Boston vinyl shopping

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by ashulman, Oct 20, 2009.

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  1. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Sadly, just about all the used record stores I used to like are now gone. The only one I know of now is In Your Ear, which has a store near The Paradise rock club, and one in Harvard Square.

    I see an ad for a store called Deja Vu out in the suburb of Natick. Never been there, though.

    Oh! And I just found another one in Cambridge that I've never visited: Weirdo Records at 844 Mass Ave, between Central and Harvard squares.

    Good luck!
     
  2. naru1980

    naru1980 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I wonder why so many have closed down recently, with vinyl doing as well as it is...
     
  3. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Amazed she's still there. If it's still like it was about 20 years ago (and no reason to think it isn't), it opens at odd hours and is like seeing 500 yard sale selections of records all jammed in one place, presided over by an eccentric older lady who will price your stuff when you get to the counter. You're looking for her mistakes - if you ask, she might show you her "special" records in the back, but the pricing on those is nutty.
     
    Marc Perman likes this.
  4. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    I was last there a year ago with no change. The earlier post about the Newbury Comics in Norwood still holds as well. There is another store, coincidentally in Natick as well, called Listen Up. It's small, but I've seen some good finds there every so often. If you're planning a weekend trip, be advised that they close on Sundays.
     
  5. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Planet Records (Cambridge), Nuggets (Boston), In Your Ear (Boston, Cambridge), Looney Tunes are all still around...
     
  6. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    I don't know about the others, but Looney Tunes has been gone for at least a year or two. As I heard it, their stock was bought out by a junk shop on Harvard Ave. in Allston. I went hunting for it a few months ago but I couldn't find it. Someone told me, though, that there were almost no records for sale there now. I miss Looney Tunes - it was my favorite. I spent a lot of money there over the years.

    And are you sure about Nuggets? I thought they were gone, too. Maybe not.

    I know that Stereo Jack's in Cambridge was just about to shut down a couple of years ago, but I'm surprised to find that their web site is alive and it looks like the store may still be open!

    Cheapo's on Mass Ave. in Central Square is still in business, I think.
     
    thedudeabidz likes this.
  7. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Wait...Looney Tunes in Boston and Cambridge are both gone? I would guess that if their stock got sold to a junk shop, it was cherry picked by record dealer(s) first.
     
  8. thedudeabidz

    thedudeabidz Stepping sharply from the rank and file

    Location:
    Bahstun, MA USA
    I remember reading in one of the last issues of the Phoenix that Looney Tunes Boylston was moving to that old firehouse across the street from O'Brien's on Harvard Ave. in Allston, but have yet to make it over there to confirm. Sounds like it didn't make it? And the one just outside of Harvard Square on Mass Ave. is gone too. I really miss those stores. I had a few conversations with the owner, and he was a cool dude. He cleaned every worthy record on a VPI cleaning machine. He had a great selection, and everything I bought from both locations was in beautiful condition. Those were the best vinyl stores in the city. The Boylston area has totally lost its cool.

    Planet Records never recovered from the fire that destroyed the Kenmore store. The original Harvard Square location next to Shay's got moved down to Mt. Auburn Street by Darwin's. I pop in there every now and then, and I must say that it's usually worth the trip. On the pricey side, but I've found some jewels. Darwin's has great food and coffee.

    Don't bother with Cheapo's.

    Stereo Jack's was supposed to be gone by now, but I think they're still open. It's always worth going there. Cambridge Common is great for a beer and some apps.

    I think that In Your Ear in the Square gets picked clean regularly. I've never found anything of interest there. Just go to the Newbury Comics in the garage and see what's there. That gets picked clean regularly as well, but the kids leave some interesting stuff untouched. Harvard is full of great eating and drinking spots.
     
    naru1980 likes this.
  9. naru1980

    naru1980 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Great! Thanks. I will be doing most of my shopping on a Sunday, hopefully these places are open. Also (unrelated), do you know of a good coffee shop where I could plug in and do a few hours of work on my laptop?
     
    PROG U.K. likes this.
  10. thedudeabidz

    thedudeabidz Stepping sharply from the rank and file

    Location:
    Bahstun, MA USA
    I can't recall if the Darwin's by Planet Records has WiFi, but they have great coffee and food and they're local, so you should poke your head in there to check it out. I think that the JP Licks in Harvard Square has WiFi, but it's usually crowded. If you like Charbucks, there are three of them in Harvard Square (one when you walk up from Harvard Station, one by Club Passim and one in The Garage where Newbury Comics is), and I know that all three of them have WiFi.
     
    naru1980 likes this.
  11. naru1980

    naru1980 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Thanks!
     
  12. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Looney Tunes was WAY WAY better in before they got sold to the new owner (the one who used the VPI machine). They used to have great prices and good turnover. After they got sold, they still had some interesting stuff in the racks, but not a fifth as much as before, and it was all priced a LOT higher. The changeover occurred more than a decade ago, I think...

    Plane was best on Boylston. They were OK on JFK Blvd in Harvard Square. They are less great in their new location, which is far out of the way of normal traffic. I am surprised they've even survived in that new location.

    Stereo Jack's got a reprieve and seems to be there for the long haul, now. Jack really knows his stuff, and he prices very fairly. Small store, but decent turnover. Definitely worth a visit.

    Reed, who runs In Your Ear, is a great guy, and he knows his music. The one in Cambridge was always a little odd, but the one on Comm Ave next to BU is very good. Although I have to admit I haven't been there in a while...

    Cheapo's...Well, they have longevity, I'll give them that. But the owner is not much fun. After the one time I went though their entire stock of used/cutout vinyl and found a couple of things...only to have the owner tell me, when I brought them up, that "oh, these are mis-priced, we can't sell them for that...". (They had the Cheapo price stickers on them, and they CLEARLY had been sitting in the bins with those price stickers for some time...). He didn't mean that someone had changed the prices. Just that the prices on them weren't satisfactory to the owner at that moment. So I handed him his copy of The Wombles that he wanted $30 for (it was marked $3) and walked out. All done.
     
    thedudeabidz likes this.
  13. SixtiesGuy

    SixtiesGuy Ministry of Love

    I don't enjoy seeing independent retailers close, but shops run by people like that don't deserve to survive. If the owner doesn't like the prices as marked he should pick his lazy ass up and change them, not decide what to gouge charge you based on what he thinks you can afford, or hopes you'll be willing to pay when he thinks you're "a live one".
     
  14. pat mcgrath

    pat mcgrath Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston,Ma.
    Looney Tunes was not sold to a new owner.I was (am)the owner for the last 32 years.We started using theVPI machines in 1988.Perhaps my ever changing look(weight gain,weight loss,long hair,short hair,beard,no beard)was a cause of confusion.Nor was our stock sold to a junk store as was suggested in a previous post.Right now Looney Tunes is in limbo as I look for a new location(the move to Allston didn't work out quite as planned)But reopen I must as I am in no way suited for regular employment.
     
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  15. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    Went to in your ear and weirdo records last week. Weirdos has no selection whatsoever.
    In your ear was better but nothing was in my tastes
     
  16. hkm3

    hkm3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Finland
    Take care, Pat! I was a student in Berklee in the late nineties and visited the Boylston store almost daily. One of the best record stores i´ve ever visited, only great memories of the place (and lots of records from there too, of course).
     
  17. RobGordon35

    RobGordon35 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    Pat, give me a shout when you get your new place. I visit Boston from time to time so I'll drop by.
     
    pat mcgrath and Om like this.
  18. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass

    Better yet, post the new location here so all the locals can find you.
     
    RobGordon35 likes this.
  19. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    The In Your Ear next to BU is better than the one near Harvard Square...
     
    Om likes this.
  20. bresna

    bresna Senior Member

    Location:
    York, Maine
    Good to hear that Looney Tunes may rise from the ashes. I miss that store, especially chatting with Louis Locicero (sp?). He was a blast to chat with, especially if you got him going on Jazz guitar recordings.
     
  21. pat mcgrath

    pat mcgrath Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston,Ma.
    And so I shall!
     
  22. Lebowski

    Lebowski Hey, careful man, there's a beverage here!

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    Come to Arlington! Come to Arlington!
     
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  23. Om

    Om Make Your Own Kind Of Music

    Location:
    Boston, USA
    Here are the great ones still left in Boston and the surrounding areas. Not included on this list. Planet Records (Way too over priced), Weirdo (mostly reissues), Cheapo Records (Not really cheap and have heard the staff watch you like a hawk, a lot of the records in bad condition)

    Nuggets Records over in Kenmore Square. Heard they are very very pricey (their allowed to do that being right next to Fenway) but definitely a great selection! http://www.nuggetsrecords.com



    In Your Ear! over on Commonwealth Ave seems to attract musicians and fans of all shapes and sizes. Really like their grading system they use on all their vinyl. Be prepared to dig deep to find what your looking for. http://www.iye.com

    [​IMG]

    Weirdo Records
    in Cambridge Massachusetts. It's a very niche record store and that's why I love it. They sell mostly new records but this store will broaden your horizon of music. This place isn't for everyone but it's going on the list for it's uniqueness out of all the record stores. The staff is extremely knowledgable and will certainly show you what your looking for if you haven't a clue. Just 10 minutes away from Boston. http://www.weirdorecords.com/

    [​IMG]



    Now if your willing to travel out of your Boston their are some fantastic places I've heard of


    Mystery Train Records in Gloucester. This store has everything, a huge selection for a great price. If you want European imports, original pressings these guys have it! http://mysterytrainrecords.com/

    [​IMG]


    Salem Record Exchange in Salem. Never been to this place but have been hearing people come from Boston to go to this place. It's jam packed with everything and I'm just dying to check the place out.

    [​IMG]

    Pat even though your not in Boston anymore when you reopen you got yourself a customer! The next store aught to be just as good. Must be a mess storing those 100,000 records without a store if you did hold on to em.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 21, 2014
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  24. Andrew

    Andrew Chairman of the Bored

    Glad to see Mystery Train in Gloucester is still going strong! :cool:
     
    Om likes this.
  25. Lebowski

    Lebowski Hey, careful man, there's a beverage here!

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    When I saw on Boston.com that Jimmy Page had been shopping for records in Boston that day it made my head explode! I think he was in town doing some at Berklee College, like getting an honorary degree or something.
     
    Om likes this.
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