Chicago Record Stores??

Hi,

I will be travelling to Chicago next week and I was wondering if anyone can recommend any good used LP stores. I won't have a lot of time, but I would like to visit a couple if possible. I would also be interested in catching some live music if possible.

I will be in the Lincoln Park area. I have only been to Chicago once before on a whirlwind trip to see Hawkwind at Lounge Axe in 1989.

I will have access to the El train, just one block from where I am staying. It has access to the Red, Brown and Purple lines.

Any help (or even website links) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tony

 

Tony,

Get yourself to Fullerton and Clark. It's a hop, skip & jump from the Lincoln Park area. Head north on Clark Street and you'll run into 3 or 4 small ma & pa places for sure. Also at Fullerton & Clark is a Tower you may enjoy. If you can get down town there is a great Virgin Mega Store. Hope this helps.

Joe

 

Chicago record stores

I just went to Chicago about 2 months ago and hit TONS of record stores. As far as stores go,

-Rock Records (new CDs/DVDs, good selection, several locations)
-Rolling Stones (great prices on CDs/DVDs, a bit out in the suburbs, but you may be able to get there by train)
-Crow's Nest (nice, classy Tower Records type store inside the Loop. They have 2 other locations elsewhere)
-Reckless Records (tons of used vinyl, several locations)
-Dusty Grooves (Mostly vinyl stores with TONS of OLD R&B/Soul, World, Hip-Hop etc. Not much rock)
- Virgin Megastores is on the Magnificent mile, nothing really special there except maybe some imports.

I probably went to a few more that I am forgetting, but those are the decent stores. BTW, all the Dr. Wax locations are closed.

While you are there, check out some Cubs games! Wrigley is amazing and probably the best park in baseball. This is coming from someone who grew up going to Fenway and have been to 5 stadiums this year alone.

 

Thanks!

I have tickets for three games at Wrigley. It is the main reason I am travelling to Chicago!! Surely the Cubs can win one of three for me!!

I am hoping to do some LP shopping as well!

Tony

 

Well, despite living in Chicago ALL! DAMN! YEAR! I didn't make it to many record stores (my University well lived up to its promise to suck all vigor I had away).

But here was my experience.

a) Reckless Records. Absolutely great (I only went to the one off of the Belmont red line stop and down a few blocks in the lakefront direction...I know there're a few others). While I hate that card-sleeve format they keep stuff in (things get misfiled SO easily), they do have great prices, a great selection, and (here's the kicker) a GREAT turnover rate. Their garage-psych-krautrock section also has tons of 3.99 impulse buys, which kept me happy throughout the year.

The above is for CDs, BTW. Vinyl-wise, they're a bit weaker (and sometimes their stuff isn't great condition), but they have a great selection at times. I picked up a mint Mothermania for $10!

b) Well...actually, hmm. All of the places I went on the North Side tended to be right off of that Belmont stop, and I don't remember most of their names. But I'll give quick descriptions. The first is RIGHT after you get out of the station...in the lakefront direction a few stores down. Has an OK selection, but they segregate their golds, which is an interseting prospect. Had the Frampton Comes Alive and Something/Anything?, and Red Octopus MFSLs/DCC's last time I checked.

c) The second is called Discorama. On the walk towards Reckless (I apologize for my ridiculous lack of detail, but I don't go by street-names). Odd selection, but they can be VERY cheap.

d) Broadway Records. Right accross the street from Reckless, on a little side street. Crappy CD selection, but AMAZING vinyl selection; heck, the guy had variations on the theme of "Beach Boys Greatest Hits" that I had never seen before. Some finds for me there included the Friar Tuck and his Psychedelic Guitar album (Curt Boettcher produced), a few Wilson Picketts, and a mono promo copy of Beau Brummels '66. He has a great soul selection, too.


As my school's on the south side, I know a few places around there, but none are great. There's a Djangos on 53rd (again, I wish I could help with cross-streets, but...), and an interesting little part-of-a-chain store called Dr. Wax farther down on 53rd in a shopping center called Harper Court. Both have great soul selections, and spotty CD selections. Better Dr Wax's abound, I've heard.

-D

 

As a resident of Chicago, I think the above posts have mentioned most of the crucial stores. A few more details may help you, though:

If you are looking for used vinyl or used CDs, then the intersection of Clark and Wrightwood is the place to go: 2nd Hand Tunes and Hi-Fi Records have a fantastic selection. This is about 2 blocks north of Fullerton in Lincoln Park (as mentioned in the above post).

Crow's Nest: This may be worth a quick trip to the Loop. Located on State and Jackson (in the DePaul School of Music building). They have a great CD & DVD selection, and even a handful of DCC Gold CDs.

Also, for a great live music guide, be sure to pick up a copy of the Chicago Reader when you get to town. This a free newspaper that you can find in most record stores & grocery stores in the city. They offer a very comprehensive live music listing. You can also visit the Reader's website at www.chireader.com

Enjoy the Windy City!

 

You guys just about got 'em all.

Crow's Nest has a great place out in Crest Hill (off of I-80 north of Joliet).
Lotsa imports and some boots, too! Many Gold discs still float around over there...

Also, a trip to Remember When Records on Ogden in Westmont is a must. That place is a throw-back to the old Ma & Pa record store days. Not big but what a selection! They got boots, imports, promos, used vinyl, new vinyl, some old long boxes, glass cases with old collectible merchandise...geez, whata place! Bob Stroud always talks this place up on his radio show on "The Drive". I have to go through this store every six weeks or so, just to make sure that I'm not missing out on anything!

Enjoy the stay, good luck, and GO CUBS!

 

A lot of good stores listed but the best for my money is Vintage Vinyl in Evanston.Lots of collectable pressings.Evanston is just north of the city limits right on the lake. The L is about a block from the store.925 Davis St.www.vvmo.com Definitely worth a visit.

 

Vintage Vinyl! Yep...

That store is small, but full of old, great condition vinyl...but don't go there looking for bargains...nothing cheap there.

Loads of old punk and UK hard-edged stuff from the 80's and early 90's.
Definitely worth a visit, though.

 

They have a real good Beatles selection,good 60s &70s too.You're right though,they are'nt cheap.