Up and up for 'Under the Surface"'

Jacob Wheeler is a Tiffin native passionate about all things underground. His record store, "Under the Surface" hit a major milestone on Thursday when it reopened on Washington Street. What started as a passion project has grown into something incredible. Wheeler began collecting vinyl records over two years ago, slowly building up a repertoire. "It was just something I did when I had enough money," Wheeler explained. He started selling his record collection at local flea markets and was taken aback by the success. Wheeler wanted to own a video game store when he was a kid, inspired by local hobby stores Level Up and Line Drive. Wheeler credits Dan Fox at Line Drive with getting him where he is today. Fox encouraged Wheeler, allowing him to sell records behind Line Drive rent-free. "When I was a kid, I didn't think Tiffin was cool enough to have a record store," he said. The first iteration of "Under the Surface" opened in July 2022, next to 22 Mrkt. The two record stores formed a niche corner community on Market Street. That was a year and a half ago. Today, Wheeler is excited to expand into 134 S. Washington St., between The Empire and Viewpoint Graphics. His goal for the new location is to become a community center. He remembers spending every day after school at Line Drive, saying, "It was like a second family over there." When Wheeler discovered music in high school, his connection to Tiffin grew stronger. "Being in the hardcore/punk scene did a lot for me, I made so many friends" he explained. "You wouldn't think it, but music has been coming out of Tiffin for forever. There's lulls, but I want it to be a consistent thing." He cited the grunge scene of the 90s as a highlight of Tiffin's edgy history. "I want people to know: it exists. People ask me, you know: 'Punk, metal, do people really buy this here?' Yes. We play shows and we put in the work." The new venue has enough space for local groups to showcase their work. In a central location like downtown Tiffin, Wheeler hopes he can draw in an audience once a month. The first show is at 7 p.m. today, and will be completely free. A January Instagram post advertises the show as "Free Noise" by a Tiffin Native. Although it may not be to everyone's taste, Wheeler is excited about the opportunity to bring new culture to the surface. With no cover charge or venue fees, the record store is the perfect first step for musicians who want to showcase their original music Wheeler is still setting into the new location, including setting up clothing racks, rehanging doors, and battling old floral wallpaper. The windows of the old store were covered in posters, each featuring a band that originated in Tiffin. Preserving the cultural history of Tiffin is an unexpected mission of operating a store like "Under the Surface," but Wheeler is ready and passionate about it. Under the Surface focuses on unique music, but there is something in the store for everyone from soundtrack lovers to cassette tape loyalists. According to their Instagram, "Under the Surface" buys Records, CDs, and tapes of "punk, hip hop, jazz and anything underground." As for what he likes the most, Wheeler says, "I'm on a quest to have every item that a tiffin band has put out." For their opening day, "Under the Surface" entered customers who spent $20 or more in a raffle for $50 in store credit. The store's hours will be 11-7 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Although the store is mostly a solo act, Wheeler is thankful for the ensemble of folks who helped him, from believing in the store to moving into the new location. He says, "This isn't really about the money, genuinely what I want is to build a community."