Johnny’s Records in in Darien is celebrating 50 years in business this coming weekend.

Owner John Konrad has been behind the counter since it opened in 1975 and admits even he did not see this coming.

"My landlord, he said, 'How long a lease do you want?' And I said 'About a year. I think I'm going do this for a year," he remembers.

It turns out he made it through that year -and then 49 more.

"I really love it," Konrad said. "I love music, and I love people, and I love the conversations I have every day. What could be more enriching?"

There were plenty of times the shop almost had to close though, including in the early 2000s, when everybody was downloading their music.

Konrad says he even put a "going out of business" sign on the door and set a date, but as it got closer, he couldn't do it.

"I just felt physically ill, I couldn't do it, I could not do it. I just love this store too much, it's so much a part of who I am, that I could not do it, so I figured I'm going to do whatever I have to do to make this work," he says.

He tells News 12 that meant getting a little creative, including selling clothing and hats, plus one year where he says only selling Simpsons shirts carried the business.

In the end, Konrad says the shop has been about the people just as much as the business - especially some of the younger kids, who would end up wandering into the store regularly.

"They could come in here and have a place to feel at home," Konrad said. "If you remember being a teenager, feeling at home was really a hard thing to do."

That included one young kid named Richard Melville Hall.

Before he sold 20 million albums and was nominated for six Grammy awards, "Moby" actually got his first job at Johnny's, and shared a congratulatory video telling Konrad, "your store is arguably the greatest thing about Darien."

As for the 50th anniversary, Konrad says up until a few months ago, he had hardly thought about it or planned anything.

But he started talking to a few people, and next thing he knew. he had a giant party, with eight local bands - including an Elvis impersonator planned.

"it just turned into something - like the store - you know, I don't know how stuff happens - it just does. You put a little love, you put a little energy, you put a little soul into something and whoop - you got something," he laughed.

While Konrad says he has had conversations about who will take over the shop when he retires, he also says, it won't be now.

"I guess I'll know when I know," he said. "If they take me out in a box, that's OK, worse things can happen, you know, there's worse ways to go, and I'd be happy."