Story by Melessa Mims | Photos by Jessica Whitley and Melessa Mims
I recently had to opportunity to sit down with William Dantzler, affectionately known as Willie D, owner of Fresh Produce Records. Dantzler is known as a music aficionado about town, whether through DJ sets, playing in a number of local bands, or through his ever-growing record store. Willie D has been involved in Macon’s arts and creative scene since he was a baby, literally (his mom Brooks has owned The Creative Alternative for decades. The store has tens of thousands of records, with a dedicated following both in person and online. It was great to share the origin story of Fresh Produce, and how local record stores preserve downtown’s character, with our readers. Dantzler’s imagination and joyful eclecticism are on full display.
Opening your own brick and mortar store is a dream for many entrepreneurs. How did the idea for Fresh Produce first come about?
Inspirational visions while watching a 7 ft tall orange play a renegade show in a co-op grocery. [It was] a mantra manifested in an ancient Riggonian fruit ritual. It has evolved into its current and originally intended form, a cultural hub the COMMUNITY OF MACON (emphasis original) can be proud of!
Did you and William grow up listening to vinyl, or did that come later?
I started getting into vinyl when I was a young sprout, stealing my parents’ Beatles, Taj Mahal, Neil Young, Paul Simon, jazz, and bluegrass records. Seeking and collecting records of my own became a natural obsession after that. I would regularly visit SG at Reel Records and Jimmy at Smiley’s and always had to check out the local record shops when I was traveling.
You have eyes on the local music scene daily. What gaps are you seeing in our community?
One of the most important things to keep a music scene thriving is new and diverse acts. We need to find ways as a community to make it easier for artists to succeed, whether it’s better accessibility to venues and production services, help with marketing or merchandising, or funding for public facing events — there’s many things we could do to help everyone involved.
What was the hardest part about getting the store off the ground?
When I opened the record store in 2013, I had mostly worked in kitchens as a dishwasher and didn’t know much about business, except what I had observed from my self-employed parents. I saw a need for a record store and venue in Macon, so when that aligned with cheap rent on MLK Boulevard, I decided to take the leap.
That leap was more like grabbing on to a live wire and holding on for dear life! We were creating some amazing live music experiences and fostering a community in Macon but not making progress financially. When William Rutledge joined the team in 2017, we had to take stock of what we had and shift gears towards a more retail-based outfit that could actually turn a profit. With William’s help, that rise in our profitability continues to be meteoric and we’re just getting started.
How did NewTown Macon simplify that process for you, as your business grew?
NewTown Macon, specifically Josh Rogers and Bethany Rogers, helped mentor us through the process of buying our commercial storefront. They not only helped us with the funding, but gave us the confidence and understanding. [Their] thorough knowledge of the process helped us realize we were able to take that next step financially. NewTown has always been one of our biggest cheerleaders as we’ve grown, beyond the work they do with investments in Macon, they truly love this community and want to see it thrive.
What’s next for Fresh Produce?
We’re currently diving into label activity and learning the ropes of pressing and distributing vinyl on a larger scale. There are some extremely exciting projects in the works that will be coming to fruition soon, stay tuned!
What are three records you each think everyone should own?
- “Neil Young” (self-titled)
- Bob Marley — “Kaya”
- Trufflelina — “Tetradactyl Space Apple”
Describe your perfect day in downtown Macon.
My favorite days in Macon are when there’s a community-wide event or holiday going on and everyone is out in the streets, celebrating and coming together, to have a great and memorable day full of activity. Alternatively, I love a day off after one of those big eventful weekends, a lazy Monday to just hit one of our favorite restaurants for a late lunch and chill out downtown.
Is there anything else you’d like to say about being a small business owner, or about music?
Don’t be afraid to pursue a wild vision! Whether that is making music, visual art, or a business idea, with hard work and commitment you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish! The best advice I can offer to anyone just getting started is to get organized on DAY ONE!! Keeping track of paperwork and financial info is the most tedious task, but the tighter you keep your books, the easier it will be to make moves and level up your business.