesn’t view them as competitors, but as a diverse community.
“Everyone has their preferences, everyone has their selections,” he said. “Everyone does things differently, and there's cool ways to work with each other, and that makes me actually really happy to be part of this community here of record stores in Miami, because everyone's been super, super friendly.”
IF YOU GO
Fruit Fly Records
Open daily from noon to 8 p.m.
430 S. Dixie Hwy #205, Coral Gables