Siren Records McHenry is an independent record store deeply embedded in the Chicagoland music scene. From original vinyl pressings and vintage audio equipment to in-store performances and merchandise, the store manages a high volume of unique and often irreplaceable inventory. As the business grew, its original point-of-sale system, Square, could no longer support the complexity of managing inventory, payments, and vendor relationships. Owner Bill Linquist needed a solution that could scale with the business, streamline inventory management, and simplify financial operations, without adding technical complexity. That search ultimately led him to MX™ POS and Passport, Priority’s banking solution.
Key takeaways
- MX POS enabled scalable inventory management through barcode creation and bulk uploads
- Priority’s Banking & Treasury solution, Passport, unified POS, inventory, and banking into a single source of truth
- Faster inventory turnaround directly increased revenue
- Hands-on customer support made adoption easy and intuitive
The Challenge
The store’s previous setup relied on Square for point-of-sale and payment processing. While it worked well in the early days, its limitations became increasingly clear as the business expanded.
Inventory management was time-consuming and restrictive. The generic cash register system offered limited customization, making it difficult to properly code products, manage barcodes, or scale inventory efficiently. Manual data entry became a major drain on time and labor, especially for a store dealing in unique and collectible items.
Paying vendors and individual consignment sellers was another challenge. ACH and wire transfers added unnecessary costs, meaning the business was paying the bank simply to pay sellers. Over time, these fees created added financial strain.
Hardware was also a barrier. The priorPOS system is heavily tied to Apple products, and as the business grew, maintaining an Apple-centric hardware setup became a major deterrent. At that point, the system no longer aligned with how the business actually operated or where it was headed..
The Solution
What immediately stood out about MX POS was its ability to handle inventory at scale, specifically through barcode creation and bulk inventory uploads, Bill said.
“The inventory tracker is so good it can even reorder for you. If I’m down to three pieces, it tells me. That alone saves you from losing customers.”
To put the system to the test, Bill gave Priority a major challenge: uploading 600 different record releases for a single event. Priority handled the barcodes and product information and completed the upload within an hour. What would have previously taken days of manual labor was completed accurately the same day.
With MX POS, inventory check-in became as simple as scan, confirm, and done, dramatically transforming day-to-day operations.
“If I had to manually upload 600 titles myself, it would take days. With Priority, I send the sheet, tell them my margin, and it’s done. All I have to do is spot-check and put the sticker on.”
As a complement to MX POS, Priority’s banking solution, Passport, solved another major pain point: paying vendors and consignment sellers while keeping finances organized. Passport enabled Bill to manage payments, track transactions, and consolidate financial operations in one unified system.
The Results
MX POS and Passport quickly became more than just tools; they became the operational backbone of the business.
“Now you can take all that time you used to spend entering inventory and refocus on selling more products. Instead of figuring out how to get items into the system, you’re focused on getting them out the door.”
Bill consolidated inventory management, payments, and banking into a single platform. Over time, he realized he no longer needed an external bank account; Passport handled everything. Funds were immediately accessible, and vendor payments became faster, cheaper, and easier to track.
Managing consignment inventory became significantly more efficient. Passport enabled instant payments through book transfers, eliminated ACH and wire fees, and provided clear transaction tracking.
“Passport lets me put everything in one place, track it clearly, and save money at the same time.”
With multiple accounts inside Passport, Bill gained full financial visibility. Sales tax, vendor payments, cost of goods, and profit could all be separated automatically, eliminating guesswork and preventing overspending.
Operational improvements included:
- Inventory turnaround reduced from weeks to 24–48 hours
- Unique collectibles logged, labeled, and shelf-ready overnight
- Real-time inventory visibility improved customer service
- Automated low-stock reordering prevented lost sales
Download the case study here.
Conclusion
By implementing MX™ POS and Passport, Siren Records McHenry transformed time-consuming, manual processes into a streamlined, fully integrated operation. What once took days now happens in hours, freeing the team to focus on what matters most: serving customers and driving sales.
Contact us to explore how Passport can help fuel your growth.
Quoted statements in this case study are from Siren Records McHenry owner Bill Linquist.
