This short documentary chronicles the life and times of legendary record collector and shop owner Val Shively, and his illustrious career in Philadelphia and beyond. At first glance he’s a quirky and sometimes abrasive store owner with a “Do Not Enter” sign on the front door of his store with 4 million records. But Val Shively also personally owns what many experts consider to be the greatest private collection of Black American “group harmony” records (frequently referenced as “doo-wop” in the public sphere). The question remains – where will this collection permanently reside as Val contemplates the meaning of his life’s work?

Filmmaker Christopher Plant shines a light on the idiosyncratic day-to-day of Val’s shop while also highlighting important moments and people along the way that helped Val become who he is today. With anecdotal stories and personal interviews from important players in the world of Philadelphia music, a breezy portrait emerges of a highly opinionated expert tackling the bigger questions at play in the sphere of major collectors and collections: where, what, why and how will this timeless collection live on?