Your three favorite record stores

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by tvstrategies, Jan 22, 2016.

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  1. eskaton

    eskaton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA
    I haven't, but I've heard good things and have been meaning to check it out. Maybe in the coming weeks... :thumbsup:
     
  2. Mr. LP Collector

    Mr. LP Collector Forum Resident

    Good post!

    I can personally vouch for Amoeba and Record Recycler. I've never been to Crossroads (haven't been to Portland in a long time for that matter) But I've talked to other collectors who have, they say it's first rate. Gotta get up there sometime!
     
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  3. Mr. LP Collector

    Mr. LP Collector Forum Resident

    That would be Craig Moerer. When I did Austin shows he would always stop by my table. He's been doing mail order almost as long as anybody I've ever dealt with. Gary Shrum of Blue Meannie in San Diego would get that honor. Known him since 1978. Craig and Gary-both good guys!
     
  4. bopdd

    bopdd Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Thank you! I tried to list three record stores that represented something distinct. Amoeba is the perfect combination of megastore and genuine article (in my opinion) and has something for everyone. Record Recycler is my favorite "old school" type place that keeps things simple with an emphasis on relatively common titles and genres at great prices. Crossroads (a collective of over 30 independent sellers) is almost like the world's best vinyl flea market (an every day record show if you will)--overflowing with various artists and genres--a great place to browse for hours and emerge with some real gems. If I were taking a store's "personality" into account, I would probably change up my list since Record Recycler and Crossroads aren't exactly image-conscious locales. But I value inventory and price more than anything else--it's all about browsing for me and both these stores can hold my interest for hours at a time.
     
  5. sfrost

    sfrost Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    Revilla Grooves & Gear -Main st. in Milltown NJ - Fairly new with great selection and prices .

    Vintage Vinyl in Edison NJ - been around seems forever-great selection but prices have climbed.

    Iris Records in Jersey City - Nice little shop but parking sucks
     
  6. Santo10

    Santo10 The Hot Corner

    Location:
    Oregon
    Going to bump this old thread on RSD eve.

    0. Princeton Record Exchange - Princeton, NJ
    Much like Amoeba, the only conceivable reason this isn't on your list is because you haven't been here yet.

    1. Twist & Shout - Denver, CO
    2. Love Garden - Lawrence, KS
    3. Electric Fetus - Minneapolis, MN

    Special shoutout to Quimper Sound in Port Townsend, WA. Unique location, friendly employees, a phenomenal town all around. Well worth the drive from Seattle.

    RIP to Jazz Record Mart in Chicago. Gone, but never forgotten.
     
  7. Spanish Prisoner

    Spanish Prisoner Forum Resident

    Location:
    Central New Jersey
    I'm grateful the PREX is my local, however I will be staying away tomorrow as I'm strictly a CD guy these days.
     
  8. wellers73

    wellers73 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Jerry's Records - Pittsburgh, PA
    Double Decker Records - Allentown, PA
    Princeton Record Exchange - Princeton, NJ

    If I could add a fourth, it would be Academy Records and CDs in NYC - the 18th St location, since I mostly buy CDs from them.
     
    jimac51 likes this.
  9. uberlyle

    uberlyle Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Locally,
    Delta Breeze - West Sacramento
    Kicksville - Sacramento
    Records - Sacramento

    Elsewhere, I just recently did an east coast trip and found these gems,
    Long in the Tooth - Philadelphia
    Jazz Record Center - NYC
    Academy - NYC
     
  10. NotOneStraw

    NotOneStraw Well-Known Member

    I've recently fallen in love with Human Head Records out sort of in the middle of nowhere Bushwick, Brooklyn.

    They run a Discogs store, but I have to say their "new arrivals" and cheapo bins are well-curated. The stuff on the wall is priced high, but I've yet to visit without the guy (usually Sean, the cool black dude with the dog) knocking $$$ off my stack. Every time. It's like buying used vinyl at a record show, and very much appreciated.

    And they get some cool stuff too, without pricing it too high. Grabbed a Ludwig Tattoo You and a nice copy of Sunshine Superman for $6 each, and they both played flawlessly.
     
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  11. peter1

    peter1 Now things are looking up!

    Location:
    Bend, OR
    I'm fond of Rasputin in Berkeley CA and their $1 bins. Also Mill Valley (CA) Music -- but really, and I don't want to be a spoilsport, but.. Any store, any thrift shop, any estate sale or garage sale....because you never know.
     
    Dave S likes this.
  12. RobCos02330

    RobCos02330 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mass
    I’ve been using Recordsbymail ever since I saw your post. They’re great!
     
    4_everyman likes this.
  13. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    i used to have 3, i don't have nay anymore :(
     
  14. Craig's Story

    Craig's Story Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Jazz record center NYC
    Dusty Grooves Chicago
    Jerrys Records Pitt
     
    Dan Steele likes this.
  15. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    All gone, way of the dodo.
     
  16. StevenC

    StevenC SUEDE > Both Oasis AND Blur.

    Indie stores:

    1. Amoeba, Hollywood and San Francisco.
    2. Waterloo, Austin
    3. Sister Ray, London
    For the big stores, HMV London can be great
     
  17. tvstrategies

    tvstrategies Turtles, all the way down. Thread Starter

    3 recent discoveries

    Concerto in Amsterdam (bought three Nick Drake albums on CD for €10)
    Wall of Sound, Seattle (which was playing Mass by the Electric Prunes in store on Saturday)
    Friends of Sound, Austin (with a room of LPs in boxes, "Sure, go ahead...")
     
  18. MagicAlex

    MagicAlex Gort Emeritus

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
  19. Michael Sutter

    Michael Sutter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Holbrook, NY
    Last time I replied to this I don't remember what my answer was, but I have a lot more than three stores to recommend on Long Island:

    High Fidelity Records & CDs - Amityville, NY
    Great selection, great prices, staff is excellent, Mark is a great guy

    Record Reserve - Northport, NY
    Same as above but prices are even better. Tim is awesome and has great taste in music. You can be sure he'll be listening to something great when you come in.

    Mr. Cheapo - Commack, NY/Mineola, NY
    Good place to lose a few hours in. Sometimes you find real gems, other times it's just okay. Worth checking out.

    Vinyl Bay 777 - Plainview, NY
    Easy to miss this but definitely worthy of a visit. It's these smaller hole-in-the-wall stores that really give you good deals.

    Infinity Records - Massapequa, NY
    A little more buttoned up than the other places but not by much. Prices are good and they have a ton of 45s.

    Vinyl Paradise - Sayville, NY
    You might spend a little more here, but the selection is just fantastic. They carry stuff that you can't find elsewhere.


    There's really only two stores on the island that I don't like shopping at, and they're:

    Looney Tunes - West Babylon, NY
    Selection is okay but the prices are truly awful.

    Record Stop - Patchogue, NY
    Opened recently, pretty disappointing since the selection is just okay and the prices aren't much better than Looney Tunes. Also, the owner was screaming at his workers because they disagreed over what should go into a Metal section and whether or not they should have a Punk section.
     
  20. mfidelity

    mfidelity Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    1. Disk Union - Shinjuku Main Used Store, Tokyo
    2. Amoeba - SF/LA
    3. Everybody's Records - Cincinnati (sentimental favorite)
     
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  21. Tom B

    Tom B Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ojai
    Here’s a ramble, based on my love of record shops...

    I’m very excited that on Saturday I’ll be in SF. Haven’t been to that Amoeba in a few years, and this thread is increasing the anticipation.

    My tastes lean towards psych, krautrock, jazz, jambands and experimental.

    For me, it’s pretty predictable:
    1. Amoeba SF (has, or had, more weird stuff than...)
    2. Amoeba LA
    3. Everyday, Portland (the Sandy Blvd branch tends to have more things for me than Burnside).

    Locally (ish):
    Waterloo, Austin
    End of an Ear, Austin
    And then I struggle - maybe Vinal Edge, Houston?


    Others that have appealed in my US travels include:
    The Berkeley Amoeba and the remaining Everyday Musics dotted around (Burnside, Beaverton, Seattle).
    Music Millennium, Portland (but only the used section).
    What’s that biggish one over the hills above Hollywood? On Ventura, I think. That was solid.
    Academy Annexe in Brooklyn.
    That big one in downtown Boise, Idaho (followed by inspecting purchases at 10-Barrel with a 10-beer sampler. Nice).
    Cheapo in Minneapolis.
    Jazz Record Center, NYC.


    Internationally:
    Reckless, Berwick St, London
    Music and Video Exchange at Notting Hill Gate, London
    Resident Records, Brighton
    Monkey Music Emporium, Brighton


    Used to love/ grew up with and/or long-missed:
    Madrid Rock, Madrid, Spain.
    Escridiscos, Madrid, Spain.
    Various World-of-Musics in Germany.
    J&R, NY.
    Way Ahead, Derby and Nottingham, England.
    Tower at Piccadilly Circus, London.
    The original Powerplay in Eastbourne, England.



    Not for me/ disappointing:
    Totally just my opinion, but Cactus, Houston. Hideously overpriced, horrible sense of smugness, dull classic rock focus, yet perennially lauded.
    After all the positive comments about PRX I was a little underwhelmed - maybe the west coast places are to blame? There’s no comparison. I could see it was a good record store but I guess I was expecting something like the Amoebas.
    Peaches in New Orleans I find hilarious. The prices (and selection) are comical and I go in for a chuckle. Never fails.

    Of course, I should be grateful for any record store. Like many of us probably feel, that anticipation you feel when walking through the door of a good record store is addictive.
     
  22. rawmacias

    rawmacias Well-Known Member

    Here in the central Cali valley , I would say TIGERS AND DAGGERS in Merced, Ca. The prices are great at the brick and mortar store . Travis (store owner) is a great guy . He also is on Discogs.
     
  23. rawmacias

    rawmacias Well-Known Member

    VINTAGE VINYL AND VICTROLAS in Clovis ,CA. DIMPLES in Sacramento, Ca.
     
  24. Madness

    Madness "Hate is much too great a burden to bear."

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    I'll be in Japan and Korea in a couple of weeks, for about a week each (Tokyo and Okinawa, then Seoul); wondering if I can find any good used record stores while I'm there?
     
  25. mfidelity

    mfidelity Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Dan Steele likes this.
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