Wax Vinyl: Where Chicago Soul Meets Tokyo Sound

Behind frosted glass in Chicago’s West Town sits Wax Vinyl Bar and Record Shop, a love letter to sound. Couple Lee Farmer and Gina Barge-Farmer opened the space in 2024.

In preparation, they visited Tokyo, specifically to experience a jazz kissa, or kissaten, traditional Japanese listening bars built around deep reverence for music. In these spaces, the sound system is sacred, the records are encyclopedic, and conversation bends to the music. “They’re music first,” Gina explains. “Thousands of records, true musicologists.”

During one visit, they asked if the bar had anything from Gene Barge, Gina’s father, who was a celebrated blues saxophonist who played alongside legends and helped shape the sound of Chicago soul. To their surprise, the owner quietly pulled out his records. Across language and cultural barriers, music became the connector.

That’s exactly what happens at Wax.

Upon entry, guests are met with tonal decoration — dark wood, red accents, and illuminated backdrops highlighting the star of the show: music. Straight ahead is a DJ booth that houses vinyl records, spanning jazz, soul, house, hip-hop, funk, and deep cuts that require real crate-digging knowledge. TVs line the walls, sometimes streaming the booth live, sometimes showing a major sports game, but the music always leads.

Lee has been DJing since he was 12 years old. A self-described vinyl purist, he believes DJing is both craft and scholarship.

“You have to know what the vinyl is going to do,” Gina said. “You have to spend time in record stores. You have to understand the shoulders you stand on.”

That study of music: its lineage, its elders, its global exchange, is central to Wax’s philosophy. Just as they were inspired by Japanese jazz kissas, they see Wax as part of a larger cultural conversation: Black American music is influencing Japan, Japanese listening culture influencing Chicago, and vinyl serving as the bridge.

The space welcomes a range of notable names across music and culture, including Grammy-winning artist Anderson .Paak, a friend of the Farmers who appreciates places where the music, not the scene, is the draw. “If you know, you know,” Gina said.

What draws such a wide range of guests? It’s intentional. The Farmers cultivated a deep music network over decades. DJs love the booth, designed by Lee as a “DJ’s DJ booth,” built for precision and sound quality. Because the format is strictly vinyl, there are no instant downloads and no last-minute requests. If a DJ didn’t bring the record, it doesn’t get played. Guests are taken on a journey.

That commitment has ripple effects. Young twenty-somethings come in asking to see the “vinyls,” wide-eyed at the physicality of it all. DJs preparing to spin at Wax buy more records, record shops benefit, equipment makers benefit. The culture grows.

Beyond the booth, the menu tells its own story of cultural exchange. Self-described as “Japanese adjacent,” Wax blends Asian fusion inspiration with Black culinary tradition. The kitchen is intentionally inclusive: no pork, gluten-free noodle options instead of traditional wheat-based ramen, clearly marked allergens, and thoughtful accommodations for vegan and plant-based diners.

Highlights include Tokyo Wings tossed in a signature sauce, Tokyo Shrimp, Shibuya Ramen, Shinjuku Ramen with a rich mushroom base, and soul rolls wrapped in collard greens—a nod to Southern heritage.

“We don’t sacrifice on taste,” Gina said. “People come for vegan options, but they stay because it’s good.”

From 6 to 9 p.m., Wax hums as a dinner destination. After 9, the volume rises and the musicologists thrive. The venue, with a capacity of around 100, has become a sought-after space for birthdays, events, company buyouts, and intimate receptions. The Farmers hope to expand those partnerships, aligning with city initiatives and continuing to serve as a cultural anchor.

Lee’s influence extends beyond Wax. He curates music for Mariano’s happy hours and special events, serves on the board of the Chicago chapter of the Recording Academy, and co-founded The Soul Selectors, a collective of DJs committed to mentorship and preservation of the craft.

In a city where DJing is woven into the cultural fabric, from house music basements to South Side soul sessions, Wax stands as both preservation and progression. It honors lineage while creating new memories. It bridges Chicago and Tokyo. It reminds guests that music is a universal language, one capable of dissolving borders and building community.

For those in Skytown and beyond looking to support, the invitation is simple: come experience it. Catch a game on the screens. Book a reception. Host a birthday. Or just sit with a cocktail and let the vinyl spin.

Because at Wax, music isn’t background noise; it’s the reason you’re there.

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