Record Stores

[Sweet Jane 61]

I miss record stores. The ones from back in the day. The town I grew up in had one uptown. It was owned by a family in town and it was a cool store. Posters all over and so many albums and 45's to look through. You could even check out some stuff before you bought by taking a listen. Everyone would be hanging out talking music and having fun. Even when I was in college, we would head down to Columbus and on High St by the campus there were a lot of record/head shops. I miss those a lot, WalMart, BetsBuy and such are just not the same. If I had the money I would love to open one with records and CD's and just cool stuff all over.

[Lucky]

I frequent Vintage Vynil or Westwood Wax (besides vynil and cds you can find a lot of print stuff). The closest things to the old record stores.

I also like the small used cd stores. We have a local one, CD Reunion, where you can buy new and used. It's easy to get into conversations and discussions like the old days.

I do not go to walmart!

Edited April 24, 2006 by Guest

[Sweet Jane 61]

We have nothing like that around here, you have to go to Columbus or Cleveland. It is sad really, I think a little record store would do great. And I think the younger generation would like checking out some vinyl...never know they may even think it is cool!

[Crazy Don]

There is still one good record store in Charleston, Budget Tapes & Records in Kanawha City. I sometimes go in there if I'm in the neighborhood. I hope it never goes out of business, since it's probably the last independent record store around here…

[Otokichi]

Jelly's is located in a sort-of industrial area, in back of a Ford dealership. It's the latest incarnation of Norm Winter's idea of a full service media store. Posters, books, comics, laserdisks, DVDs, CDs, vinyl records, etc. There is a 5 disk limit at the listener's table, but you can audition CDs, tapes, and disks. It looks like, and is a Head Shop as far decor goes, and the bargain bin CDs are up to $5, but I've found very obscure stuff there. The music CDs are broken down into two major categories: 1930's-1970's or 1980's-Present. It's a time machine, where the years fall away, and the music playing on the store's PA system runs the gamut from A to Z.

[Malakin]

If I had the money I would love to open one with records and CD's and just cool stuff all over.

I think this same thing everytime I watch high fidelity.

[Sweet Jane 61]

Malakin...give me a call! We will open up that store!!

[bluesboy]

Yeah, that High Fidelity movie reminds me of the time I spent in a record store just like that circa 1965 - 1970.

[Kevin]

I always thought they carried the coolest silks and t-shirts you could find , as well . Travelling fairs had good ones , but you had to risk spending ~ $50.00 + to win those games to get one - if you were lucky to boot . Better to just go to the store ...

[edna]

I love record stores. There are some in the city I live which are really good, you can find gems... Sometimes I go and sell some stuff (promo stuff) and also buy some vinyls or cds, rarities... First thing I do in some country I don´t know is going to see the record shops... I had a boyfriend who worked in one of the best and he used to save rarities for me.

[invisible_r]

I find them intimidating sometimes. I think that people are going to stare at me because I don't belong there! bigger stores are more anonymous

anyway, there are some really good ones in downtown athens, and in some areas of london too, so they are not obsolete

[katie_sane]

We have no record stores in my city. We have one cd/dvd shop which is part of a massive chain of cd shops. They sell mostly top 40 and the staff are really ignorant and rude. I can feel their hate when I ask about a cd

We have a department store with a cd section too, but you can't order any in. What they've got is it.

I collect records and usually I get them from markets or family members.

[Sweet Jane 61]

I would like to travel around and check out local record stores. Nothing mainstream, just the ones that everyone in town hangs out at. Anyone up for the trip??

[_Laurie_]

Oh Jane...that would be so cool....ya know there's so many things like that, you wish you had the time for...so many things I would love to do and who knows when I'll ever be able to do them...ya know?....life is way to hectic these days and Jane you always bring back memories for us on how the way things use to be....carefree, and no worries, or stress.....

Edited April 26, 2006 by Guest

[_Laurie_]

Jane...I say me and you hit the road....up for the trip???

[Sweet Jane 61]

Laurie...I am so ready, more than you know girl!! :happybanana: :happybanana:

[Sweet Jane 61]

Oh Jane...that would be so cool....ya know there's so many things like that, you wish you had the time for...so many things I would love to do and who knows when I'll ever be able to do them...ya know?....life is way to hectic these days and Jane you always bring back memories for us on how the way things use to be....carefree, and no worries, or stress.....

Laurie...it does seem that I remember the past a lot, but it was a time in my life that I loved every minute of and I love talking about it, and someday want to share those great times with my daughter. I was lucky to grow up when I did!!

[_Laurie_]

Yep...those were the days my friend....

[Malakin]

I love the parts in Swing Kids when they show him going to the record shops.. And they have those listening booths where you'd go in and put a record on (an actual vinyl album!!! imagine..) and listen through headphones. Man, those would have been the days for shopping for records.. Nowadays, cd stores are always too loud, the people who work there just think it's cool to have a job in the mall where they can wear jeans, and if you're not trendy enough for them they're not interested in anything you want to buy.

A few years back, maybe around 98, 99.. a friend of mine and I put a business plan together for opening a record shop. We were going to call it Backstage Pass, and the nametages would look like backstage passes (oh how clever!). We were going to hook up with local music venues and sponsor shows, say Cheap Trick came to town, they'd be Cheap Trick, appearing at the Silo, sponsored by Backstage Pass, your local music alternative! That sort of thing.. And the bands would do in-store appearances, etc.

Well, the idea was to have people buy memberships, alot like a Sam's Club, or BJ's wholesaler, and they would get heavily discounted prices, and first chance at ticket sales, or whatever. Anyway, we came up with the business plan, picked out a location, we even had the amount of money we needed for shelves figured out. We had accounts ready to be set up with distribution, and label reps willing to help out. Went to the bank, they approved a 250k startup loan, we just needed 10% down. Well, we didn't have 25k, otherwise I'd hopefully still be part owner of Backstage Pass.. *sigh*

To make a long story short, I definitely share your passion for record stores, and the desire to open one. Unfortunately I hit a stumbling block I couldn't overcome, and now the market's so different, I just don't know that I'd try it again. I'm not savvy enough to the new marketplace to be financially lucrative. Oh well, in the meantime, I'm still looking for the perfect record shop around here.

[Malakin]

It makes me sad that I killed this topic.

[MarcM]

Cee Cee, remember PooBah Records? Or Canterbury? Those were the only places I would go when I was a teen. Going to Poobahs was an adventure because I had to travel about 8 miles one way by bus. It was in an old house and not only had a great selection of off the wall stuff and regular stuff, but a good selection of "alternative" comics, too.

[Shawna]

I remember a great record store that I used to frequent when I was a mobile DJ (yes, it's true - before CDs came out, even) to get 45s, hits and more obscure hard-to-find. It was Blue Meannie Records in El Cajon, California. It was there that I learned that it's not the vinyl that's worth the money, it's the dust cover. And it was there that I learned how much freakin' money my parents threw out with the trash when they pitched all their Elvis 45s dust covers in favor of those record albums that look like photo albums. Crikey.

[Jenny]

I looked in the phone book under record shops to see how many there were in my county.....1. Right in my town, too, but still, only one!! I guess most kids download, buy online or are at the mercy of Wal-Mart or FYE at the nearest mall.

I don't have a problem with Wal-Mart, but I just don't trust that the records I buy there aren't all "edited".

[Jimmy1104]

There was nothing like going to the record store when I was a kid. Living in NYC we had both the small mom and pop shops and then there were the record chains. I use to run downtown as a kid to a place called Discomat. Their prices for new albums were unbeatable. I know they had Sam Goody beat back then by more than 2 bucks an album. I think most albums went for $3.69 or $5.99 for double albums.

I am also one of those believers in vinyl sounding better than CD, of course as long as the album doesn't have scratches in it. The other thing I wanted to mention is just this morning I heard a blurb on a newstation that vinyl was making sort of a comeback. I never got to hear the story itself but I would have to believe the vinyl is still around for all of the hip hoppers who love scratching.

[Shawna]

I never got to hear the story itself but I would have to believe the vinyl is still around for all of the hip hoppers who love scratching.

Take heart, Jimmy. The radio station I listen to plays what they call a "needle drop" song every day at 1:00 p.m. complete with static, scratching, the works. Takes me back...