Richmond resident finds vinyl album he sold as a child in Maple Ridge garage sale 16 years ago

Jeffrey Liu was surprised when he found a copy of a prized vinyl album in a Richmond retro record store that he’d given up 16 years ago for 50 cents at a garage sale in Maple Ridge as a young boy.

However, Liu – who moved to Richmond, age 12, just after that garage sale – was about to get an even bigger shock when he took the album home from 3Dawgs Vinyl on No. 5 Road.

For as soon as he started playing Frankie Laine’s Greatest Hits he realized, due to the position of a couple of scratches on the vinyl, that it was actually his record from 16 years ago.

“Regrettably, I made markings on it as a kid and got scolded by my grandparents for doing so. I recognized it as soon as I got it home,” said a stunned Liu, who moved back to his native Richmond from Maple Ridge with his grandparents in Grade 8.

“I just happened to stumble across the album in 3Dawgs and thought, ‘I had this before’ but I didn’t realize at the time it was actually mine.

“There were marks inside the cover with crayon that I made and there were scratches on the vinyl. I remember where it skipped to because of the scratches.”

Liu, now 27, said, instantly, a ton of memories came flooding back of him growing up with his grandparents in their Maple Ridge ranch and acreage.

“My grandparents had to move back to Taiwan last year. I miss (them) so much, so this was a great moment. It proves to me my love for vinyl.

“My grandparents were ecstatic when I showed them on Facetime what I found.”

Liu said he and his grandparents were downsizing when leaving Maple Ridge for a three-bedroom condo in Richmond.

And although he loved the classic album – Frankie Lane sang the theme song for one of Liu’s favourite Gary Cooper westerns, High Noon – he said the family had to sacrifice many items before moving home.

Liu started going to 3Dawgs Vinyl about five months ago and can’t thank the owner, Kelly Burbidge, enough for rekindling his love of vinyl.

“I’ve connected with (Kelly) and I recently moved home in Richmond as well, so I started another collection (of vinyl),” explained Liu.

“He couldn’t remember who he bought the album from, but he does a great service to the community, connecting us back to vinyl and all our memories.

“He has been instrumental in getting me back into it and getting what I’m looking for.”