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If you came up in the age of vinyl records or even the rebound movement, there was one iconic storage solution for college kids, DJs, and young vinyl fiends – the milk crate. That red plastic bin, which fits your records perfectly, was easy to dig through and cost peanuts, and served as a symbol of the vinyl culture, especially among DJs. As vinyl has become increasingly popular, many new collectors are seeking storage solutions that are scalable, easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing. Enter Canada’s hifi Cabinet Co.
Q&A With hifi cabinet co Creative Director, Tony Smith
I caught up with Tony Smith, creative director of hifi cabinet co and vinyl connoisseur, to learn more about the DNA of this new vinyl storage and lifestyle brand.
Let’s start at the beginning. What was the “a-ha” moment that sparked the idea for hifi Cabinet Co? Was it a wobbly old milk crate at a house party or something more existential?
There was no aha moment; it took us months.
The idea of the hifi cabinet co came about when I first brought a new record player, and I was researching ideas for a stereo stand. I could not find any lifestyle magazine that showcased the hifi community. There was a ton of magazines like The Absolute Sound, Stereophile, What’s HIFI, HIFI Choice, HI-FI+, Sound and Vision etc., these magazines serve a purpose and are interesting, but their focus was more on promoting the hardware and less about the people, (the users) and their listening space, lifestyle.
I asked myself: Why wasn’t there a magazine that covered the hi-fi lifestyle, and is there a brand that the community can wear proudly on their sleeve, like Burton, Nike, Thrasher, Patagonia, Volcom, Carhartt, or Herschel?
Perhaps it was not done because the community was too small?
Trying to identify the size of the vinyl community was very difficult. We conducted extensive research. What we found was a rich history, primarily from the era when vinyl was the primary medium for the recording industry.
Did you know Mouhamad Ali had a record player in his car? As other technologies emerged, the recording companies looked for additional sales streams, and vinyl was pushed aside for what was believed to be a cleaner and more portable sound.
From our research, hifi cabinet co identified five different vertical groups we can focus on to develop a brand around.
- They have vinyl records, but not a player.
- They have records and a record player.
- They listen in listening rooms, confined areas to preserve the sound integrity.
- There were clothes, for the most part, comfy clothes.
- Viny people are collectors; they have multiple versions of the same albums or multiple versions from same artists.
It became clear that, regardless of the size of the collection, whether one was new to vinyl or a sophisticated audiophile, the one thing everyone had or needed was a requirement for storage as their collection grew. We were going to make a storage crate and develop a product that the community can use and rally around.
There’s something deeply nostalgic about the classic milk crate. Why do you think DJs and record collectors have such an emotional attachment to them, and how did you approach modernizing that without losing the soul?
Whether you were an avid listener, a professional, or a recreational DJ, you were looking at the nostalgia of the milk crate to fit your collection. We did not initially think about the DJ market. Our first focus was the listening room at someone’s home, somewhere for them to put their albums.
We wanted to develop cool colors and give them names (moody blue, day green, clockwork orange, noir duke). This would give them a personality and a soul. To make our crates unique, we added 3-inch skateboard caster wheels. A box full of records is heavy, and our casters make it easy to maneuver. The casters can be rotated 360 degrees or locked in place.
I have to ask—how many records have you broken or bruised in your life because of crappy storage solutions? (Be honest.)
Over the years, I can tell you that I’ve dropped and broken at least a dozen albums from cardboard boxes due to weight instability.
Your crates look like something Dieter Rams would have stacked in his listening room. Can you talk a bit about the design process—materials, durability, modularity—and what details really mattered most to you?
Wow, that’s an awesome comparison, thank you he did some cool colorful practical stuff. For us, the design was always key; the process took over 18 months. We knew we wanted our crates to be injection molded, lightweight, and durable. A design incorporating our brand name, and product name was also important. We wanted people to know its purpose, it’s a “vinyl record storage crate” not a milk crate.
Key characteristics of the old milk crates needed to remain, like the searchability, allowing the collector to easily thumb through their collection. Others wanted us to make our crates taller. We knew that would also be a problem because we were going to add casters. This design is large enough to for album and box sets.
It must be strong enough for the weight of 60-70lb of albums. We were also looking for some cool factors, incorporating the casters, which took 6-8 months. The casters needed to be easy to take in and out, colorful, and scratch-resistant. It was also important to keep the crate and casters looking sleek. Keeping caster cost down was high on our requirements; thus, we had to go with a caster that was readily available.
HiFi Cabinet Company is more than just storage—it’s a lifestyle brand. What’s the philosophy behind merging clothing and furniture in the vinyl space?
We conducted several focus groups to understand what people were buying and why, as well as to determine the importance of branding on apparel. Key elements emerged: quality, sustainability, and comfort. They say you can’t provide all three, but we commit to focusing on all three and incorporating our brand name to provide an identity for the community. Consider Carhartt, for example; they began as a quality construction clothing brand and have since evolved into a fashion brand.
Our crates are made from polypropylene, our hats and beanies are crafted from recycled plastic using REPREVE® yarn, a certifiable, traceable, high-performance fiber that transforms plastic bottles into eco-friendly apparel. Moisture-wicking and comfortable, these pieces are ideal for both lounging and environmentally conscious individuals. REPREVE’s innovative process has already diverted over 35 billion plastic bottles from landfills, giving them new life as sustainable textiles. Meanwhile, our hoodies and t-shirts are made with GOTS-certified organic textiles, ensuring responsible practices from the harvest of raw materials to environmentally and socially ethical processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and distribution. At HiFi Cabinet Company, we’re committed to sustainable solutions that honor both music and the planet.
Many people love vinyl, but they often lack the ideal storage setup at home. How do you see your products helping people create a more intentional and beautiful listening space?
People first fall in love with the idea of a collection and listening to vinyl; this often starts with one, which is either gifted or inherited. At whatever stage you are at, our vinyl record storage crate solidifies the commitment to protecting your collection. We think everyone should have at least one or more of our crates because they are cool, nostalgic, and functional.
We created several iterations, allowing you to use the crate as a standalone, incorporate caster wheels, or use our staking pins to create a multi-color shelf. Sometime later this year, consumers will be able to purchase wooden crate legs, which will enable them to elevate a single crate 11.5 inches off the ground.
You’re creating furniture, but you’re also creating culture. Who inspires you—brands, designers, record labels, DJs, or collectors—when it comes to defining the aesthetic and attitude of HiFi Cabinet Company?
Currently, there are tens of thousands of vinyl fans who post pictures, videos, or reels promoting album jackets that they love and are listening to now on social media. We are drawn to and inspired by the hardware their system sits on, including the amps, turntable designs (old and new), speakers, and the rhythmic lights, which make their listening space a beautiful and inviting space.
It’s those individuals who follow us and our social channels to explore the future of the listeners’ experience spaces. We’re inspired by the creativity of vinyl record pressings, with marbling, smoke, and splatter being a new art form that brings new listeners and collectors to the community.
Interior designers need to be applauded, they are reshaping the simplicity around the listening space, with modern mid-century modern design, and bringing back nostalgia to the vinyl community.
Let’s talk about longevity. You’ve built something to last—but do you see these evolving with tech, like maybe smart crates with integrated cataloging or lighting? Or are you staying purist?
I must be honest, we’ve explored the idea of smart storage with intelligent cataloging; however, it has not progressed beyond the idea stage. Our focus is on bringing the four crate characters (moody blue, day green, clockwork orange, noir duke) to the masses; we have a long way to go.
We recently opened a warehouse in the UK for overseas customers who kept asking us when we would start selling over there. It was good to see that on day one, our first sales came from Sweden; that was a surprise. Coming in 2025, sexy wooden crate lets, and a new color.
What’s the biggest mistake people make when it comes to storing their vinyl—and how do you solve it?
The biggest mistake when storing albums is laying the album flat as well as packing them too tightly in a confined space. Did you know our crates come with 72 air-cooled zones?
Your clothing line is a surprise twist. What kind of message are you sending with your apparel, and who’s it really for? DJs, diggers, design heads, all of the above?
Our apparel was created for the vinyl community, home listeners, DJs, crate diggers, for those with one album or 20,000 albums. It is a message of unity and belonging to a community, we have SPIN and Love My Listening Room, 45 Spindle, and the various hifi cabinet company logo / outline pieces of flat brim, beanies, hoodies, to t-shirts.
We need to stand up, show up, and let others know we listen to vinyl and CDs; we listen to music. These are not band t-shirts that say ‘I like the band.’ You’re proud to wear a fashionable brand that promotes your love for a diverse and inclusive vinyl music community. Someday, whether you listen to Iron Maiden, Dolly Parton, Björk, Kíwanuka, or Some Blue, wearing a hifi Cabinet Company apparel will tell others that you love vinyl.
If you could collab with any other brand, designer, or artist—living or dead—to create a HiFi Cabinet dream crate, who would it be and what would it look like?
Well, Frank Lloyd Wright and Miles Davis immediately come to mind. Design is very deep in our DNA, we created a designer collection of slip mats and G7 custom bomber jacket, because music is universal. We teamed up with native Canadian Designer Rande Cooke from the Kwakwakawakw culture and Spanish Illustrator and graphic designer Marcos Cabrera to create unique, expressive pieces of slip mat art. We would love to work with US tattoo artist Mister Cartoon and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
Lastly—where do you want HiFi Cabinet Company to be in five years? What’s the dream? Flagship store? Traveling crate exhibition? Crate & Barrel meets Crate & Beats?
Well, if the hi-fi, vinyl community continues to embrace the growth of vinyl and listening to music, we would be proud to establish ourselves as a sustainable brand that listens and develops quality products to speak for the community.
We would love to collaborate with multiple manufacturers and record labels to curate a pop-up living listening space, a museum of sound, in major cities and unexpected locations, creating an inspirational walk-through listening experience for the music that moves you.
The hifi Cabinet Co. Crate Review
Magnetic got six crates, some pins, and a set of four casters to test out in our studio/listening area, so here are my thoughts after living with these for about a month.
The crates themselves are sturdy, and the colors pop, allowing you to mix and match the color palette or stick to one. I personally would go with one, but we had a mix of black, blue, green, and orange. The ability to connect and stack is key, as most people tend to expand their collection beyond one crate, and the ability to continue to add crates is a nice touch.
The aesthetics will be divisive, as not everyone always wants plastic in their space, especially if you are aiming for a more high-end look, such as all-wood shelving. I like the playfulness of the colors and modern design, but this is a very subjective thing, so I don’t have much more to say. You will either dig the look or you won’t. I do.
The functionality, when stacked vertically or with casters, is great; there is room for larger box set packaging, and records are easy to flip through if you leave enough space in each crate. Having one crate on casters is fantastic for long listening sessions, especially when a lot of vinyl is being pulled out, allowing you to keep the vinyl stored in an orderly fashion rather than in piles of records leaning against the wall or cabinets.
If you are looking for a fun, sturdy, colorful, and expandable storage solution with vintage vibes, these crates are worth the expense and will serve you and your vinyl collection well.
More info and specs about the brand / Specs:
Inspired by the classic milk crate, it’s proudly crafted in Canada from polypropylene—durable, eco-friendly, and built to last. Measuring 35.56 cm x 35.56 cm x 30.48 cm (39.05 cm total height with casters), it comfortably holds 60-70 LPs, depending on sleeve thickness.
Key features include:
- Snap-in easy-glide caster wheels for effortless mobility, letting you move your collection wherever you need it.
- Custom aluminum stacking pins for secure vertical or horizontal stacking, perfect for expanding your setup.
- High-quality injection-molded construction that provides lasting support and protection.
- Vibrant color options to add a pop of personality to any listening space.
For the records that move you – vinyl storage crates, apparel & accessories.
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