Amoeba LA to close?

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by zakyfarms, Sep 12, 2016.

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  1. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    It did a good job of replacing the iconic store as it was fading out. I think Amoeba opened just before Tower closed, so they helped kiss them goodbye.

    Tower offered no used product, but was in a nicer area with fewer bums, less risk of car vandals. Amoeba has much more diverse shopping experience, like posters, and other memorabilia. Used product is a very strong attraction in this era of economic downward mobility.
     
    alexpop likes this.
  2. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I thank the Japanese and their love of music, as it was clearly them who reissued so many of my old favorite pop albums (Rupert Holmes, Andrew Gold, Stephen Bishop, Dan Hartman and on and on) on compact disc, when America wouldn't touch these artists again, with a ten foot pole. I will more than likely never get to Japan to witness this 7-story Tower, but I can only imagine that it rivals the now sadly long gone "Sam, The Record Man" location on Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada?
     
    somnar likes this.
  3. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Yeah, but can you imagine the perfect view those rich people will have looking at the infamous "Capitol Records Tower"? Oh wait, I'm sure that will be the next location to get razed??? At least Warner Brothers has still found enough worth to leave my beloved "Bewitched" facade still standing on their "Warner Bros. Ranch" (formerly Columbia/Screen Gems). Since it's only about 15 feet deep, I guess that it doesn't take up too much valuable Hollywood real estate?

     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2016
    Mal likes this.
  4. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Even better "inside the facade" …

     
    Mal likes this.
  5. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Is that the store that's in Body Double?
     
  6. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Bigger, somewhat overwhelming, but not nearly as fun.
     
  7. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I don't recall seeing a Tower records in that movie, but Tower on Sunset has been in many films, so I would say yes. It's famous!
     
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  8. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Why, in comparison to Tower Sunset?
     
  9. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    In the 70s the Wherehouse chain was very cool. Low prices and imports on vinyl like you would not believe.

    Their stores were big and bursting over with product. Fresh cutouts, imports, and new releases for $3.66.

    I feel so sad thinking about it. I miss the Wherehouse much more than I miss Tower or will miss Amoeba.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2016
  10. bosskeenneat

    bosskeenneat Forum Resident

    I'm not surprised about what's being done all up and down Sunset Blvd. and beyond. The 1% together with foreign investors are flexing their money muscle and pushing the lowly unwashed out of their way. And they're not nearly done....not by a longshot. As for Amoeba, We can hope, but that's all we can do. Moving has a way also of taking a lot of Oomph and power out of once-great stores; Aron's going to Highland from Melrose, Rhino moving south of Santa Monica on Westwood from their legendary smaller store, even Rockaway moving across the street on Glendale.......all left their once great initial imprints weak shells of their former shelves. And yes, this includes Record Surplus, whose longtime Pico Blvd. location was just perfect IMHO......that second story for the 92 cent items is very, very missed. With this track record of once-great stores losing a lot of blood once they get displaced from their iconic locations music buyers get SO used to, pardon my "yeah...right" attitude toward this thought school of "Oh, they're doing so well....they'll find another spot!". Where? Placentia??
     
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  11. I worked at the Wherehouse 73-74. Don't miss it at all. Tower was way cooler and better stocked.
     
    somnar, gd0, lightbulb and 1 other person like this.
  12. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I was at Amoeba Berkeley about a month ago and they are seriously talking about cutting it in half and just focusing on Vinyl and DVD's. Theirs and SF's selection is a shadow of what it used to be. I'm a bit worried that they are in more trouble than they are willing to admit. Once Amoeba goes, we're basically screwed around where I live.
     
  13. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I was there! Amazing place...
     
    davers likes this.
  14. keefer1970

    keefer1970 Metal, Movies, Beer!

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Please don't close, Amoeba. I've only ever seen you on TV, but that was enough to put you on my bucket list of places to visit before I die.
     
    MRamble likes this.
  15. Six String

    Six String Senior Member

    I was in the Berkeley Amoeba's a few weeks ago and it was pretty empty on a Thursday. Selection was poor as well.
    I headed over to The Groove Yard on Claremont in Oakland and bought a bunch of records. I had to leave plenty behind
    because I was at my spending limit. Rasputin's closed and reopned inside of a new book store where Cody's used to be called Mad Monk I think. I didn't even bother since I wanted to go to The Groove Yard.
     
  16. mikee

    mikee Forum Resident

    Your car did this and it was because you were at Amoeba? Was there an unreasonable hazardous condition?

    No need for that. They have a free while shopping attended parking garage below the store. Entrance is on Cahuenga. (though occasionally on weekends it's full)

    agree
    and in this era of OOP
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2016
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  17. GuidedByJonO)))

    GuidedByJonO))) Forum Resident

    Location:
    Evanston
    Absolutely. During my recent trip to SF, I actually had to go back to Amoeba again before I left because I felt like I'd barely scratched the surface during my first trip.
     
    steelydanguy and lightbulb like this.
  18. It's surprising but Haight St in SF doesn't really have a crowded night life. Of course there are bars and restaurants but unlike Valencia St thats packed each night, Haight actually quiets down.

    Most night visits to Amoeba were quiet affairs. Not a lot of people in side then.
     
    gd0 likes this.
  19. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    I feel sorry for the customers whom shop there. I really do.

    Though I no longer follow the whiny prima donna on Facebook, ol' Burton Cummings will no doubt be displaying his membership card of the piss and moan club...he always mentions how he walks down the hill to shop there. I have no sympathy for him.
     
  20. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Record Parlour around the corner seems to be doing
    Yes but there are more good record stores in LA now than any other American city. Just be willing to drive to Highland Park, Echo Park, Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Silver Lake, DTLA, and Westchester. Cities evolve, and LA has deperately needed the development that's happening.
     
  21. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Well, I'm from the area: I'm a native, a local. I'm just saying, it's strange to hear about any actual confrontations between consumers and local pot sellers and/or homeless people, is all. And Telegraph Ave has definitely mellowed over the last couple of decades (Haight Street too, for that matter). I think a party at one of the nearby university frat houses would be much scarier!

    Parts of the Tenderloin in San Francisco are much more Bosch-ian than Telegraph, in my opinion, at least.
     
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  22. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if they did this. The Haight St. location has already been renting space out to a doctor who gives medical marijuana cards. I could see them shrinking, consolidating, etc. to stay afloat. The Berkeley Amoeba is also being more selective about the new indie releases it stocks, and I think that has to do with penny pinching. I had to go to Haight St. and/or Rasputin to buy a few new albums last year because the Telegraph store simply wasn't going to order them.

    I do wonder, though, how well their online service is doing. I know it's totally peanuts compared to, say, Amazon, but they do have free shipping in the US, and I've ordered a few things from them that way and been happy with the results.
     
    lightbulb likes this.
  23. Seattle is doing pretty well still in terms of Stores. There are about a dozen, maybe a couple more right in the spread out city . Of course I'd love an amoeba here. I wish the huge Silver Platters in SODO was as well stocked.
     
  24. Partyslammer

    Partyslammer Lord Of The New Church

    I thought the parking situation at the old Sunset Tower Records was almost always a nightmare, especially in a weekend night. At least I have no problem parking usually in the big Arclight parking structure across the street from Amoeba.
     
  25. Next year they'll probably be able to sell legal weed.
     
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