Boston vinyl shopping

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

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  1. JayBe

    JayBe Forum Resident

    Haven't seen a mention of RRRecords in Lowell, going strong for 30 years, or Deep Thoughts JP in Jamaica Plain.

    RRRecords has mostly used, a few new, and a section of obscure/avant garde/noise/experimental, which is how Ron got his start.

    DT opened last year, one side of the store is noise/experimental/out etc and the other side has some more standard fare of indie/punk/post-punk/psych etc. Lots of new stuff and some used too. Different kind of vibe here tuned to a pretty young crowd.

    I went to my local Fryes a few weeks ago and was surprised at what they had. All new of course, and a quick estimate put them at 1000-1200 LPs in stock with some stuff I didn't find at Newbury Comics.
     
    zphage likes this.
  2. Daedalus

    Daedalus I haven't heard it all.....

    Deja Vu in Natick is a great place to find tons of records at very low prices. I collect mainly classical and opera-the owner will call me when she makes a large bulk buy so I can stop in and check out what has come in. The more you buy-better the prices-one to two dollar records,box sets and collections-some sealed. Also-Newbury Comics on Newburyport Strett has shoved CDs aside to make way for tons of new and used vinyl!
     
  3. parisisburning

    parisisburning Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Paris
    I lived in Dorchester for 5 five years from 2008-2013. After living in chicago, I found the record stores way overpriced. Especially nuggets (who gives a **** if it's next to Fenway) and forget the name but the one in central square. But now that I live in Paris (france) those Boston prices seem pretty good.
     
  4. parisisburning

    parisisburning Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Paris
    and yes. Mystery train rules. Found a friend of mines single from his obscure punk band there (from nowhere near new england). Awesome to check out while the greesy pole/st joseph thing is going on
     
  5. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    I'm used to the prices in Boston. I agree with you, Nuggets is overpriced, and I rarely go there. Looney Tunes was usually pretty reasonable, and I spent a tone of money there over the years. It was my go-to place for music for a long time.

    I was delighted when I visited Chicago several years ago and found some great used record stores with great prices, much better on the whole than in Boston. I was in heaven! I don't remember the name of the store - I think it may have been on Clark.
     
    pat mcgrath and Om like this.
  6. Henry Oklahoma

    Henry Oklahoma New Member

    I dont know if u guys know it but these are a few of the vinyl records stores i know in Boston:
    Nuggets (486 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA 02215 Phone number(617) 536-0679)
    Newbury comics (332 Newbury St Boston, MA 02115 Phone number(617) 236-4930)
    Cheapo records (538 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge, MA 02139 Phone number(617) 354-4455)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 10, 2014
  7. daveyboy

    daveyboy New Member

    It's long gone, but anybody remember "Zoundz records" on Boylston?
     
  8. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    Im in Haverhill MA and there are 2 excellent "local" stores in my area.

    WELFARE RECORDS in Haverhill MA - Excellent store. It's just a small hole in the wall. Take a look around at all the LPs, 7s, vintage gear, Nintendo games etc. Then, when you are done, ask to take a look in the back rooms. I've found some rare Metal/Rock LPs back there (Mad Season, 3 Marilyn Manson, 3 AIC) all first press.

    GARNICK'S in Lowell MA - These guys are great. Just tell Bob what you are looking for and he will go find it. If he doesn't have it, he will write down your name/number and call when it comes in. Garnick's also does TV/gear repair. There's records EVERYWHERE. He has a &*%$load in the back, but no one is allowed back there. These guys are truly great. I go in there with my wife and they chat her up the whole time. hahaha They are in there 60s, so it's cute, ya know? If you've been to RRR Records, then you've probably been to Garnick's. It is literally right around the corner from RRR. I much prefer Garnick's.
     
    Lebowski likes this.
  9. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    In the early 80's i used togo to a used record store on newbury street i believe...you had to walk down these stairs as it was sub street level...i was told about it by either the folks at dyno records in newburyport or spinout records in salem n.h......i have not been able to find the name anywhere on line.....it was used records and maybe some cassettes....does this ring a bell to anyone ?
     
  10. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    You sure it wasn't Cambridge? Armageddon?
     
  11. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    I know the one you mean, but can't remember its name. I saw the very first performance of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic there for free.
     
  12. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    No...my friend cant remember the name either but we went there several times......it was underneath the street level stores and you walked down a fairly steep stairwell....it wasnt huge but there was a decent selection of vinyl....i thought it was either newbury or boylston street and my friend said newbury street....definitely not cambridge....when i told people about it in new hampshire a lot of them knew about it....
     
  13. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    It was great, i remember picking up a few jerry garcia records that i couldnt find back home in n.h.
     
  14. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Yes, I do remember that! It was, like, between Fairfield and Exeter. It wasn't there for a very long time, maybe a year or two, but I bought several things there. Was it Mystery Train? There was another one of those in Harvard Square, and maybe this was a branch store?
     
  15. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    That wasnt it....just when i think i'm about to remember it it slips away....it'll come to me and i'll post it....it was a great little shop...i liked that it was under the street level stores. There was a place in newburyport mass that was all used records and it was a basement type store....
     
  16. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    Does anyone remember the store Stairway to Heaven??

    They were in downtown crossing. I can't remember if they sold vinyl, but I know they sold all kinds of posters, T-shirts and other memorabilia. I went there a lot as a teen from the suburbs.
     
  17. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    I remeber hearin about it yes....never went there though....
     
  18. Davidmk5

    Davidmk5 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Marlboro , ma. usa

    They are doing a documentary on that place , they went to a friend of mines house as she had shopped there all the time ...
     
    Lebowski likes this.
  19. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    I'm disappointed to report that the Newbury Comics in the Garage in Harvard Square has declined into being one of their nothing-special mall stores. Which is a shame, because it used to be my second-favorite after the original. But now when I go there, they don't have things they really should: the new albums by Martha, Omni, etc.

    Blue Bag Records, a store that used to be in Echo Park in Los Angeles, just opened on Mass Ave near the Arlington line yesterday, but I haven't made it out yet. It's owned by the guy who used to be the drummer in Bullet Lavolta and Cul de Sac.
     
  20. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    I'm sorry but not surprised about the Cambridge Newbury Comics. I haven't been there for years, but I would have assumed they had moved along the same direction as the rest of the chain. The only one I ever visit is the store in the Braintree mall, and I only go there if I'm there for something else. Last time was around Christmas, and it was pathetic. Very few CDs. Mostly overpriced tacky clothes and silly knick-knacks. O, how the mighty have fallen.

    I will make a point of checking out Blue Bag. It's a little out of my way, but it sounds like it could be fun.
     
  21. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Well, if CDs are your thing, don't bother with Blue Bag. Far as I can tell, it's vinyl-only.

    My issue with the Harvard Square Newbury is with the vinyl, not the CDs: chain-wide, they gave up on CDs years ago. But while this store still has a ton of vinyl, it's all either major-label piffle like Twenty One Pilots or Radiohead, or nobody-cares reissues like Peter Gabriel's crap-ass post-'82 LPs on 45 rpm. Nothing there for me, so off to Armageddon and In Your Ear I go.

    Norwood and the flagship still have the good stuff, and I try to pop into the lame mall stores once every few months, because the people who shop there aren't interested in LPs, so they have amazing stuff in the deep discount bins. Vintage Italian soundtracks and Chills and Bert Jansch and Wedding Present imports for $5 each, stuff like that.
     
  22. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    I have barely more than zero interest in vinyl, so I guess I needn't be in a hurry to get to Blue Bag, but I will visit it when I can.

    I wasn't aware that the Norwood Newbury Comics was still open. I used to work near there and visited it often, but it never seemed very busy, so I would have assumed that it had closed. It surely won't last forever, so I should make the pilgrimage before it's too late.
     
  23. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    There is a thrift shop on Candia rd. in Manchester, N.H. right off exit 6 on rt. 93. It is named, "Thrifty's"...they have at least a 100,000 used lp's. They are high priced overall and use ebay to set prices. Sometinlmes you can find unique stuff but never many bargains....they will for instance have 6 copies of dark side of the moon for $25.00 each. The grades will be varying. I have picked up some cool stuff like quadrophonic lps by steely dan, jeff beck, pink floyd, etc....but never any real surprise finds for cheap money.....
     
  24. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Busy as hell every time I'm in there, but given your lack of interest in vinyl, you probably never noticed the guys buying LPs in six-to-eight-inch stacks. But it sounds like your mind is made up, so I'm out.
     
  25. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA

    Before Thriftys went to pretty much just vinyl, there were some great deals. I scored a MINT NIN - Broken EP, complete with the rare 7" and even the fan club paperwork in the jacket. I paid $50. Looked unplayed when I grabbed it. They wanted $100, but took $50 after they called the consignee.
    I also pretty much stole a Tool - Opiate sealed original(?) press. Still trying to solve it without opening it. Its definittely not a newer press. They occasionally gets some very rare records, but 95% are the same common stuff you find elsewhere. If you ask anyone that works there they will tell you that they still have about 10 skids of records in the back room.
     
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