Owner of Jerry's Records (Pittsburgh) sells store

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by npc210, May 24, 2017.

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  1. npc210

    npc210 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Don't worry ... it's still staying open. :) Jerry is a great guy and has run an amazing used record store for a long time. I wish him all the best.

    First the good news: As the sign outside the Squirrel Hill store says, Jerry’s Ain’t Closin’.

    The bad news is that after more than 40 years in the record business, beloved owner Jerry Weber is stepping away from the vinyl store that brought him international fame.

    Citing the need for another round of knee surgery, Mr. Weber has sold Jerry’s Records to employee Chris Grauzer for an undisclosed price, and his last day at Jerry’s will be July 31.

    “I sold him the store, the store name, the phone number. He’s going to be the face of Jerry’s Records,” Mr. Weber says.

    Now, some more good news: “I’m walking away, but I’m not stepping off the face of the Earth,” he adds.

    Once he recovers from the surgery, he will be reborn as “Vinyl-Man” and will be selling off pieces of his own 20,000-record collection online and at record shows.

    “Does a 69-year-old man need 20,000 records in his own collection?” he says. “I walk past my wall and there’s like 2½ feet of Billie Holiday records. I only need about a foot of Billie Holiday records!”


    Jerry's Records owner retiring, but store will remain open
     
  2. Bill Larson

    Bill Larson Forum Resident

    The vast majority of my collection was obtained at Jerry's-- the half-off classical deal is why I have like 2.5 feet of Leopold Stokowski records.
     
  3. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    “Does a 69-year-old man need 20,000 records in his own collection?” he says. “I walk past my wall and there’s like 2½ feet of Billie Holiday records. I only need about a foot of Billie Holiday records!”
    Gotta love a guy who realizes the hole he's built for himself and realizes he needs to start digging out :)
     
  4. Fullbug

    Fullbug Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    That solves my epitaph issue then: "Here lies Fullbug. He only needed about two feet of Who records."
     
  5. Cokelike-

    Cokelike- Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Oh
    Haha! :righton:
     
    Fullbug likes this.
  6. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Time marches on, the years fly right on by...

    I had lived in Pgh, PA. for many years, have bought and sold numerous records at "Jerry's".
    I recall when his place first opened in Oakland, then the relocation to Squirrel Hill.
    Very successful place, one of my old Beatles collector-friends worked there.
    Even prior to Jerry's there always was a decent record scene in the 'burgh'.
    I worked at "Heads Together" mid 70's for years, "NRM" in Monroeville for a couple years too.
    I go back to the day's of "Brother Georges", the "Free People's Store", "RecordRama", "Eides",
    and who could ever forget Jim of "Jim's Records" when punk first started. I especially loved
    "Stedefords", Ron was my personal go to guy for everything Beatles/Solo.. first crack at every
    promo record, promo swag and special displays that came out.
    Great memories absolutely, was transferred with work back in 1992- having every Beatles
    record from '64 on... I really got serious around 1972, in Pgh. So, the thread brings back so many
    memories of my early days as a novice collector.

    Best on ya Jerry.. for a successful surgery, I'm right behind with a hip re-do, and a reverse shoulder
    implant soon. That's from carrying all those records, something we never thought about so long ago.
     
  7. Fortysomething

    Fortysomething Forum Resident

    Location:
    Californ-i-a
    That's my hometown but I never knew that place in my younger days. I was a teenager in the 80s, and sadly too much of what I bought then was on cassette. I skipped school and hit NRM, Oasis and Tape World at Monroeville Mall a lot!

    Just checked Jerry's out for the first time recently. Amazing, though there was stuff I was sure I'd find there that I didn't. Wish I'd have discovered it when the Basement was still there.

    Hope he has a happy retirement & that the store keeps going.
     
    Bill Larson likes this.
  8. Bill Larson

    Bill Larson Forum Resident

    We probably crossed paths! I was usually pilfering the classical cutout LP bins and depleting the stock of BASF chrome tapes.
     
    Fortysomething likes this.
  9. spinout66

    spinout66 Member

    Location:
    pgh...
    Years ago i brought a close friend of mine from Oklahoma to Jerry's to buy some Elvis records & he went nuts in there ...Bought some great ep's and some mint 45's and an Elvis
    '56 scarf..Not to mention the Great Elvis records i bought myself...Madison square garden promo-Perfect 4 parties ep. Thanks Jerry........
     
    Mike Mainiero likes this.
  10. GK

    GK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh PA
    Loved Stedeford's...he closed and reopened as Son of Stedefords just down the street, and finally closed fror good late last year. My last purchase there was a couple Run DMC records....
     
  11. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Sure, Ron was a real good guy to me and a great connection... His Mom was real sweet too.
    Been gone for years... "Son Of Stedefords" - how great is that!
     
  12. GK

    GK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh PA
    Son of Stedefords closed February 2017. It happened suddenly...wonder what happened to the inventory..
     
  13. pghmusiclover

    pghmusiclover Senior Member

    They lost their lease at their last location— they are still looking for space to reopen their store. They were looking at something else on the same street and also in “The Garden Theater” (where renovations have been ongoing for quite some time)!
     
    Maranatha5585 likes this.
  14. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Hi Pghmusiclover,
    If you would ever run in to Ron sometime... could you kindly tell him "Beatles" Bruce from the 1970's and 80's says a BIG Hello, and all my greetings! ... would greatly appreciate it.

    :wave: Thank you Sir.
     
  15. pghmusiclover

    pghmusiclover Senior Member

    I will most definitely do that -- Ron provides "pop up" store delivery of new releases to me and a few others in the North Side on Fridays!
     
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  16. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Oh super! Thanks friend, think he'll get a real kick out of it... tell him I'm still a crazed collector and added Dylan to my list of high-end collectibles. Pittsburgh Rules!

    Bruce Mulle'

    GO STEELERS !!
    [​IMG]
    orig '76 w/ Gimbels hang tag
     
    Fender Relic likes this.
  17. GK

    GK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh PA
    It would be great if he could open something here in the North Side. The Garden now has that bookstore, restaurant, and small stage. A record store would fit right in there.
     
  18. kevin5brown

    kevin5brown Analog or bust.

    Memories ... My dad and Jerry were friends. Pretty much once a week when I was a teenager for years, we went down to his store and just hung out. Bought records, traded, sold, etc. Going to Jerry's when I was a kid with my dad are some very fond memories. One of the best parts of growing up in Pittsburgh. Always wanted to try to get back in touch with him, and tell him how important his store was to me.

    I even remember the progression, I think! Record Graveyard 1st, then Garbage Records, then Jerry's. I think. :)
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2017
  19. pghmusiclover

    pghmusiclover Senior Member

    I saw Ron on Friday when he dropped off my new releases and he said to say "hi" and "rock on"!
     
  20. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Thanks... that's cool and looking way back in the rearview mirror a good 35 years.
    Does he have a unique small business to a chosen clientele or is he on line ?
    sounds a bit clandestine...
     
  21. schwarcw

    schwarcw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I've been going to Jerry's for many years. I was just there two weeks ago. Chris is the new owner. Nice young man and I wish him good luck!

    I visited Stedeford's for the first time in the late '60s. Jazz and blues in the back of the store. Mrs. Stedeford was mostly up front.

    Heads Together, Free People's Store, Record Rama! WOW! Those were some cool places. The NRM on Fifth Ave downtown was a great store. All gone now!
     
    pghmusiclover likes this.
  22. pghmusiclover

    pghmusiclover Senior Member

    He’s got a few regular customers to whom he delivers — as I mentioned previously, they are still trying to lock down a location, preferably on the North Side.
     
    Maranatha5585 likes this.
  23. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    ahhh.. got you, that would be super if he can reopen again,
    that name is the greatest "Son of Stedefords" .. fantastic!
    I'll send a good thought up for him and maybe next time I'm
    up I can visit.
     
    pghmusiclover likes this.
  24. Fifth-Chord

    Fifth-Chord VG+

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I've had the opportunity to shop at Jerry's on several occasions but had the honor of interviewing him early this year. We discussed his retirement and the sale of 700,000 45s among other things. He truly is a Pittsburgh treasure.

    Does anyone have an update on Jerry's auction sites? Over the last few years I've been an active bidder for rare and near mint condition records listed on the two auction sites that appear to have been taken down at this time.

     
    Chris C and The Elephant Man like this.
  25. schwarcw

    schwarcw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Chris is not doing auctions. He does have a collectors bin at the front of the store where he has some higher priced stuff.
     
    Fifth-Chord likes this.
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