Everything wrong about NYC Audio stores

Fry's on Market near Safeway?! That must have closed before I moved here in 1986.

 

I don't know about audio dealers in the Sunset. Despite living in San Francisco for nearly three decades I can probably count on two hands the number of times I've gone to the Sunset district.

 

Well, I moved there in '88, so that can't be. It was on the opposite side of the street from the Safeway, somewhere in the Noe/Church area.

LOL, I don't blame you! There be dragons in the Sunset!

 

Does Andy even have a retail store any more? I thought he closed it and was working by appointment, perhaps from an apartment or loft....

 

I don't think there was ever a Frys on Market or ever in San Francisco. I bought my last gear in 2012 at SF Stereo on Market and Sanchez. They did a whole house install for me too.

 

I live in NYC. My opinion is that the reason for this was not so much because the customers were dressed casually, but more likely because the store was staffed by people who didn't have their act together/dumbasses.

 

Yeah, I'm not remember it, either. I have had enough occasions where I've discovered my memory is faulty, though, so I'm willing to entertain the notion that there was one there and I just have no memory of it!

 

I grew up in SF and lived in the city for 5o years. No Fryes if you are speaking of the chain.

 

Just checked their website. They're still there, but by appointment only. That certainly will keep the riff-raff away.

 

Jeez, maybe I have a bad case of CRS*...
Market @ Sanchez sounds about right for the location.

*http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=CRS

 

On the appearance issue, I had to laugh. I've been going into Speaker Shop up the street for over twenty years and more days than not I am in work clothes--meaning construction work clothes. I might be covered in drywall dust or paint. Almost always dirty by degrees. Flannel shirts and a Carhart in winter, painter pants and tee shirts in the summer. If those guys didn't take care of me in the past they would not be getting the business they get out of me now.

Oh, and I built a killer kitchen for the owner a couple of years ago. I don't even go after outside work these days (I own rental property) but his promised to be a nice job so I did it. Buffalo is NOT like New York City. (I think one of the nicknames it has is The City of No Illusions.)

 

I meant I bought my rig in 2002. They closed two years ago

 

Any retailer of anything, anywhere, who expects me to chase them down, deal with their arrogance and beg them to take my money can kiss my ass.

 

So, on one of our first trips to Austin, we go to a very high end restaurant in town, serious architecture with 60 foot high ceilings, all the trappings of a very expensive, overdone place. And hanging out near the entry way, by the reception desk, is a guy who looks like he needs a bath, scuzzy beard, and one of those ski caps. (Dude, it's Texas, it's like 65 degrees out at night). My wife asked the hostess if everything was cool; sometime after we are seated, I see this same, homeless looking dude walk through the dining room, and into the kitchen. I asked our waiter who the dude was. He said, 'oh, he's the investor.' When we left after a good, but not great meal, a black Bentley was parked out front. I later confirmed from someone who knows the guy that's how he rolls. Whatever. Appearances can be deceiving.

 

It was on 9th and Bryant in the same shopping center with Trader Joe's and Bed Bath and Beyond. This is not a guess, that's exactly where they were. They've moved since then though, don't know where.

-edit- sorry for the somewhat aggressive language, just meant I know for sure that was the location.

 

>>>>how can get sued for giving your opinion? how is that even legally possible? Thats the whole purpose of Yelp.

 

I think the people being sued are giving a little more than a personal opinion.

 

Correct and they moved to a side street parallel with the 6th street on ramp to 280 off of Brannan St. You can see it to your right as you drive up the on ramp

 

Dismissive to me is an owner who seems to have no interest in discussing the product in detail, provides the impression that he has better things to do with his time, and does not offer to allow you to hear the product. No excitement towards engaging you as a potential customer/sale; basically sales 101.

He also had another staff member in the store and did not even offer to have his employee assist me further. I was the sole customer in the store at the time.

 

Hmm... This doesn't match my recollection. The place I went to back around '91 or '92 was in a more warehouse-like building south of Market, and I'm pretty sure it was further east than 9th Street. I don't think it was in a shopping center either... but after all these years, I concede that my memory may very well be faulty.

 

That shop will probably be out of business soon. They are now tucked away in an obscure alley and carry pretty much exactly what you can get at the Best Buy Magnolia store half a mile away. And don't get me started about how they held almost $10K of my money hostage for several weeks. Steve is awesome though, but not his store.

 

I visited several stores in NYC, and was very unimpressed by both their stock and service.

 

I moved to San Francisco end of '96 so you may well be correct. Sorry once again for the assertive language!

 

Nah man, we're cool!

 

That's unfortunate. I have been hearing that for the better part of 30+ years about NYC dealers. If your ever in LA, visit Brooks Berdan. No snobby nonsense there. Last time I was there, I was record shopping up the street and stopped by just to drool. They dragged me into their highest end room with the VPI direct drive, Magico Q7's and Jadis electronics and played records for me. I could never afford that system and don't look like it (look at my profile for my system). They were just genuinely excited to demo the system. An amazing group of people. Equally cool at the T.H.E. show. Our host visits them regularly as well.