720 Music spins together tunes, food and clothing

Quiche and coffee at a table near a sunny window, cool jazz in the background and the prospect of a little retail therapy: 720 Music Clothing and Cafe in Lawrenceville offers the perfect start to a Saturday.

Since 1999, 720 Music has been selling carefully curated recorded music in a succession of locations.

Last year, the store moved from Squirrel Hill to Lawrenceville and expanded its business to include a cafe, vintage clothing, books, jewelry and T-shirts created by local artists.

"The whole idea is to sell a lifestyle," Jovon Mitchell says.

Mitchell and her husband, Nate, co-own the shop with Andrew Burger and James Scoglietti. The 720 in the name refers to the degrees of rotation in two turntables.

The store's focus is on music and music-related items.

The large stock of vinyl records and CDs isn't limited to classic jazz. Hip hop, funk and soul also can be found in the bins and racks. On a recent visit, soothing jazz strains poured from speakers as images of a muted James Brown filled the video screen.

The store attracts a lot of neighborhood business and serves as a popular drop-in spot for coffee and snacks or as a refuge for students who welcome the free Wi-Fi.

That's one reason the store recently expanded the its hours and its menu with breakfast offerings.

It's now possible to enjoy a turkey sausage, egg and cheese sandwich on an English muffin ($4) or a bowl of oatmeal ($3), along with fresh-brewed coffee ($1.35 small; $2.20 large) and lattes ($4-$4.70).

Teas ($1.60 small; $2.40 large) are brewed from a large variety of loose-tea options in glass canisters.

Also beckoning from the glass-fronted case near the entrance is a selection of empanadas ($2) filled with black beans or lentils and quiche ($3), handmade by a woman who lives nearby.

We recommend the rustic quiche for its nicely flaky crust and its savory filling of custard accented with onions, mushrooms and cheese.

Also on hand are coffee shop standards such as ample slices of home-baked pound cake ($1.50) as well as a varying selection of muffins ($2.50) and slices of cake ($3.50) from commercial bakeries.

Just this week, 720 Music Clothing and Cafe inaugurated a weekly program of live jazz performances that begin at 9 p.m. Wednesdays. Doors open at 8 p.m. The cover charge is $5. But admission is free if you arrive before 9 p.m.

720 Music Clothing and Cafe, 4405 Butler St., Lawrenceville. The cafe is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the store is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; both are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Details: 412-904-4592 or www.720records.com <