Used record stores with no turntable

A couple years back one of our better local record stores had a local audio shop set them up with a customer usable TT. They installed...get this....Rega P3's with EXACT cartridges. I could barely believe what I was seeing. I gave them just days before this would go sideways. Sure enough 3 days later the Exact went missing. Next day it was replaced. A few days after that the cantilever was bent sideways. Amazingly, they replaced it again. The 3rd installation - of a 600 dollar cartridge - resulted in the cantilever missing in a few days. Not long after the Regas disappeared to be replaced by an entry level used Technics + inexpensive AT cartridge.

Watching the public handle and play records is a trip. You almost have to look away -- a $100+ record clamped in the armpit - while wearing a coat - so the cover can be set down next to the turntable. Records slapped down and viciously 'swirled' on the spindle until the spindle pops up thru the hole. Pushing the headshell down hard with the thumb so the record can be 'heard' (unaware of the tonearm lever). Record cleaning..... by scrubbing it with the coat forearm. Piling the vinyl, out of their sleeves, on the shelf next to the listening station as the listener tests each one. Covers laying on the floor, one under their shoes.

 

Now that makes me uncomfortable just thinking about.

 

$32? It might be worth that if it was still sealed. I'm curious what part of the country you're in now!