It’s less than a mile away from the Quad, but the trip to Oz Music might be more accurately described as a journey through time rather than a movement across physical space.

The musical note sign hanging from the awning isn’t really necessary. The band and concert posters plastered across the door and windows practically scream music store, and the interior effortlessly maintains this aesthetic.

Doc Upshaw, an Oz employee and UA senior majoring in political science, shares guest-welcoming duties with a bargain table of used CDs and tapes. Aisles of CDs run the length of the store. Some hook-supported headphones serve as listening stations, and the record section stands in the back. The entire scene wraps around the checkout counter, a veritable Emerald City in this land of Oz. Posters cover every surface that isn’t serving another function.

One can almost taste the vintage.

Oz displays more than a passing resemblance to the record stores of old, where and when people would go with the intent to talk music and buy complete albums, sometimes hanging out for hours on end.

In an age when online purchasing and single-oriented marketing characterize the music industry, the store has carved out a niche in the Tuscaloosa community as a physical marketplace for music.

Oz has existed in its current incarnation since 1988, when owner Mort Jordan “ended up buying [the local franchise] as a hobby” during closings of the then Birmingham-based chain. The store has been in Tuscaloosa ever since, outlasting several other music businesses in the process.

So, what is it that makes Oz so unique? How does the store continue to persevere as the music industry becomes increasingly digital? Jordan believes it all boils down to customer service with a personal touch.

“Starting out, you could push our entire CD collection into less than an arm span,” he said. “We were the high price, poor selection, bad location people, so we started stressing excellent service.”

Manager Jason Patton echoed Jordan’s assertion.

“Amazon can’t talk to you for an hour about the best Jimi Hendrix CD,” he said. “We all love and care about music and want to help you discover more and care about music, too.”

“There’s nothing I like more than recommending something to a customer and seeing what they think,” Upshaw added.

The customers seem to have noticed.

“I’ve been coming here for six years, and the staff is always helpful. They’ve got everything you’re looking for all across the musical spectrum,” said Vance resident Josh Blake.

Joe Rhodes, a UA graduate who currently teaches at Louisiana State University, was in Tuscaloosa for the weekend’s football game. He started shopping at Oz as a student and drops by every time he is in town.

“When you come for a long time, you get to know people like Jason,” he said. “When your music tastes evolve, they evolve with you. Jason is more personal than iTunes Genius.”

Patton plays an active role in the daily affairs of the store, dividing his time between assisting customers, handling promotions and deciding what merchandise to buy and stock.

“That’s a big difference between Oz and a big-box store,” explained Patton. “At those places, some guy sitting in New York or Los Angeles is making the choices on what music to put in a Tuscaloosa store. At Oz, I’m making the choices, and I know what people want here.”

Our discussion takes place in the shop’s office, a modest module inside the back wall. Just outside this nook, an entire stage is set up, a little carpeted platform complete with amps, speakers and microphone stands.

The stage hosts Oz Live!, a program Patton helped start in October 2010 to bring in local and national acts for free, informal and age-accessible concerts. The program scored arguably its biggest name in February of this year, when folk duo The Civil Wars performed in-store.

“I’m 31 years old with a wife and child,” Patton said. “I don’t want to go to a smoky bar until 2:00 in the morning to see a band play, and there are high school kids who are too young to get into the bars. We wanted a venue for people of all ages to come experience live music.”

This all-inclusive mentality is the heartbeat of Oz’s longevity. The store’s music offerings run the gamut of formats and genres. This music selection is supplemented by a stock of DVDs.

“Every time I come in, they’ve got a fratty guy, a metal guy, a hippie guy and a rap guy all working the counter,” said Rhodes. “They’ve got all types of music covered. Jason can point you to the new Lil Wayne album as quickly as he can point you to the new country album.”

Jordan made it clear that he plans to keep Oz’s tradition of serving Tuscaloosa music lovers rolling.

“I’ve always told myself,” he said with a grin, “if I had any sense, I’d leave, but I just love it here… I’m staying.”