In a world of digital streaming and instant access to music, vinyl and analog listening culture is being carefully tended and cultivated at Rogue Planet Music (RPM), a record shop in Des Moines. RPM’s owners, Jesse Pace and John Pope, are on a mission to keep the vinyl groove going — one cleaned, restored and carefully selected record at a time.
Walking into the store, customers will notice the pristine condition of the records for sale — something the owners pride themselves on. With their VPI record-cleaning machine, which removes dust and grime before the records ever hit the shelves. Pace explained, “We do all that pre-work so people can just come and buy a record and have the expectation that when they take it home, it’s gonna play pretty nice to extremely nice.” When asked about their personal record-cleaning habits, Pace and Pope confessed that they both use ultrasonic cleaning machines, a high-end method for removing microscopic debris from records.
With an emphasis on quality sound and expert repair, this shop isn’t just a place to buy music. We visited the workroom in the back of the shop where Pope, a specialist in electronics and repair, services vintage turntables and amplifiers in need of attention. He also builds custom hifi speaker systems. His meticulous approach to repairs is matched by Pace’s skill and expertise in equipping customers with turntable setups and assisting with assembly, including phono cartridge sales and installation.
Surrounded by an array of vinyl and equipment salvaged from estate sales and private collections, Pace explained the RPM approach for the records they curate: “As far as the records we have, we have all types of music. Anything you could think of, we either have it or we we have had it. So we'll have it again, you know. We try to embrace that sense of curiosity and exploring what's all out there.”
When asked about his personal taste, Pace shared he has a particular fondness for high-quality pressings from France, Japan and England. “They used a higher quality vinyl generally,” he says, noting that these versions often have unique covers and superior sound compared to their American counterparts. His passion for discovering and preserving rare pressings is evident — he enjoys tracking down obscure records, sometimes finding albums that only a handful of people worldwide have cataloged.
A hub for audio enthusiasts and collectors looking to engage with music on a deeper level, Pace and Pope have created a friendly place for Des Moines music lovers to have conversations, exchange knowledge and find a personal connection to music. “You can buy a record on Amazon, Walmart, Target, or you could dig them out of an antique mall,” Pace says. “But to have a place where you can go and the enthusiast dudes are right there to help you — I think that is a pretty special thing.”
That dedication to community extends beyond music sales. With their repair expertise and commitment to quality playback, RPM has become a go-to resource for people looking to revive their family’s old turntables and sound systems. “A lot of what we do is helping people with equipment they’ve inherited,” Pace explains. “There are things that are perishable in these systems, but they were made to be kept in service and repaired.”
Pope echoes this sentiment. “A lot of times, we get records and equipment from estate sales. People pass away, and their family doesn’t want this stuff. But we can go in there and rescue things instead of having them thrown away.”
Eight years into running RPM, Pope and Pace remain deeply committed to their passion for helping music fans go beyond convenience in their listening habits, embracing the tangible and immersive experience of physical media. And in an era where music often feels disposable, their work ensures that every record, and every story behind it, gets another spin.