Record Stores

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I have to put in another plug for Amoeba as one of my fave record store experiences. Luckily, I get to go to San Francisco again next week, and the Haight store is on my agenda!

When in Toronto, do check out the following:
Soundscapes: Not the biggest store in the city, but it has the best-edited selection of CDs in the city. New releases are often less expensive here than they are at the big-box locations.
She Said Boom: Maybe not the broadest selection, but it's still pretty good, and the staff add a pretty good snarky ambience (hi Simon)
Rotate This: Biggest selection of indie stuff in the city, both CD and vinyl, generally at pretty good prices too. As someone else pointed out else-thread, you can sometimes feel like they're looking down their noses at you, but who cares what they think, anyhow, as long as they have what you want?
HMV 333: If you HAVE to hit a big corporate megastore, this is the place, with the deepest selection of anything in the city. If you're looking for those old ELO albums, they're likely here. If you want those old Stranglers, they're here. If you want Firesign Theatre reissues, they're here. So it's faceless and expensive, but you've got a much better chance of finding what you're after. Plus it's got one of the biggest classical and jazz sections in the city now that Sam's has hit the chute.

― Sean Carruthers, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Oh, and as far as Edmonton goes, anthony, I quite liked Blackbyrd and Southside Sound. The new Sound Connection just isn't the same as the old one on ...101st, I think it was. But I still brought home a bunch of vinyl from there, despite that.

― Sean Carruthers, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Windy and Carl's store -- Stormy Records. And grand it is too, even though I've only shopped on line with it.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

where is the record store pictured on the cover of "endtroducing" by DJ Shadow?

― fritz, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I was in Stormy Records last year. Only later did I learn it was Windy & Carl's store. I'm pretty sure somebody else was behind the counter when I was there. Great store though. So is Neptune. I've spent many a lost afternoon in Encore and Flat Black & Circular. Vertigo, in Grand Rapids, which is sort of a successor to Vinyl Solution, shows promise. [<-SHAMELESS PLUG]

― Curt, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I went to Amoeba in Los Angeles for the first time last weekend. It's sorta depressing watching people trade in stacks of records and finding rows of boxes filled with 45s from the 80s being sold for a dollar (each, not the whole box!). I found A Walk Across The Rooftops by the Blue Nile. The title track reminds me a bit of the Associates, but the rest of the album is hazier. There's a lot to listen to in it.

What about Rasputin's in SF? I didn't have enough time when I was there, but they seemed to have a pretty good selection.

I used to go to Aron's in Los Angeles. I hope they don't go out of business because of Amoeba.

Is Parasol Records in Urbana a real store? They sent me a free compilation and they updated me about five times on shipping.

― youn, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Vertigo, in Grand Rapids, which is sort of a successor to Vinyl Solution, shows promise.

That's Herm Baker's (???) new shop, isn't it? I've heard good things from co-workers, and the two times I went to VS were very memorable and hard on the wallet. You know the place is unique when you're greeted by a Chameleons section that resembles most stores' Grateful Dead selection. Does Dave F. still have his place in GR?

― Andy K, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Thumbs up on Stormy Records (Windy and Carl's store). Surprised not to see Car City mentioned by the Detroiters as that's always a mandatory stop when I'm up that way.

The rust belt honor roll: Stormy, Neptune, Car City (Detroit), Bent Crayon, My Generation, My Mind's Eye (Cleveland), Used Kids (Columbus), Paul's (Pittsburgh), Everybody's (Cincinnati).

― Jeff Wright, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

More for Toronto:

Penguin Records (2 McCaul St)

If you want reggae...go to Eglinton west. There are some of the best stores there and they all have some of the best new stuff on 45.

Montreal in the Plateau Mt. Royal area...:

The best store, in my estimation, is L'Oblique. I wish I could remember the cross streets....This is the only store in Montreal that stocks punk, indie rock, weird random stuff alongside reggae, electro, and other funkiness. The staff are lovely and very helpful-- not condescending at all.

On St. Laurent:

Disquivel: a used LP lovers paradise--but they also have some new stuff. It used to be a good source of simply vinyl stuff, but since sv tanked, they've got less. Lots of weird stuff and used/new cds too.

Inbeat: House, house, and more house.

Noize: Not a bad selection, but heavy on the electro, techno, housey funk, and breaks.

Rotation (just off St. Laurent on Prince Arthur): The folks here are rather nice--they try and cover a few too many genres, but are mostly strong in IDM, techno, house, hip-hop, and other funky chunky stuff.

DNA (just off of St. Laurent a wee bit east on Pine): bunch of assholes who like to pretend that they know tons more than you. I actually had someone in there (the first and last time I went) tell me that the record I asked for was "so two weeks ago"

Mojo: This is such a lovely store. They specialize in funk, reggae, and jazz, but also stock books and comics. It is just a pleasure to go to. I go once a week just to enjoy the atmosphere.

Rayon Laser: They used to rent CDs, now they just sell a great selection of used stuff and new funky shit.

― cybele, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I've been to the SF amoeba and it's quite good. Other Music in NYC is decent too. There is a great used record shop in Tucson AZ (forgot the name) actually. Similarly, Princeton REcord excahgne which was mentioned in the initial post has a prety good used lp section, but they aren;t always so good with new independent releases. Also, there is Vintage Vinyl in Evanston IL, they have a lot of hard to find stuff, but too expensive usually. I think High Fidelity was based on that shop or something. NYC may not have any one shop like amoeba, but if you walk around the village for a bit you can find about 10 or more good small shops. there used to be a website listing all village record shops but I can't find it anymore. Down here in philly we have spaceboy and AKA which both do a fine job with new releases of all types. as for online, the best shops are gemm.com (a marketplace of used sellers, but very nice for finding those rare items), tweekitten.com (best indiepop mailorder), amazon.co.uk (the dollar is strong so it's almost always cheaper to buy imports from amazon UK than in your local shop, no sales tax, even the shipping isn't bad).

― g, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Worthwhile Chicago stores:

Dusty Groove - somewhat pricey, but a good place for funk/soul/jazz/hip-hop, with the occasional rare bit.
Weekend Records and Soap - great techno shop run by Marlon Magas, with soap and some indie stuff. Hard-Boiled - not a bad little indie shop, with lots of Hong Kong movies to boot. Not so into Reckless (kind of like the Amoeba of Chicago), but it's not horrible for used CDs. I'm generally looking for rare, out-of-print vinyl, which is getting harder to come by in most used stores in town. There's some weird stores in various out-of-the-way neighborhoods (Beverly Music way down on the South Side, Raffe's Record Riot [ha!] up on the Northwest Side) that can be occasionally worthwhile. Best small town weird-ass record store: Toonerville Trolley Records, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Used to come out with armfuls of great rare punk, jazz and psych records there, for not much money. Many thanks to the college town's students, who kept in the place in business (and most of the rare vinyl untouched) because of their love of Dave Matthews and similar ilk.

― hstencil, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Andy: Yes, Eastunes is still hanging in there; Radio Kilroy and (blessedly) Believe in Music are not. In its prime, Vinyl Solution was probably the best store between Detroit and Chicago, if not between the coasts. At least one import label (Flying Nun) told them VS was their highest volume retailer in the U.S.

― Curt, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Surprised not to see Car City mentioned by the Detroiters as that's always a mandatory stop when I'm up that way.

In twenty years, when me knees finally give in, I will be able to blame Car City. I've spent plenty of time on my fucking knees while digging through their discounted used section. Biggest score had to be the reissues of the first six Durutti Column records at $4 a pop (cheaper than any Bloodrock vinyl!). Otherwise not the funnest place to navigate.

― Andy K, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

G, yes, I heard that Vintage Vinyl in Evanston was the store in High Fidelity, although it was supposedly set in Wicker Park. Vintage Vinyl is also in St. Louis, actually University City on Delmar. Big store. I'm pretty sure that's their original location. There's a smaller VV in the lovely St. Louis suburb of Granite City, Illinois.

― Curt, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I heard that Vintage Vinyl in Evanston was the store in High Fidelity, although it was supposedly set in Wicker Park.

Nope, the movie's fictional record store, Championship Vinyl, was located in a space at Honore and Milwaukee, in Wicker Park. The space has remained vacant since the shoot.

Vintage Vinyl in Evanston has some nice stuff occasionally (albeit at sky-high prices), but the older guy who works there is a total jerk.

― hstencil, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I think I take Amoeba for granted, but it's certainly the best shop I've ever been to. I don't go to Rasputin's because an employee was rude to me... over ten years ago! I can't even remember what it was, but now I won't shop there... it pays to be kind to customers, because their competitor (Amoeba) has made tons of cash off of me since....

― Andy, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Re High Fidelity: They must have used some combination of locations for interior and exterior shots, because Vintage Vinyl claims to be "the record shop featured in the John Cusack movie...". When he's outside the store, it does look like Wicker Park, not Evanston. In checking, I read where VV also claim to not be affiliated with any similarly named store, so scratch what I wrote about the St. Louis connection.

― Curt, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Checking further, I'm seeing references to Vintage Vinyl as the store *mentioned* in the film High Fidelity. Possibly due to Cusack having grown up in Evanston.

Okay, carry on...

― Curt, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Trust me, the interiors of Championship Vinyl were also the same aforementioned space at Honore and Milwaukee. Most of the store's vinyl inventory was donated by various Chicago record labels for product placement.

The Wicker Park continuity was mostly maintained throughout the movie, although there's one bizarre moment where Cusack is riding the Blue Line train, then all of a sudden is on the Red Line, up by Graceland Cemetary.

Continuity or not, it was a lousy film, but that's another thread, probably.

― hstencil, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Another vote for Stormy! And they have been putting on some pretty stylin' shows in the store from what I hear, though (shamefully) I have been way too busy with the school thing to go to any.

As far as MI goes, Record Time and Wazoo are also great, though I find the quality of the stuff at Desirable Discs has really went downhill in the past couple of years. Dearborn Music has been surprisingly good at having some really great stuff in their used section, lots of brand new releases and really eclectic stuff.

I'm actually glad I don't live in SF, because I would be destitute from spending my paycheck at Amoeba. I'd love to go back there one day.

― Nicole, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I'll be in Austin in March, anybody know what's the best record store there?

― Jeff, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Jeff, you going to SXSW?

― Andy, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

yep, the interactive part of it at least, March 7-12

― Jeff, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Rotate This: Biggest selection of indie stuff in the city, both CD and vinyl, generally at pretty good prices too. As someone else pointed out else-thread, you can sometimes feel like they're looking down their noses at you, but who cares what they think, anyhow, as long as they have what you want?
I would be the one who said that. They are arrogant arrogant but damm it they have a decent collection. Personally I LOVE Soundscapes but thats cause they get into long arguements about with me about Zen Arcade versus Warehouse etc. That and they hire people i know to work the weekends and its close to Ted's Wrecking Yard. She Said Boom is good too. And 333 Young HMV is grate despite being well you know, um, cough, corporate.

Dans la mason in Halifax, Sams The Record Man on Barrington is perhaps your best bet as is the Urban Sound Exchange next door. The Sams features past heroes from the pop exlposion and has No Distribution renting out its upstairs office space. Blastoff in Moncton was the coolest store on the east coast but went belly up this year, sigh.

― Mr Noodles, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I can't believe none of the Australians here have mentioned Au-Go-Go, Missing Link or Heartland Records. AGG is especially good for its second-hand vinyl, and Heartland have a great range of import vinyl from the UK (the only store in Melbourne that still does this).

Gaslight??? You've got to be joking. It's an awful, awful store. They never have what I want and when they do it's woefully overpriced.

The best stores of all are Dixons Recycled. Ohhh Second-hand CDs *drool*

― electric sound of jim, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

*Dixons Recycled* are woefully overpriced considering how little they give away for cds (and I mean that comparative to other second hand cd stores). Plus they rarely buy singles anymore, and considering that singles are basically all I review any more it gives me plenty of piles of crud to look at while I ANGST them.

Those other stores you mentioned are good though. Also quality: Raoul in St. Kilda for a usually smashing selection of second- hand quite-recent releases; Collector's Corner on Swanston St for likewise and new dedicated dance section (I picked up "Monster Movie" for ten dollars there last week); Greville Records for their general coolness and JB Hifi for the cheapest non- second hand stuff anywhere.

― Tim, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

How could I forget JB hi-fi? I'm a fule

Almost nowhere takes secondhand CD singles anymore. Not surprising really, since whenever I go through the secondhand CD singles I look through about 300 before finding one I'd even consider buying.

I'd also forgotten about Raoul - and it's just round the corner from my house too. I'm off there after work.

― electric sound of jim, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Another can't-believe-I-forgot-it: in San Francisco, be sure to visit Aquarius! They're small but mighty (VERY much driven by the employees' personal taste), and they have an awesome weekly e-mail update...

And another one: These Records, in London. It is bizarre, and you have to know EXACTLY where it is and when it's open (it's not visible from the street, and keeps weird hours), but they have lots of things I've never seen anywhere else.

― Douglas, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

cybele: L'Oblique is on Rivard and (I think) Rachel (a few streets south of Mt-Royal). Esoterik on Guy (between St-Marc and St-Mathieu) has a small but great used section. The store overall is great (my favourite in Montreal) and a friendly two-man staff.

― alex in montreal, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

the recordstore in japan that had no new york. i wanted to kiss every inch of that place....

― helenfordsdale, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

neptune - royal oak wendell's - royal oak recordtime - roseville flipside - mt clemens (maybe?)

― katE, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Yet another opportunity for me to mention that I threw out a copy of No New York back in high school. Haha! I guess it's a $100 lp now, though.

― Sean, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Sappy memory alert

Even though it doesn't exist anymore, Vinyl Ink in Silver Spring, Maryland is my fave record store. I went there several times a week through my high school years. The owner was one of the nicest guys I've ever met--I was a big loser in high school but he always had time to tell me long stories about Sun Ra or Roy Buchanan or God Is My Co-Pilot. Sure, most of the other people that worked there were total snobbish cretins (hey, it's DC, what can you do?) and the prices were high-ish- -it doesn't matter. That's the store where I got my first Merzbow record and highly-out-of-print Monks of Doom LPs... I get a fuzzy feeling just thinking about it. Record stores are the shit.

― adam, Sunday, 3 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

the Sound Garden is the best record store in Baltimore and probably better than any stores in D.C. too

― al, Sunday, 3 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

as a former resident of both g.r. and dearborn, i have to agree with the recommendations of vertigo and stormy records (especially vertigo). yes, vertigo is herm's new store. smaller than vinyl solution but still good stuff. herm is also extremely cool and will order you almost anything.

((still kicking myself for giving my copy of 'tony fletcher...' to a long-since-ex boyfriend...i got it at the old vinyl sol))

alas, now i am in saginaw mich and must travel for such things.

― strawberry girl, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I thought about this thread the other day when I remembered a record store conspicuously omitted what with all the Midwesterner chat - Luna Music in Indianapolis. I still haven't been, but I hear good things. Any reports?

― Curt, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

As for the Northwest...

There's nothing quite Amoeba-sized up here, but the closest store that comes to that is probably Zulu records in Vancouver, BC. Otherwise, most stores in the Northwest are a mish-mash of small stores.. and I kinda like it that way. I'd hate to have to see the same exact store every time I had the urge to shop, even if I wanted to dwell into a different genre.

Seattle has the following:

Sonic Boom records -- pretty much the 'indie' store
JAM records -- my favorite... lots of dance vinyl, very interesting rock selection, and other things... kinda like the NoiseNoiseNoise of Seattle
Wall of Sound records -- for weird world music, electronic, experimental, and other difficult things
Beats International -- dance vinyl store.. most genres covered
Zion's Gate records -- also in Portland, too. Very thorough selection of electronic, dancehall, reggae, etc.
Fallout records -- lots of garage, punk, postpunk, oddities, and undeground comix
Singles Going Steady -- punk punk punk crust etc.
Bud's Jazz records -- basement jazz record store. Pretty decent selection, though don't expect it to be into just all that Zornish stuff.
A shitload of second hand music store chains, almost everywhere you walk

― Brian MacDonald, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Other Northwest stores worth mentioning:

Rodeo records in Ellensburg, WA. I WANT TO VISIT THIS STORE. Apparently, it's one of the best of the northwest. Owned by Mark Pickerel, who used to play with Pell Mell and Screaming Trees. (Hopefully, it'll open by the time I swing by there on my upcomin road trip!)
Scratch records in Vancouver. Very thorough selection of most rock genres. Friendly staff, too.
Beat Street records in Vancouver. Huge vault of old soul, dance, and disco records for cheeeeaaap
Ditch records in Victoria. Mostly indie and punk, but a great used rock vinyl section.
Ozone in Portland. I heard rumors this store was closing(?), but pretty much the best store in Portland, last I checked.
Platinum records in Seattle. For 'serious' DJS. A couple of really nice dudes work there, but otherwise watch out for some DJ attitude there.
Frequency 8 in Seattle. Mostly trancey type dance vinyl. But the TRON-esque internal decor is amazing

― Brian MacDonald, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Oops. One more. Phantom City records (is that the name?) in Olympia. As you'd expect, it's pretty much well stocked with KRS and K related stuff. Without fail, the sidewalk speakers are always blasting Le Tigre.

― Brian MacDonald, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Is Mod Lang in Berkeley still there?

― pnewsome, Sunday, 1 February 2004 01:52 (9 years ago) Permalink

Streetlight in Santa Cruz, CA, is the best CD store in the world.

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Sunday, 1 February 2004 20:43 (9 years ago) Permalink

I very much doubt this!

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:09 (9 years ago) Permalink

If you're looking for metal, noise, hardcore or music from Providence and environs, then Armageddon Shop is the place to go. Website with more or less full catalog; they also have a mailing list which is DEFINITELY worth signing up for, as they sometimes get things in very limited quantities and may not bother to put them on the website.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

I exaggerate a little. But it's definitely the most fun to browse in I've been to, with the least snarky staff.

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:40 (9 years ago) Permalink

Well, they're my local shop, I'm there pretty much every week. As you say, it's a friendly staff and a fun place to browse. Certainly far better than the Streetlight branches in San Francisco.

Pooly stocked in some categories (especially electronic/dance). Surprisingly well stocked in contemporary classical, I'll give them that!

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Sunday, 1 February 2004 21:59 (9 years ago) Permalink

(off-post, sorry) How is Santa Cruz, by the way? I haven't been there since I studied at UCSC in 2000. Has it changed much?

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Sunday, 1 February 2004 23:38 (9 years ago) Permalink

I prefer shopping for records in charity shops or really crap, cheap second hand places. That way you end up picking up stuff you'd never usually buy and stretching your collection: top amongts these is MArket Records in Southport. There's never what you want but always, say, a Heaven 17 album or an old blues compilation that might get drowned amongst stuff you're actually looking for.

As for decent places, Probe in Liverpool is good but not as good as i used to think. Also, Concepts in Durham will always hold a special place in my heart.

― Jim Robinson (Original Miscreant), Monday, 2 February 2004 00:16 (9 years ago) Permalink

Has it changed much?
Not since 2000 anyway. I like Santa Cruz but have complicated mixed feelings.

(Oops, way off-topic! You can track me down through my ILX "user info" page if you ever want to hear the whole story...)

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Monday, 2 February 2004 00:42 (9 years ago) Permalink

I'm sure that Snickars' Records in Stockholm has to be the best recordstore in the world.

― Kornél Kovács (Kornél Kovács), Monday, 2 February 2004 00:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

Mod Lang is still there.

― svend, Monday, 2 February 2004 01:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 22 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

i like how that reads like it's one genre. it would be funny if you went into their store and they only had 5 avant-garde japanese noise industrial art-rock indie alternative free-jazz folk experimental ambient world electronic electro-acoustic neoclassical records and nothing else.

― scott seward, Saturday, 20 June 2009 22:23 (3 years ago) Permalink

scott you just made me laugh.

thanks ian!

― sleeve, Saturday, 20 June 2009 22:31 (3 years ago) Permalink

When I first read that I thought it was an ad for scott's new store.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 14:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Twisted Village store in Harvard Square is closing tomorrow.
http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/onthedownload/archive/2010/07/15/harvard-square-s-twisted-village-to-close-july-25.aspx

― nerve_pylon, Saturday, 24 July 2010 17:30 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Ear X-Tacy in Louisville is closing

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 31 October 2011 22:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

Dear Louisville, and all who have shopped, supported, and loved ear X-tacy over the years,
It has been a dream come true...actually, a dream exceeded, to be part of your musical lives here in Louisville for the last 26 years. My life was changed forever, and guided by the power of music since I can remember. Music has been the soul, the heart, the passion of my life for my entire 56 years. The record store experience has been the only child in my life. Now, it's time for me to let it fly.
Thank YOU...for allowing me to be part of your musical universe. Louisville, you made me feel like I was truly HOME when I moved here in 1976. It's been a great ride, but as George Harrison knowingly said, "All Things Must Pass." It's with sadness, but also with great pride I say to you now...
ear X-tacy is no more
Long live ear X-tacy!
Please keep the music alive. Support the incredible music scene and independent businesses we have here! Until you leave this great city, you cannot realize what a unique treasure we have here. Embrace it, celebrate it, and promote it. Love it.
Thank you all for making my dreams come true. Thank you for making ear X-tacy the wonderful place that it was. I thank all of the staff that made this store THE hub for music in Louisville for the past 26 years. Please take pride in knowing that YOU have been the heart and soul of what this store became. Thank you for sharing my dream and exceeding all of my expectations! To all of the musicians who have graced our store and stage, I cannot tell you what a thrill it's been. From the local newbies to the incredibly huge national artists...THANK YOU for gracing our store and sharing you incredible musical talents with us all...that's what I like to call: "earX-tacy".
Love, peace, music and ear X-tacy to you all,
John D. Timmons
President, ear X-tacy, Inc.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 31 October 2011 22:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

Every record store is closing and it's fucking depressing.

― International Waters, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 03:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

one store that's still chugging along: http://www.prex.com/

― skip, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 03:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

This Toronto store has been in the same location since the mid-'70s:

http://www.blogto.com/services/around-again-toronto

I was there all the time during the '80s, but only drop in once every year or two now.

― clemenza, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 04:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

As far as I know, also the same two owners the whole time.

― clemenza, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 04:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

ear x-tacy wasn't really so hot the last few times i went there, much prefer underground sounds.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Tuesday, 1 November 2011 08:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

still sad i guess.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Tuesday, 1 November 2011 08:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

how is cheapos in Minneapolis doing?

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Tuesday, 1 November 2011 08:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

I realized lately that I don't go into the city as often because I don't want to find out that another record store has closed. And thus I contribute to the deaths.

― President Keyes, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 13:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

This Toronto store has been in the same location since the mid-'70s:
http://www.blogto.com/services/around-again-toronto
I was there all the time during the '80s, but only drop in once every year or two now.
― clemenza, Tuesday, November 1, 2011 4:03 AM (10 hours ago)

I LOVE Around Again--Discovery Records is also great (on the east end, in Leslieville):

― "I think I relate to the Lawrence one the most." (Craig D.), Tuesday, 1 November 2011 14:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

http://www.discoveryrecords.com

― "I think I relate to the Lawrence one the most." (Craig D.), Tuesday, 1 November 2011 14:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

Newbury Comics just sent out an update from the owner saying they need to "change or die" and are moving to hybrid stores, i.e. places that sell even MORE pop culture crap and clothes. Oy.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 14:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's crazy, the only places I can buy music in my town are target, best buy and walmart.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 14:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

Used to drop by Discovery a lot when I lived in the east end - now it's a bit of a hike so I rarely go, but if I'm looking for something specific on vinyl it's nice to know you can see if he has it on the website. Going into the store itself can be a bit intimidating for the casual music fan, though...if you're not a huge fanatic, especially about vinyl, I get the feeling that the owner might come off as a bit condescending sometimes...just because he's really into what he's doing, I'm guessing. (He's also got a nice stash of 78s in the back room, if you've got a couple hours to go through them.)

― Sean Carruthers, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 15:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

I went to this place http://www.plattfon.ch/about/ on Saturday. It's charming, well-stocked and seems to be thriving. Just want to pass on some good news.

― Daniel Giraffe, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 19:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

sad about ear x-tacy. since my sister moved to louisville, i probably bought 100+ records there, from right at the beginning of my music-buying life (6th or 7th grade); till the last time i made it down that ways a year-plus ago (got a steal on the used Loren Connors 2CD As Roses Bow). though i agree their collection had gone downhill in recent years, my tastes had also gotten more esoteric. always had a pleasant time while i was there though...stacking shitty used CDs and figuring out which combination i could afford.

― dronestreet, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 19:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

News like this makes me glad my local stores are still doing OK. There are four of them in a town of 150,000 (we used to have seven). One sells a LOT of games and DVDs to get by. One still focuses on CDs, I can't really imagine how they will continue. They added vinyl a few years back but it is completely picked over now. One is a small specialty store (with tons of decent-to-good vinyl and CDs) that depends heavily on cigarette income. The other is the venerable H0use Of Rec0rds, still going strong after who knows how many years (35?). They are continually reclaiming CD shelf space in order to stock more vinyl, new and used. They say business is fine, so I hope they'll be here for at least another decade before the data cloud takes over our brains.

― sleeve, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 20:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

(xposts) I dropped into Discovery once or twice many years ago--didn't realize it was still around. (I don't venture east much anymore.) I don't know if this is a fair statement or not, but my recollection is that it was a little on the pricy side. Do you guys remember Open City on the Danforth? That was the only store east of Yonge I ever regulary trekked out to; I thought their prices were really good, I almost always came away with a few albums.

I took some photos a few years ago for my site of all the locations where my favourite Toronto record stores once were (or, in a couple of instances, still are--Sam's, of course, has since vacated).

http://phildellio.tripod.com/records-stores.html

― clemenza, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 21:12 (1 year ago) Permalink

My fave record store in Berlin, Dense, closed last week: http://www.dense-shop.de/2011-10-17-dense-is-closing-goodbye-and-thank-you/

― Duke, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 21:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

Haha, I didn't realize you were Clemenza, Phil - have seen your writing about!

I definitely remember Open City - he always seemed to get a bunch of good recent releases in his CD stacks at the counter, probably castoffs from a reviewer. Also had a great basement of discounted items and I almost always found something good to leave with. It was a sad day when he decided to pack it in because his prices were definitely more reasonable than Discovery and it was a lot closer than the Books Plus at Main or the downtown stores!

― Sean Carruthers, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 22:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

Also just learned Monster records on Yonge near Wellesley closed down earlier in the year...guess he went back into artist management. Oh well.

― Sean Carruthers, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 22:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

Another one bites the dust, at least in its current location.
http://www.thevillager.com/?p=2018
http://blackfridaymagazine.com/new-york-city-music-scene-loses-another/01627

― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 29 February 2012 16:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

Not to kick them while they're down, but I kinda thought lots of records at Bleeker Bob's were overpriced back in the '80s...wonder what they are charging now

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 29 February 2012 21:12 (1 year ago) Permalink

A bit expensive the last time I was there (~2009) but not insultingly so.

― skip, Wednesday, 29 February 2012 21:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

So apparently Rough Trade is opening in Williamsburg...

― sktsh, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 18:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

Rough Trade East (London) was busy selling more coffee than anything else when I was in there Sunday. It's so expensive I'm not surprised.

― mmmm, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 18:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

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