Boston vinyl shopping

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

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    The best NC in my book is Norwood. 1000s of used records, pretty good prices, and a great staff. A 25% sale at NC is dangerous for me if I head down to Norwood (it's a little over an hour drive for me with no traffic, which is a rarity).
     
    Lebowski and Danby Delight like this.
  2. Daedalus

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

    I was in Kenmore Square to go to Fenway and saw "Nuggets" used CD and LP. Their classical section was pretty small but they had some pretty good stuff at slightly high price-I didn't check the larger jazz and rock sections. What does anyone know about this store in general? How do they compare to other local used LP stores?
     
  3. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA

    I've never heard of Nuggets. Then again, I don't shoonin Boston very often.
     
  4. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Nuggets was in Kenmore Sq. when I was there in the late 1970s, they had a scrawl from Lenny Kaye on the wall ("It's a Nugget if you dug it!"). I think they've come and gone in different spaces over the years,
     
  5. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Managed to get by Deja Vu a couple months back, got snapped at by the owner for coming in 10 minutes before closing as expected. She now has no classical at all in the shop (it used to take up one whole wall), she must have found a bulk buyer to take it all.
     
  6. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    It's been in the same spot on Comm Ave since at least the mid-90s when I started going there. I'm not convinced they've had a single new LP or CD come into the store during that period.
     
  7. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Nuggets been there in Kenmore Square since I moved to Boston in 1978. I drove by there a couple of weeks ago and was craning my neck to see if they were still open, but there were too many cars in the way. They were never a favorite of mine, but I'm still pleased to know that they remain in business.
     
  8. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    Hmmm, I live in Arlington and was not aware of this. Will have to check it out soon. Looks kinda small though.
     
  9. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Got into Blue Bag at 2325 Mass Ave in Cambridge today and dropped about a hundred bucks. Really nice sunny, airy space, mid-60s rock steady on the stereo. Ran into a guy I sort of know, a WMBR DJ. The focus is more on used than new, and I didn't really look at the rock section much because I found more than enough I wanted to buy in the jazz, Brazilian, experimental, soundtrack and easy listening sections. Vinyl only, credit cards accepted. Aside from the things on the wall, prices seemed reasonable. That $100 netted 12 LPs.

    It also makes for the start of a nice crawl down Mass Ave to hit Stereo Jack's (Which has a goldmine of jazz LPs in the new arrivals, btw, although about 25 fewer than there were this afternoon), In Your Ear and Armageddon, with stops for lunch at the Japanese food court in Porter Square and an iced coffee at Simon's.
     
    action pact and Lebowski like this.
  10. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA

    I always enjoy Crazy Dough's inCambridge Square, upstairs from Newbury Comics.
    I've never been into Jacks, always wanted to check it out though.
    I think I've been to all the others in Cambridge/Boston/Somerville.
    Anything in Quincy worth traveling for?
     
  11. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    I've never heard of any stores in Quincy, sorry.
     
  12. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    Awesome. I am gonna try to get there this week. Thanks for the 411.
    Stereo Jacks is always hit-or-miss, mostly miss for me.
    Never been to Simon's. Will have to check it out too.
     
  13. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    Haha, I grew up in Quincy. There were a couple of shops in the 1980s that I remember. One was Quincy Records and Tapes. They used to have new releases for $5.99. I bought many, many records there back in the day. The other was Jason's. I had a bad experience there once, though I only realized it in hindsight. They kinda ripped me off once when I was kid. This place sold records, cheap knockoff guitars, and luggage. Yes, luggage. I think Jason was doing whatever he could to make a buck. (including ripping off kids)
     
    Vinyl Addict likes this.
  14. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    There was a place on Hancock Street in Quincy Center - I went there several times maybe 8 or 10 years ago, but last time I was out that way it seemed to me that they were gone. Can't remember the name. It was not bad.
     
    Vinyl Addict likes this.
  15. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    Jason's and Quincy Records were both on Hancock Street in Quincy Center. (though the latter started out in a different space, around the corner on School Street I believe)
     
    Vinyl Addict likes this.
  16. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    Well, I finally got to Deja Vu records. What a place! @R. Totale described it as being like 500 yard sales in one place and he was not kidding! Have a look:

    [​IMG]

    Crazy place, but in a good way. The older woman who works there said something along the lines of they had a big sale recently and someone cleaned out all their rock, but I saw plenty. She keeps a three ring binder of wish lists and will call you if stuff you like comes in, which is a very nice touch, but it looked like there were many, many people with similar interests LOL. I bought a handful of Blu-Ray discs (still sealed) and a handful of mostly vintage vinyl (some of which was still sealed too). I found what appears to be an original US Apple pressing of the White Album in really nice shape. I have a feeling that dealers and ebayers come here to get inventory, which is too bad. (although I'm tempted to resell that White Album that I snagged!!)

    Anyway, I will definitely be going back.
     
    ARK likes this.
  17. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA

    Reminds me of Garnick's in Lowell. Another great place with boxes piled everywhere, and you never leave empty handed.
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2016
  18. Phishman

    Phishman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Upper Volta
    Yes, I've been to Garnick's and Bob and Co. chatted up my 6 year old daughter and kept her engaged the whole time I was digging. I am on the "list" now.

    Need to get out to Deja Vu but I have heard not so good things about the "eccentric old lady" over there....will try one of these days though.

    Went to Thrifty's in Manchester and was not impressed.

    Mystery Train is, IMO, the best store in the greater Boston area in terms of selection and very very fair prices. I haven't been to the Record Exchange in Salem.

    The ones in Sommerville/Cambridge etc. are a mixed bag these days.
     
    Vinyl Addict likes this.
  19. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    The lady who works there is not so bad, she's just kind of intense. She'll point out a stack for you to look at, but then direct you to 3+ other things, and then gesture to someone else looking at the first bits and say, "Oh, you lost your chance to look there." I was there again this past weekend. People were coming in to sell stuff to her, and then she would turn around and be like, "okay do you want to buy any of this?" But clearly she does not spend time evaluating the condition and version of every record that comes in, so when you go there make sure you look closely at any record you want to buy.

    Mystery Train is GREAT. Love it there, but totally different vibe than Deja Vu. They are looking carefully at every record (for better or worse).
    I do not care much for Record Exchange, but have only been there once.

    Agreed. Never have much luck at Stereo Jacks or Planet. I'm hoping to get to Blue Bag soon...
     
    Phishman likes this.
  20. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    Re: Deja Vu - eccentric is the word. As others have indicated, it's essentially set up like a perpetual yard sale, with all the good and bad that implies. Definitely worth the experience but be sure to combine your trip with a stop at Listen Up in downtown Natick. Owner is friendly but standoffish, but you should check out.
     
  21. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA

    Garnick's can be great. But if Bob is not there, I usually don't bother. One of those brothers is very rude and just plain ignorant. I've spent a lot of money in there, and there's no reason to be talked down to. Also saw him telling a kid his CDs were crap and he should throw them out and just sell him the cases for 20c a piece. Yup.
    It was just a week ago (Bob was on vacation).
    I plan on having a chat with Bob next time I'm in there.
    RRR around the corner (literally) is terrible IMO. I've been in there a dozen times and it's still the same stock.
    Vinyl Destination in Lowell has been open for a couple years. Dave the owner is one hell of a guy. Just a cool dude indeed. They always have a good selection, and the rare ones up on the wall. They had a Butcher LP last week. It's in an old Mill building with an old movie theater down the hall.

    Thriftys up in Manchester is a crap shoot, but I've pulled some seriously good records from their "new arrivals" bin. Very rare stuff in great condition. The stuff in the back is all the filler stuff. Not worth looking at, plus no prices on that stuff back there, which always turns me off.
     
  22. Lebowski

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

    Location:
    Greater Boston
    I was in Kenmore Square today on other business and stopped into Nuggets for a few minutes. Hadn't been there in many years, and was not missing much. The selection was lackluster, and prices seemed high to me.
     
  23. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    I haven't been there in many years, either. I'm never in the area when I have extra time. I've ALWAYS thought the prices were too high there. It was always my least favorite used record store in Boston, which is why it's kind of ironic that it's the only one left.

    I shed another quiet tear for Looney Tunes.
     
  24. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    And I repeat, again, that Looney Tunes is reportedly reopening in the former Store 54 space in Allston.
     
    pat mcgrath likes this.
  25. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Ah, yes, the legendary Looney Tunes Allston reopening, tales of which have been passed down from father to son for generations. I gather the family around the autumn bonfire and regale them with stories of rows and rows of original release classic LPs as far as the eye can see... you should see their saucer eyes!

    ;)
     
    Phishman, pat mcgrath and cdash99 like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine