Best record stores in New York City?

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by frummox, Apr 22, 2018.

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  1. frummox

    frummox Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    New York
    What are the best record stores in New York City for quality vinyl (preferably in Manhattan). Also is one better off purchasing online or local retail regarding price when looking for high quality vinyl?
     
  2. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    Academy Records on W18th Street and E12th Street. Never been to the Green-point store.

    Jazz Record Center on W26th Street.

    Record Runner on Jones Street
     
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  3. frummox

    frummox Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    New York
    Thanks! Now that I have a decent turntable I'll be hitting them all in the next couple of days.
     
  4. Cronverc

    Cronverc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn,NY
    IMO "Academy" on E12th street SUCKS big time. Most of good stuff, rarities and imports going to internet. But if You into common stuff like common domestic pressings, they got plenty of that. If You are a collector, don't waist Your time. I call these kind of stores - "leftover stores", basically they selling "leftovers" of whatever they already listed on eBay or Discogs. If You see there something rare, it usually means the condition is not great, otherwise it would've been listed on the internet already. That's a shame really, when I started collecting in 2006 it was literally THE BEST record store in NYC , I bought lots of great stuff there. But back then different people were running the store.

    By the way, the Brooklyn "Academy" is the same (also same management), though probably because it's a bigger store, once in a while, but not very often, something good "slips through the cracks". It will be expensive most likely, but at least it will be there.

    "Academy" on W18th. today is a hands down best store in NYC, not cheap though. The problem is - everyone knows that, You have to be there in the right time. A lot of competition, good stuff usually gone in a matter of minutes.
     
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  5. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    Disagree with you about the E12 Street Store. I always come away from there with good stuff. It certainly does not suck big time. That’s a gross over exaggeration in my opinion.
     
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  6. Cronverc

    Cronverc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn,NY
    It's all depend of what You consider good. Common US pressings that were made by millions and not rare by any means are plentiful there. But try to find any imports of classic rock, I'm not even talking about originals. So I'm sticking to my opinion - not for serious collectors, maybe for casual listeners or beginners.
     
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  7. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    No, I don’t buy common US pressings, but import prsssings are hard to find wherever you go in this area, unless you attend record fairs. Ive purchased nice original Blue Note jazz albums from E12th Street. Last week I purchased a clean Mingus 6 eyed mono of Mingus’ Ah Um for a good price. Ive found NM pressings from the EMI Centenary series of Lennon’s Imagine and McCartneys Band on the Run for cheap. Both are imports and are extremely difficult to find. I found a stereo unboxed UK Decca pressing of the Stones Between The Buttons. Beatles EP and Singles boxes, as well as a VG+ pressing of the Danish LP the Beatles Hottest Hits. Plenty of collectibility there. Right? All found within the last year. Perhaps you’re in on the wrong days, but I’m speaking from personal experience.

    Edit: I also forgot an MFSL LZ II and numerous Classic Records pressings including 45RPM pressings of Kind of Blue and Time Out. And the icing on the cake, an RL LZ II for $20.

    @frummox, I’d be shocked if you don’t walk away with at least one find.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2018
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  8. fjn04

    fjn04 Forum Resident

    Location:
    clifton Park, NY
    You can always be in the right place at the right time. I've done ok in NYC. I will have to check out Record Runner as mentioned above. I've made my way around to Academy, their Annex in Brooklyn, Jazz Record Center,
    Mercer St Books, Bleeker, and the now defunct Other Music. IMHO, being that we are talking the Big Apple here, I'm not blown away by their stores. I find Toronto (and even Montreal) to be better for record shopping. Not that I won't hit
    a record shop while in NY, but just sayin!
     
  9. Cronverc

    Cronverc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn,NY
    Well, what can I say, I use to find great records there all the time but all that ended by about 2011. Of course again, what is great for someone else not necessary interesting for me. I don't care for jazz, American rock as well as Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. "EMI 100" reissues from 1990s? - they digital, sorry not interested.
    Today I find better records even in "A-1", even though they usually overprice and often price regardless of condition.
     
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  10. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    That’s an accurate assessment
     
  11. mantis4tons

    mantis4tons Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO, USA
    Has anyone checked out the African Record Center in Brooklyn? Is it a worthwhile stop for someone into African music, or has the stock been thoroughly picked over by now?
     
  12. hobbes4444

    hobbes4444 Forum Addict

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Record Runner is a small packed store with an eclectic mix. Lots of Madonna and Springsteen. Good selection of quality Japanese vinyl. Havent waded through jazz as its not my thing. Owner is really nice once you get to know him. Limited hours though, I think 12-6. My #1 stop whenever I go to NYC and I always come home with a bag of LPs!
     
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  13. Robitjazz

    Robitjazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Liguria, Italy
    I have a nice memory of the second record store where have been last year. Never seen in Italy something like that specialized in Jazz. :righton:
     
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  14. shiwo

    shiwo Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    Visited New York for the first time a month ago and I went to a few record store. My favorite by a good margin was turntablelab. Depending on the style of music you are looking for though.
     
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  15. DigMyGroove

    DigMyGroove Forum Resident

    While those Manhattan locales are good ones (and I too have found great stuff at reasonable price s at the 12th Street Academy Records), I think a trip to Brooklyn is in order for some good record collecting. Black Gold at 461 Court Street in Carroll Gardens always has very interesting stock, I never have any trouble picking up a pile of records at good prices. The neighborhood now has an additional shop a couple of blocks from Black Gold called Almost Ready Records at 135 Huntington Street.

    I can also recommend Permanent Records in the Sunset Park neighborhood. It's a small shop at the far back of a shared work space loft, but has good stock and very nice prices. I'm assuming they're still there, can't confirm it right now so check the internet.
     
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  16. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Permanent Records is long gone. Closed sometime early last year. Writing was on the wall as soon as they moved into that dumb second story, back of the workspace location in the middle of a commercial wasteland. It was never going to survive there.
     
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  17. OptimisticGoat

    OptimisticGoat Everybody's escapegoat....

    Thanks to all for this thread. I’m heading to NYC with the family in March 2019. I was there in 2017 and picked up some nice stuff in Manhattan esp Academy on 12rh. However I was researching on the run... would appreciate some timely tips in the next couple of months in case I can swing a day or two of heaven... My interests are predominantly classic, profg rock and jazz. But I am pretty general.
     
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