Good used vinyl/CD stores in Washington D.C.?

I agree about Joe's. I've gone there 2-3 times and usually manage to only find one or two records.

 

I just got back to this thread.....thanks for the addy and the other info!

 

I was pretty underwhelmed by the store. This is especially troubling given the fact that it took me nearly an hour to drive there. Gas ain't cheap so Joe's might become a "once-in-a-blue-moon" stop but it won't be a regular place - even when Orpheus closes. Also, I want to spend time at a record store because I like it, not because the store is woefully unorganized. In order to find things, you're forced to look in bins, in boxes on the floor which are loosely alphabetized, and in the front of the store in bins stored behind the counter that you have to ask permission to go through. I actually left after 1 hour because I just got tired of working as hard as I had to to find things. I applaud them for carrying myriad albums but the organization leaves much to be desired. Since options are limited, I'll be doomed to use the 'net to buy LP's. Oh, the humanity...

Ed

 

It just goes to show it's all in the timing of things.

I've been at Rick's (Orpheus and his previous Georgetown stores) and Joe's for 30 years.

They are both DC institutions, but I couldn't even start counting all the LPs I've got from Joe's wihout making sure I've gone to the bathroom first. Rick's, on the other hand, I can count with my fingers. YMMV.

 

Well if Joe's wasn't so far or if I had a car I'd go more often but as it is I have to metro out there and then its a long walk some of which doesn't have sidewalks..

 

That's really interesting. I remember the first time I went to Orpheus when Rick was still in Georgetown. I was absolutely shocked at the amount of great stuff they had and I purchased roughly $200 worth of sealed LP's that day. I spent nearly 2 hours in there that one day. It wasn't easy for me to get to because I had to take the train to Rosslyn and then walk across Key Bridge to get there. Absolutely fantastic experience. I wished that for Joe's and it just didn't happen. Different strokes for different folks...

Ed

 

It's clear that you have a bias for Orpheus Records, but why do you need to be so negative about Joe's Record Paradise? Even though I plan to visit Orpheus next weekend, I've never thought that it was on a par with Joe's Record Paradise, but I'm not going to say anything negative about the store, as other forum members have stated about Joe's Record Paradise in this thread.

If you think that Joe's is a less than desirable place, then you should stay away from the store and leave more LPs for the people that really appreciate the store.




Ed Hurdle
HeavyDistortion

 

I go to Joe's about once a month, its not the best used record store I've been
to (I was spoiled living in San Francisco for 25 years) but I always find something there that makes the trip worthwhile.

 

As I drive down Rockville Pike and pass the sites where record stores used to be (Waxie Maxie's, Yesterday and Today, Penguin Feather, Tower, Olsson's, etc.), I realize that Joe's is, in fact, a paradise, the last of a rare breed around these parts. Great selection and nice people to deal with. Of course some of the bins have some plastic excrement, but Joe's stock is primarily used discs. My fingers work great to flip to the next disc, which may be something I've been looking for for years- like the two mono Dunhill PF Sloan albums I found there a few years ago for ten bucks each. Also, I often see people buy the "bad" stuff with smiles on their faces, so...
In contrast, I always found Orpheus overpriced and Rick unpleasant to deal with. Drove me away in the 70s, to the now sadly departed stores noted above. I've always thought it silly to spend time on a hobby that is supposed to be a pleasure in places with bad vibes- to me, Orpheus is one of them.
Different strokes, I guess.

 

FWIW, my experience over the last 30 years is almost a carbon copy (I guess I should say a xerox or maybe a digital scan ) of Bill's.

 

All I did was state my opinion. After having traveled almost an hour to get there, I feel I'm entitled. I said in my very last post "different strokes for different folks". I meant that. If you enjoy Joe's, wonderful. There were several people there that were there yesterday that were really into it and that's great. My bias is clear and unhidden but I have that bias for a reason. For my tastes, the stock at one store is infinitely better than it is at the other and it's less work to get to that stock at one than at the other. It wasn't an enjoyable experience for me personally and, given the distance I have to travel to get there, I doubt I'll return. I'm not alone in my assessment. I'll say it again: "different strokes for different folks". In my opinion, I didn't go overboard with my assessment. If you feel I did, I sincerely apologize. I didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers.

This might be getting into a "my record store is better than yours" and I never intended for that. Again, I honestly do apologize if I went overboard. I didn't think I had.

Ed

 

Ed,

No need for an apology for stating your opinion. It's the negative vibe about Joe's Record Paradise that you have shown in your posts about the store that got to me. As I mentioned, I'm not that crazy about Orpheus Records, but I don't say anything negative about the store in a public forum. I guess I believe in the old agage "If you can't something good/nice about something, then don't say anything at all...".

I apologize if I ruffled your feathers. Different strokes it shall be.




Ed Hurdle
HeavyDistortion

 

Rick unpleasant? You guys must have both been having a bad hair day. To me, he's been nothing but a gentleman and interesting to talk to. I hate it when good, local, and colorful, (and maybe iconoclastic places) like Orpheus go down. We're left with franchises and strip malls, more and more, even if prices might be better on some things. Not the kind of world I'd choose to to live in.

 

It's not just two people having a bad hair day.

I must say (again) that Rick has always been OK with me.
Not particularly friendly, but never nasty. I wouldn't use the word unpleasant.

 

I share your sense of loss when places like Orpheus close down, leaving us in the hands of the FYE's of the world. Rick is not my particular cup of tea, but I salute him for hanging in as long as he has.

 

Which one was Rick? When the store was in Georgetown I remember two guys with long hair (older than me) who worked there.

 

There were actually two locations, both on M Street with different names.

The later second one with the name Orpheus was closer to Key bridge.


You can't mistake Rick. Beard, long hair, never wears shoes.

 

I understand totally. I typed the posts shortly after I returned from Joe's. Again, it was quite the hike for someone who doesn't really love driving and I hoped for more than I got. Guess it came out in my words. I am unruffled and I totally see where you're coming from. I'll be more careful in the future.

Ed

 

Me too. First Tower goes and now Orpheus. I also watched while Phantasmagoria, the Record Mart, and others have passed away with time. It never sits well with me for the reasons you mentioned. The other more mainstream stores we'll be forced into don't have the character of these LP haunts we love. Whatever I may feel about Joe's, the store has character - a vibe that I honestly kinda liked.

Ed

 

I completely understood what you were saying, which is why I brought up the timing issue. I have noticed lately I don't find as many records at Joe's as I used to just 2 years ago. The problem is that in the last year or so people have been getting back into vinyl and Joe's supply of quality stuff is not what it used to be. The quality stuff gets a lot of money on eBay and it's very easy for people to just buy the good stuff at Joe's and re-sell it at eBay for two or three times as much. It's just the way things are right now.

 

When I first used to hang out at Orpheus going back to G-town in 1993 I did get that "vibe" and for years I ignored the place... The vibe was one of not trusting the customers..maybe sometimes giving the impression you were there to take advantage of them... Or you put on the record the wrong way into the poly and you have a guy making an accusatory comment to you about it.... Also Rick is always playing the neil young living iwth war record of the bright eyes record..for a guy with so many records its a crime.... Also the stuff is a bit overpiced but what Orpheus has going for it is that its records tend to be in great shape.... But yeah he'll buy a new LP and mark it up 40% when no one else in town does that.. He's just willing to sit on records for years.. If I was running the shop I'd be obsessed with turnover..getting things out.. I thought once about talkin to him about itbut I thought he just wouldn't "trust" me...Orpheus could have done a lot better

But eventually...maybe three years ago now I returned to Orpheus and what really impressed me was the dollar bin.. if something had a few marks he'd put it in there regardless of what it was.. I've found Blue notes , stooges original lps.. velvet underground.. all kind of great stuff in those bins.. I must have 2000 records I bought there in the past 3 years.. so I am going to miss the place.. and I got to know rick a bit better and sorta understand him a bit more..and now I can overlook some of his- and his fellow employees- weird traits....

 

Oh, yes. I remember him.

 

I made my first trip up to Orpheus last weekend and left with about 100$ worth of records. I've never done that with vinyl before. I found Rick to be a pretty pleasent guy to deal with, too. The one thing that really struck was how well is store is organized. Even as a customer who's never shopped there before, I could easily find a specific item and know where to look. Never had that happen in a used record shop before. I'm sorry I found out about the store only recently. I'll probably be making at least a couple more trips there before he closes.

I've heard numerous good things about Joe's here on the forum, but its a bit to far of a drive for me.

 

Hate to beat a dead horse here, but I found this article about Orpheus closing in the Washington Post the other day and thought people might be interested. No new news, per se, but some good quotes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/25/AR2008012501029.html

 

I was at Orpheus the other night and walked out with an armful of records tucked under my arm. Rick has reduced prices on used vinyl even further. Red tag records are now down to $2 and there's still plenty of goodies to be had. But things are moving quick.

And had I seen that copy of "On the Beach" I would've been sorely tempted!