This week marks a milestone for Nick Tsiftilis, owner of Downtown Discs, as his business goes into its 10th year of selling records.

To celebrate the occasion, all merchandise has been discounted 10 percent as of last Monday. The sale runs through Sunday.

Tsiftilis said the sale was a way to thank the community for 10 years of support.

Downtown Discs offers a wide array of merchandise and new and used music, though the store originally sold just music. It first was located at 131 E. Lincoln Highway, where the Thai Pavilion now stands.

With only a meager collection of about 250 used CDs and 50 tapes from Tsiftilis’ private collection, Downtown Discs opened its doors to DeKalb in 1992.

“Back then, CDs cost between $22 and $30,” Tsiftilis said. “That was generally more than most students could afford, so I opened a business aimed at buying and selling used CDs.”

At the age of 23 Tsiftilis opened Downtown Discs while he was attending NIU. He eventually got some of his siblings involved in the business after he graduated.

Tsiftilis said the store received a lot of attention from the community and, after only four months, he was able to move his business into a larger, more accommodating space below where Axe In Hand is now located at 722 W. Lincoln Highway.

The store remained at that location for nearly three years before moving to its current location at 866 W. Lincoln Highway after Rose Records closed its doors.

Nick’s brother, Chris, started working at the store a year after it opened. Chris was 19.

“Chris and I built the store’s first CD bin together, and we still use it in the store today,” Nick said.

Nick’s sister, Paula, later became involved in a new business that grew out of Downtown Discs.

Downtown Discs produced several other offspring for Nick and the Tsiftilis family. With co-owner Chris, Nick opened Starbuster’s Bar and Grill. Then they opened Thirsty Liquors, which is next door to Starbuster’s.

A mere six months after the opening of the liquor store came Let It Be, an eclectic clothing shop that sells new fashions.

Nick and Chris’s sister, Paula, soon became manager of Let It Be, 854 W. Lincoln Highway, near Downtown Discs.

“Paula helped around Downtown Discs since she was about 13, when the store first opened,” Nick said.

She is now Let It Be’s fashion consultant.

“When she first started helping out around the store, I told her someday I’d take her to New York for a fashion show,” Nick said.

He eventually made good on his promise. The two now take about five trips a year to check out fashion trends on the east and west coasts and to purchase examples of the new designs for their store.

Nick said he is happy with the way he and his family have been treated in DeKalb. He is glad his businesses have been supported so strongly that he can open other types of businesses in the community.

He said some people are surprised at how fast the time went by.

“People come in and are, like, ‘Wow! It’s been 10 years?’”