Chicago area record stores past and present (with photos)

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by larry333, Mar 19, 2012.

  1. FMB

    FMB Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    When did Wavelength on North Ave close? I know it became a Boston Chicken restaurant in the 90's.
     
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  2. FMB

    FMB Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    I remember going to the Crow's Nest store in Naperville. It had a good selection of music.
     
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  3. FMB

    FMB Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    Does anyone remember Baby-O"s Records on North Ave east of Harlem? When it closed it became Wavelength.
     
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  4. Brendan K

    Brendan K Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Just moved away and am seriously missing my spots in the suburbs. Figure they're worth a mention in this thread as present examples of my favorite Chicago area record stores!

    Hoarders Trading Post, St. Charles, IL | the owner keeps an extremely active store Facebook page with new stock posted near-daily. Great deals in bulk.
    [​IMG]


    Kiss The Sky, Batavia, IL | relocated from a previous location and in the spot for the past ten years really friendly staff and owners who've also supported the creation of The Venue performance space in Aurora, host live performances in the space. Massive store, endless crate-digging.
    [​IMG]
     
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  5. FMB

    FMB Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    Depending where you moved to, there are many good records stores throughout the US.
     
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  6. FMB

    FMB Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    If you live in California there are some good record stores that sell vinyl.
     
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  7. FMB

    FMB Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    Dave's Records in Berkeley is a small record store that had an interesting selection of vinyl.
     
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  8. sons of nothing

    sons of nothing Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    Check out the flip videos of what's been put on the shelves. Plenty of tasty lps.
    They also sell vintage equipment. It's worth a drive if you're in the area.

    Hoarders Trading Post
     
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  9. EddieMann

    EddieMann I used to be a king...

    Location:
    Geneva, IL. USA.
    Hoarders is a pretty nice record store.
     
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  10. Has anyone sold anything to Hoarders? Wondering how fairly they pay for LPs relative to oter stores in the greater area.
     
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  11. Rmarten111

    Rmarten111 New Member

    Location:
    St Charles
    My name is Russell, I own Hoarders Trading Post. People bring stuff in to sell every day and I don't think I've ever had somebody walk away feeling like they didn't get enough. I definitely don't mind paying up for stuff.
     
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  12. I will bring my Barbara Streisand and Mantovani collection in post-haste! :D

    Just kidding of course! Appreciate you joining/contributing here - I’ve been to your store a few times and it’s really a great place!
     
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  13. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    Everybody has to "pay up for the stuff" in double 2.
     
  14. Champagne Boot

    Champagne Boot Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride

    Location:
    Michigan
    Welp. Dave's Records on Clark near Diversey just announced a store closing sale. Cheers to a real one.
     
  15. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    Closing and opening.......welcome to 2022. 1985: open open open.......
     
  16. Champagne Boot

    Champagne Boot Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride

    Location:
    Michigan
    I don't follow.
     
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  17. Quad Linda

    Quad Linda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Dave was a great guy. Dave himself was the best thing about that store, even when it was Second Hand Tunes.

    He'll be missed
     
  18. mooch726

    mooch726 Active Member

    Location:
    Chicago il
    I remember The Record Barrel in Norridge.
    I have one of their old business cards.
    I remember buying ELP’s Trilogy album there back in 1972.
     
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  19. Quad Linda

    Quad Linda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    First, a caveat: now and going forward, if I mention a store/person I've mentioned in this thread before, my apologies. This thread is a rabbit hole for me. Old home week. I couldn't possibly digest it all at once. Time is limited. Have visited many of the stores in this thread and know/knew (RIP) many of the folks mentioned.

    A member of another forum I moderate visited Dave's Records all four days of his closing sale! Sam, Dave's Son was lending a hand and discovered that my friend was his teacher in Evanston! He had known Dave from 2nd Hand Tunes days. Sam & Dave! no, they're different guys...

    Sadly, I didn't get to the sale. Bought many LP's from Dave, and have a few still vintage sealed copies awaiting a TT upgrade. Currently using Sony PSX-6 w/Ortofon MC20mkII & T20 on main system. Will continue w/moving coil, new MC preamp, record cleaning machine, and VPI or Rek-o-Kut transcription TT. Other a/v projects come before that, however. One day.

    Where was Record Barrel in Norridge? Don't recall that one. I've been shopping at Rolling Stones for nearly 50 years. Also remember a small independent in HIP, Musicworks (Musicland superstore), and Sound Warehouse/Blockbuster Music.

    Worked at Pacific Stereo/CBS in Harwood Heights, among the many of their locations I was at. It was only a few months in '80, as I was set to open Schaumburg that fall. Opened the new Lombard in '78. Also worked at Niles (2x), old Lombard, LaGrange and Evanston. Great memories and lots of Columbia & assoc. labels promos!

    Addressing 2014 posts in this thread, I visited Rolling Stones Records' Rush St. location. Once. Think a "garden level" below grade, as in Greenwich Village. A long hallway. I'd date that circa 1973. I believe it closed soon thereafter. Couldn't find a pic.

    Hoarders looks like somewhere I need to visit. Perhaps next time we visit Onesti's place...

    Happy Chanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, New Year and however you celebrate.
     
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  20. EddieMann

    EddieMann I used to be a king...

    Location:
    Geneva, IL. USA.
    The HIP! Wow that takes me back. My grandparents lived in Harwood Hts. so we would shop there when I was a little kid. Hoarders is a nice store, I think you’d like it.
     
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  21. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    I think I mentioned in a different thread that I went to Rolling Stones Records about a month or so ago for the first time in 30 years or so.

    I assumed that it would be a shell of its former self, barely hanging on, selling mainly t shirts and rock “lifestyle” related things now that CDs are passé.

    Nope. I was knocked out that they still have as many CDs as they always did, and vinyl also.

    I was almost overwhelmed and couldn’t think of anything specific that I might want that they probably have so I’ll have to go back with a plan. :D
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2022
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  22. EddieMann

    EddieMann I used to be a king...

    Location:
    Geneva, IL. USA.
    The last time I was there I bought a vinyl copy of, Wishbone Ash live in Germany, or something like that, I’m too lazy to go look right now lol. But like you I was very impressed with the selection and quality that they did have.
     
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  23. mooch726

    mooch726 Active Member

    Location:
    Chicago il
    Record Barrel was a small shop at the East end of a strip of shops at 8522 W. Lawrence in Norridge. I grew up in Harwood Heights. When I started buying records in the 1960s, I got them from the Community Discount store (on Harlem Avenue just South of Lawrence) and Turnstyle (at Harlem and Foster.)

    Then in the early 1970s, I found better shops like The Record Barrel, Sounds & Sweets (a small combo candy/record store in the Harlem-Irving Plaza, located where the Rogers & Hollands jewelry store is today) and Rolling Stones. I remember buying the Jethro Tull double album Living In The Past at Rolling Stones when it was a new release in 1972.
     
  24. I know this is veering a bit off-topic, but those from the NW ‘burbs will no doubt remember Randhurst Mall in Mount Prospect. The mall had at least a couple record stores but it also had a hockey rink in the parking lot which was used for concerts at one point. And I just learned Rush played there March 5, 1976. Here’s an audience recording:



    If this is too far off topic please feel free to have it removed.
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2023
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  25. Cactus Bob

    Cactus Bob << Desert Rat >>

    Location:
    Arizona
    I saw Montrose there around '74 or '75
     
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