Los Angeles area record stores

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by jamesc, Jun 16, 2016.

  1. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I'm currently working at a client in Hollywood/Beverly Hills area, so this thread is timely and interesting to me.

    Good grief, though - the traffic here in LA is crazy. And I've lived in some bad traffic areas before: I am a former resident of Atlanta (home of the 2+ hour commutes), I've lived in Portland for the last 16 years (traffic has gotten exponentially worse in PDX during those years), and I've driven up to Seattle quite a bit for work in the last few years.

    Being more shiny digital disc oriented in my collection, I found Cornfed Hick's description of CD Trader appealing.... But I mapped it out and it will take over an hour to get there from where I'm at. And I'm only located 15 miles away from CD Trader. I'm 10 miles from the airport and I am learning that I have to leave 4 hours before my flight departs LAX to make it in time without feeling in a panic while in stop and go traffic most of the way.

    I'm kind of bummed that, during my first week of work at this client, I was staying at a s****y Comfort Inn a few blocks from the walk of fame, and I see now that it was in walking distance (i.e., less than a mile, a straight walk down Sunset) of Amoeba Records. Now I'm staying at hotels 4-5 miles from that area, and I don't want to endure a 30-45 minute drive and all the parking nightmare just to visit a place that most on this thread seem to suggest isn't worth the trip.

    Craig.
     
    lightbulb likes this.
  2. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Parking nightmare? Amoeba has their own underground parking lot.
     
  3. MrGrumpy

    MrGrumpy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Burbank
    Dear Craig,

    Sorry to hear of your travails. Try and do Amoeba in the morning. The area is like a ghost town. There is plenty of metered parking along Sunset and side streets. Ignore the anti-Amoeba sentiments. It might be in certain people's vested interests to keep the place to themselves. Since you are an out-of-towner, it would be silly not to experience. Also, take Uber if you can't be bothered with the hassle. Alas, stores in the Valley, like CD Trader, may be more of a struggle.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2016
    lightbulb likes this.
  4. Alfie Noakes

    Alfie Noakes Not Dark Yet....

    Location:
    Long Beach, CA
    The store in Reseda - wasn't that Blue Meanie? Or was it located somewhere else? I remember it was a long drive when we used to go there...
     
  5. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I guess I should have clarified in my previous post that I'm only here in L.A. Sunday afternoons through Thursday or Friday afternoons. Even Sunday afternoons are ridiculous traffic - 45-60 minutes stop-and-go to get 10-12 miles north to my hotel.

    Days are devoted to client work, leaving only brief evening trips, in which I have to weigh carefully the value of another 45+ minutes in traffic to visit a record store, versus a nice meal in walking distance from the hotel, followed by rest and relaxation back at the hotel.

    Here's a different approach: This week I'm staying at a hotel just a few blocks east of Beverly Center shopping mall. Last night I walked to Trader Joe's at Fairfax and 3rd. Not a bad walk; took about 15 minutes each way. Are there any notable (for me, notable = with a good high-res/audiophile digital disc section, used or new) record stores within a (relatively safe for pedestrians) 1-1.5 mile walk, in any direction, from Beverly Center?

    Google's "nearby" subsearch doesn't seem to think so, but maybe there's something nearby that Google isn't categorizing as "record store"?

    In two weeks, I'm going to be staying further north, a quick 5 minute walk south of Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd. Any "notable record stores" within 1.5 miles from that venue? Looks like there used to be a Soundcheck Hollywood across the street but Google says it's "Permanently Closed." Nothing else appears to be nearby.

    Craig.
     
  6. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Good to know. Thanks for clarifying. I guess maybe I'm a bit traumatized by my experiences self-parking at hotel garages here in the area the last couple of weeks. This week the hotel is valet-only, which takes the stress out of squeezing my relatively compact rental cars into tiny "compact" spaces that are packed on either side by extra-large luxury SUVs (seriously, WTF people!).

    Still, wish I'd been more aware of my surroundings a couple of weeks ago when I was staying nearby. It probably would've been worth the 15 minute walk... but hard to talk myself into 30+ minutes (each way) driving there, even knowing there's a garage with free parking available.

    Craig.
     
  7. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    As I keep exploring the surrounding areas on Google Maps, it's more and more depressing, with so many little red dots on the map (with the "record store" search on) showing as "Permanently Closed" nearby where I'm at. Not sure if any of these shops were ever worth visiting, but I'm seeing nearly as many forever closed as currently open for business: Midnight Records, Record Store, Wonderland Pop Culture Emporium, the previously mentioned Soundcheck Hollywood, Red Bull Records, Records L.A., etc.

    Craig.
     
  8. MrGrumpy

    MrGrumpy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Burbank
    ^ @CraigVC ... Crikey! I wouldn't go anywhere on a Sunday afternoon. Beverly Center area, no. Nothing to see, move on, unless you want to walk a few blocks extra to Melrose. Whisky area: ditto. Tower is gone. Sorry, old chap. If I were in town on your days I would gladly chauffeur you.
     
  9. I333I

    I333I Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ventura
    I live about a block from that Trader Joes and the answer is "no". There is a place called "Record Collector" on Melrose, it's not really walking distance from your hotel.
     
  10. AaronW

    AaronW Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Record Collector News (a free paper, nothing to do with the terrible store on Melrose) includes a map of local record stores. Here's it is on Google maps: Record Collector News Map
     
  11. cungar

    cungar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Torrance, CA

    I worked at the Manhattan Beach Wherehouse around 1982. On PCH right? Long ago became a surf shop.
     
  12. bryduck

    bryduck Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glendale, CA US
    When were you the manager at the Wherehouse in Venice? I worked there from 1983-4 . . .
     
  13. bryduck

    bryduck Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glendale, CA US
    I have to vote for Rhino, the original, in Westwood, myself . . .
     
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  14. jamesc

    jamesc Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    I don't think I found a Blue Meanie in the LA area when I lived there but I did go to one in San Diego... I think. It's been so long!
     
  15. segue

    segue Psychoacoustic Member

    Location:
    Hawai'i
    Driven out of town? Still actively scamming via web store + subscriptions, but now catering to teen girls. Allegedly open in Santa Barbara

    Anyone else receive their 1st VNYL subscription LPs package? »



    ––
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2016
  16. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    I don't recall any Blue Meanie stores in the Valley, even in the good old days.
     
  17. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
    Not to mention one outside a block south of the store on Cahuenga. But yeah...whenever you go, make sure it's right when they open or yer dead, Jack. Especially on the weekends.
     
  18. CybrKhatru

    CybrKhatru Music is life.

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    That store in Reseda was Record Trader. My friend and I loved that place, and were very bummed when they suddenly closed. Literally packed up and shut doors one day in the 90s. It was kind of surreal.
     
  19. MilMascaras

    MilMascaras Musicologist

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Wherehouse Entertainment 1988 - 1991, you old-timers!
    While working on my MBA at LMU.
    I specialized in opening new stores, or remodels/re-openings of previous stores.
    Lots of merchandising, music, swag, free shows, sex drugs rocknroll.
    Oh, and corporate turmoil too.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2016
  20. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
     
  21. jamesc

    jamesc Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Wow, that's a bummer.
     
  22. mikeyt

    mikeyt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Hey, Craig. I think Amoeba is always worth a visit. You never know what you might find in the bins there. There have been countless times when I've stopped by just to wander and peruse and found something like a UK White Album for $10, an original UK Oasis LP for $20, and Music Matters jazz LPs sealed for less than $25. Or Miles Davis MFSL CDs for $20. Their CD selection is nuts right now since CDs aren't trendy. I live in Sherman Oaks which is north and over the hill, I like going to Amoeba on Saturday or Sunday mornings when there isn't much traffic or I'll drive to the NoHo train station and take the train down to walk there on a Friday night. If you're only 4-5 miles and don't feel like driving, an Uber or Lyft ride should only be $5 during non-peak hours. I hope you make the time to visit, it's a fun experience.
     
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  23. timnor

    timnor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Perhaps someone can help with some tips. I'm visiting Santa Barbara this summer with my family. We also plan trips to LA and San Fransisco. LA has been well covered in this thread but I would be really grateful for further LA and San Fransisco tips. As well as that we love to visit markets and jumble sales in the UK and Germany. In California where are these listed ? Are there any regular flea markets which are good for hunting down vinyl or are you all just buying from stores? I still dream of finding a butcher cover !!!
     
  24. The Killer

    The Killer Dung Heap Rooster

    Location:
    The Cotswolds
    I'm in LA in August, just watched the Amoeba video - I'm so going.
     
  25. mikee

    mikee Forum Resident

    I agree wholeheartedly!

    That's right the entrance is on Cahuenga. It's illegal to make a left turn there coming South so I recommend coming North on Cahuenga from Fountain or Santa Monica Blvd. where you can make a right. You just cruise into the garage, like you are Jimmy Page, walk up the inside stairs and shop! - and wave to the usual afternoon/evening parking lot attendant she is a wonderful person.
     

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