On the splendid day of August 29th, 2011, Jonathan made the wise choice to become a Murfie member. He’s only requested one kit…but that kit contained a whopping 1,100 discs, which traveled all the way from California to Wisconsin! We got to ask this fab Murfie member some more info about him and his shop.

Murfie: How did you originally learn about Murfie?
Jonathan: I read an article in the Wall Street Journal in the summer of 2011 and it seemed too good to be true. I had just moved across the country, but I had left my rather large CD collection behind because I hadn’t touched the physical discs in years. My CD boxes were cluttering my friend’s garage on the other side of the country and he was asking me what my plan was. The timing was perfect and the rest is history.

M: When did you purchase your first CD? What was it?
J: It was in the mid- to late- 80′s and I think it was an early R.E.M. disc, but I can’t quite recall which one. Maybe Murmur or Life’s Rich Pageant? For some reason, I very clearly remember that the first vinyl I ever owned was Best of Blondie!

M: How many CDs do you own (or did you own at your peak)?
J: I stopped counting around 1,000. Maybe 1,200? I think I’ve sold about half through Murfie so far.

M: How tall are you?
J: I’m 6’1″, but “I wish I was a little bit taller. I wish I was a baller.”

M: Tell us about your musical tastes.
J: My collection is about as eclectic as they come. Growing up, I gave a listen to anything I could get my hands on. There was a lot of classic rock (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin), ‘alternative’ (R.E.M., 10,000 Maniacs), and 80′s rap is about as good as it gets (BDP, Beastie Boys, NWA). These days, I’m pretty broad in my tastes, but I tend to gravitate towards soulful music…anything from Bill Withers and Etta James to newer folks like The Black Keys and Amy Winehouse (the little bit that we got from her while she was here). Throughout the years, I’ve always had an unwavering appreciation for the blues (and in particular, Mississippi Delta blues) and that always tends to influence what I like in other genres.

M: What can folks expect to find in your store (if different than the above)?
J: I’ve got everything, but jazz and blues lovers should have a field day navigating my collection. What’s funny is that I have about 100 or so really random discs from an old roommate who moved out and didn’t want them. so if you see anything weird or embarrassing (e.g. Ren & Stimpy: You Eediot!), just assume it was his. OK, that sounds like a lie, but it isn’t (as far as you know).

M: If you could meet any musician or band in person, who would it be and why?
J: I know it’s probably totally expected that a guy is going to go with something cute like Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, but I don’t care…I’m going with Lonely Island.

M: What is your favorite album at the moment?
J: I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to listening to mainstream music, but I’m finding it really hard to stop listening to The Head and the Heart or The Lumineers (both self-titled).

M: What do you plan to do with the millions of dollars you’re making from your Murfie shop?
J: I plan to buy you a fur coat, but not a real fur coat, that’s cruel! Just kidding, I am going to use it to fund my startup, www.MyVR.com!

M: Which Beatle was your favorite?
J: That’s a tough one, but I gotta go with Clarence.

Check out Jonathan’s shop on Murfie!

Shopkeep of the Week is a weekly feature that focuses on our most interesting Murfie shopkeepers. These are music lovers like you who have sold hundreds of pre-loved CDs on Murfie and have hundreds more at the ready to please your ears! If you’d like your Murfie Shop to be featured, or if you’d like to nominate a shop to be featured, please e-mail us at info@murfie.com and let us know.