Any good record stores in Dallas??

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by Tony Caldwell, Mar 14, 2002.

  1. ToddH

    ToddH Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mansfield, Texas
    forever young is the biggest store in the area but they are also the most expensive. For CD's search through the various half price books stores. There are a bunch in the area. There are more used CD's in the various half price books than at Forever young.
     
  2. River Flow

    River Flow Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    Thanks, good to know. I haven't been impressed with past Half Price books when it comes to newer CDs but I'll check out the ones around here. I'm tired of Amazon's sending damaged product so the OCD part of me prefers to check before buying for digipacks or boxes.
     
  3. Morpheus

    Morpheus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
  4. ToddH

    ToddH Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mansfield, Texas
    yea half price books wont have new cd's. If you are looking for new cd's forever young has everything.
     
  5. Daddy-O4

    Daddy-O4 Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    I'm also a CD only shopper and have had good success at several places in the area:

    Half Price Books - this chain has over a dozen stores in the area. Pros: discs are in the cases and can be inspected as you browse. Large selection. Prices are fair overall ($5-6 for single CD is typical). Fairly large $2 clearance section that I often find quality items in. Inventory at the flagship store in Dallas turns over pretty quickly. Cons: The selection is not typically well curated. It's not unusual to see 12 copies of Eagles GH in the bin, for example. They don't have a buffer so the condition can vary widely.

    Movie Trading Company - Another large chain under the Vintage Stock family of stores. Pros: Large selection and not a lot of duplicates. All locations have high quality buffing machines. They will buff it for you at no cost at time of purchase, if needed. Prices are fair ($4-8 is typical). Cons: cases are shrink-wrapped so you can't inspect as you browse. They will let you open it up and inspect used cd's if you bring them to the counter and ask though. Inventory doesn't turnover as quickly as HPB. Clearance section is small and there's almost never anything worthwhile - even at 99 cents.

    Josey Records - Focus is on vinyl, but the store is so big that the CD selection is also very good. Pros: Discs can be viewed as you browse. Standard pricing. Large $1 clearance section. Condition is consistently above average. Cons: Due to vinyl emphasis, the CD inventory doesn't turnover very quickly, but they do have a new arrivals section, so that helps.

    Recycled Books - Interesting store in downtown Denton, TX. Pros - they only accept/buy "scratch-free" discs, so the condition of the CD's is by far the best in the area. Standard price is $5 for most CD's. Discs are in the cases and can be viewed during browsing. $2 clearance section. Cons - Emphasis is on books and vinyl and the CD section has shrunk of late...;-(. Inventory turns over fairly slowly.

    FYI, Bill's Records, which has been around Dallas for decades, is now closed as the owner, Bill Wisener, passed away...;-( At the Kessler, a Public Outpouring of Grief For the Late Bill Wisener - D Magazine
     
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  6. Joey Self

    Joey Self Red Forman's Sensitivity Guru

    Those in the area that know: What happened to Bill's place, and more to the point, his inventory?

    JcS
     
    jeffreybh likes this.
  7. Rentz

    Rentz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    Josey records announced they bought the inventory and will dedicate a new space to bill at their store expansion
     
  8. Daddy-O4

    Daddy-O4 Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    Thanks for that update. I was in Josey a few days ago and the expansion is in full progress. Looking forward to seeing the Bill section.
     
    Echoes Myron likes this.
  9. Rentz

    Rentz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
  10. jamesc

    jamesc Senior Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    They better not price them or Bill will haunt that place!
     
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  11. Daddy-O4

    Daddy-O4 Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    :laugh:
     
  12. LordThanos1969

    LordThanos1969 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    During the past seven years when I was making trips to the Dallas/Fort Worth area regularly, I never made it over to Bill's unfortunately. My time was always limited and there are so many different shops in the area to visit I didn't want to spend time going to a place that was disorganized with stock that was not priced. I will definitely look forward to seeing the expanded Josey's once Covid-19 considerations allow for safe travel again.
     
    jamesc likes this.
  13. Daddy-O4

    Daddy-O4 Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    Good call on waiting for Covid-19 to die down first. Dallas has seen a significant rise over the last few weeks and had to rescind the reopening of bars and gyms.

    Josey Records actually had excellent 4th of July sale deals this last weekend and I didn't go solely because of the latest surge in cases. Having said that, the overall record store scene in DFW is excellent with lots of good stores. Just let things die down a bit first, then come on down...
     
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  14. jeffreybh

    jeffreybh Gunter Gleiben Glauchen Globen

    Location:
    Texas
    In the current environment, if they don't already do so they should list their inventory on Discogs. I am closer to Ft Worth so it's a hike in normal times that I might make if I had other reasons to be that side of the Metroplex, but not these days. I understand there are some nominal fees they need to pay at time of sale if they do so but they should simply bake that in to the price they list it at. Come to the store, pay a little less. Buy on Discogs pay a little more. I'm an active buyer at Discogs even through this crazy time, but can't recall the last time I've visited a physical music store. Considering TX is in bad shape COVID-19 wise, donut that will be changing anytime soon.

    Retailers - You need to use this situation to expand your online sales and renegotiate your storefront leases. You likely will not see 2019 levels of activity for several years even if we get a vaccine developed in early 2021 (which is speculation)
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2020
    Mr. LP Collector likes this.
  15. Claxton

    Claxton I like chicks and cars and partyin’ hard

    Location:
    The 817, TX
    I think Josey is already on Discogs. I know Doc’s in Fort Worth started to put some stuff up as well once we initially locked down back in March.
     
  16. Rentz

    Rentz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    same, i havent been record shopping since this started. just not something i have to risk illness to do, especially at a place like Josey that can tend to get a little shoulder to shoulder in the newly stocked used or collectible areas.

    as noted above some of the DFW shops either just started on discogs or were before. usually dont list full inventory. Josey lists collectible records and new release type stuff.
    Panther city is listing some of their collectible stuff on discogs now.

    others have shifted to instagram or facebook sales, but i'm too old and not cool enough for that :)
     
  17. River Flow

    River Flow Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    Circling back around to my posts from last September (primarily interested in new CDs; moved from Seattle area), I did check out some of the local stores (before the shutdown):

    Forever Young - This was in fact the best CD store I've seen so far in the area. The prices are not great, but the selection is solid. Neat store.

    Josey Records - Nice store, has a decent amount of (primarily used) CDs but I wasn't too impressed with their inventory.

    Doc's - I called them and the person over the phone said their CD inventory was not worth driving over there for.

    Good Records - Same as above, they recommended Forever Young for CDs. [I believe I visited this store many years ago and it had nice CD inventory at the time.]

    Movie Trading Co. - Need to check it out. I believe I went many years ago.

    Bills - Visited briefly years ago, don't remember finding CDs really, though Bill was nice (RIP).

    There was at least one more I tried but I forget the name - wasn't worthwhile. These stores are all far anyway so now I've resorted to relying on Barnes & Noble, Target & Walmart for most of my CD browsing. I've tried to avoid Amazon when possible but now it's pretty hard. Could research other online vendors I suppose.

    Seattle surprisingly had much better CD store options, plus they didn't seem as far away. But at least one of them wound up in the CHOP/CHAZ area, so every place has its pros and cons!
     
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  18. Daddy-O4

    Daddy-O4 Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    I agree with your comments above and just wanted to emphasize to others that you are looking primarily for *NEW* cd’s.

    For new CD’s the selection at Forever Young is outstanding. They still have sealed cd’s from 20 years ago. It’s like walking into a store from the heyday of the format. It’s surreal.

    The only other one I’d recommend for new CDs that you haven’t been to yet is Movie Trading Company on Greenville Ave. It’s still nothing compared to FY, but they do usually get the new releases in and have a display of them on one rack so they’re easy to find.

    For USED cd’s, which is my main focus, see my previous list in this thread.
     
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  19. Admerr

    Admerr Forum Resident

    Definitely check out Movie Trading co. You should also check out CD Warehouse in Arlington. I believe they still have decent inventory.
     
    River Flow likes this.
  20. River Flow

    River Flow Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    Thanks, yes I'll definitely plan to check out Movie Trading Co. I'll also plan to check out CD Warehouse eventually and also start exploring more of the used CD stores in the area (using what's listed in this thread). The vendors on Amazon have gotten increasingly terrible!
     
  21. Jgirar01

    Jgirar01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    Live near Josey Records. Only been once since the pandemic hit but they are very organized in social distancing, face masks mandatory, stop to sanitize on way in and out, etc. that said you do need to wait if someone is in new used area or collectibles. They have not opened the expanded store yet but can’t wait to see it.
     
    jamesc likes this.
  22. Daddy-O4

    Daddy-O4 Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    Expansion area now open, and still lots of bins to fill....:agree:

    They other thing they did with the expansion was to get the clearance CD's off the floor and into bins. My knees say thank you Josey.
     
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  23. LordThanos1969

    LordThanos1969 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    I never could find anything to buy at CD Warehouse in all my trips to Arlington.

    I didn't see anyone mention CD Universe. It used to be a good place to find CDs, but the owner must have discovered eBay and/or Discogs and prices on Targets and other early pressings have been jacked to often ridiculous amounts. They have some records too, but unlike the CDs, the stock is very disorganized.
     
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  24. Daddy-O4

    Daddy-O4 Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    You pretty much nailed it on CD Universe. While I like the owner and have had some good conversations about music with him, the cd prices make it hard for me to recommend that others go there. As you said, he has some interesting and/or collectible CDs, but they’re priced accordingly.

    For used CDs, I put CD Universe and Forever Young in the same category. Good size inventory with above market pricing.

    If you live in the area or have multiple days here, you should check them out. If you’re in town for a day, spend your limited time elsewhere.
     
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  25. n.phelge

    n.phelge Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas
    From what I saw last week, so far the increased space has just been to spread out the existing stock - the new area has the 45s, soundtracks, 12", etc., and the rock, jazz, etc. have spread out to the shelves where those were previously, but I didn't see any noticeable increase in the stock.

    I stop by CD Universe once every couple of months, but I haven't found anything to purchase in ages. With the size of Forever Young, you just might stumble across something in the new or used CDs that is interesting that has been there so long that it is now priced reasonably, but his used CD pricing of adding a couple of bucks to the cost of a used disc with a justification of 'bonus tracks' causes steam to come out of my ears when I see it.
     
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