Italian record store Flexi launches GoFundMe following substantial flood damage
Roughly 2000 records have been “irreparably damaged” by the flood
An Italian record store called Flexi is raising funds following damages incurred from severe flooding.
Located in Lugo, Italy, the shop was flooded after “six months of rain” fell in a day and a half in the area (18th-19th May). The store’s basement was filled with a metre of flood water and around 2000 records were “irreparably damaged”, as well as furniture, electrical equipment, and audio equipment. The store’s GoFundMe is trying to raise €10,000 to overcome the costs.
In the fundraiser description, Flexi’s owners Lorenzo and Simone Guerra explain: “We are conscious that the disaster around us is huge, and there are much more badly affected areas where the river has taken almost everything.”
“In almost 40 years it has become a centre of culture and sharing, which is keeping up, standing firm, and re-shaping itself by looking to the future, always focusing on passion and love for music. That is why we need your help in order to be able to restart and face the immediate costs of restoring what is no longer there.”
Flexi has started a vinyl restoration scheme to restore water-damaged vinyl for people in Lugo. Speaking to Resident Advisor, Guerra said: “When we started cleaning and fixing up the shop, many diggers, friends and volunteers from Pollici Social Club, a local association of DJs and record enthusiasts, came to help.”
“We talked to the community to save their records from the flood, so that the music wouldn't be lost,” continued Guerra. "At first we were anxious about being overwhelmed by mountains of muddy vinyl, but many people asked us how to clean or save their collection compromised by the flood.”
Flexi has since reopened but the planned reconstruction is said to be looking like a “very hard” job.
Check out Flexi’s GoFundMe page here.
