Hundreds of people lined up outside Sonic Boom Records on Saturday awaiting their chance to pluck a rare vinyl title in honor of Record Store Day.

Record Store Day is the independent music scene’s Easter in that is celebrates the resurrection and glory of music as it manifests in physical form at records shops around the world. Formed in 2008, the celebration is a reaction to the streaming and digitizing of music that has stifled physical records sales. “Purists” celebrate the day by buying vinyl records or physical copies of their favorite albums.

The celebration started in the U.S. and has spread to be a global phenomenon.

Sonic Boom Records is one of two independent records stores in Ballard, Bop Street Records being the other. Both stores see a flurry of music nerds geek-out to rare copies of albums, band paraphernalia and live music every year.

However, this year is a special one in that it may be the last one Sonic Boom Records will open its doors to music buffs. Earlier this year storeowners listed the record mecca for $850,000. The store opened in Ballard in 2001. There has been no word of a buyer so far.

However, it was business and usual last Saturday and Record Store Day freaks lined up outside the Sonic Boom door, down N.W. Market Street and past Grog on 22nd Avenue N.W. before the store opened at 10 a.m.

The Ballard News-Tribune tried to talk with a few “music authorities” as they waited in line. Some refused to speak with BNT staff, not even glancing up from Sonic Boom’s entire catalog they evidently had printed at home.

A man named Quinn came all the way from North Gate to wait in line. He said he was waiting at Sonic Boom Records and not at Bop Street because he knew for certain that they had the Ezra Furman’s covers album on store shelves -- maybe even multiple copies.

“How do you know that?” asked the BNT staff writer.

“Because I looked it up,” he said shrewdly.

On top of Furman’s record, Quinn had acquired The Monkees “Guitar Shaped” album and Death Cab For Cutie’s “Envelope Sessions” at other records stores that had opened earlier that day -- all of which were vinyl.

But why vinyl?

“Because it’s the difference between literature (printed book) and a Kindle.”

The BNT asked Quinn to elaborate on that point, but he left abruptly to enter the store.

Another record fiend, Art, came all the way from Kenmore and said that it was his fifth year he’d come out for Record Store Day. He was waiting to peruse the Sonic Boom shelves and find a few favorites. Art commented on why he chooses vinyl records over streaming music.

“I just kind of like the physical format. I collected CDs for a long time and kind of moved on to vinyl about five years ago, and I just like to read the liner notes, and I like the artwork. Listening to the records feels like you’re more involved in the process of listening to music,” said Art.

Chris, from Ballard, told the Ballard News-Tribune that records have a unique sound that you can’t find with digital music.

“It’s the only thing that sounds like that in any format. Like a [expletive] CD? No, you can’t get that. It sounds like [expletive]. Records are cool because you hold it, and you are actually physical with it. It’s analog, so it sounds way better. It’s warmer, and it’s just really cool to have -- sometimes they’re colorful, too” said Chris.

Indeed. But why the line at Sonic Boom and not Bop Street?

Chris explained that Sonic Boom Records promotes artists newer releases while Bop Street Records has more rare, used copies. Many people in line said they planned on heading to Bop Street after Sonic Boom to skim through the huge inventory offered there.