Do you go record hunting while you are on a trip?

Visits to local record stores while traveling isn't rewarding just for the records. Always fun getting into conversations with the people working in the shops, with total strangers, and for a little local ambience. (at least when I'm traveling alone)

Almost always some nice pubs and good eats in the neighborhood too. Concerto being near Rembrandtplein; Rough Trade, Flashback and the downstairs flea market not far from Brew Dogs in Brick Lane; Easy Street in West Seattle; Turntable Records in Austin, Engine Number 9 near High Voltage Records in Tacoma...

 

No, I want to go to Japan and West Germany just for the food

 

It depends. When I was in the UK I certainly did, since a lot of my favourite songs are by British artists. But more recently, while visiting Las Vegas a few times, I didn't bother, and more or less stuck to the poker ...

 

About the only reason I look forward to going (back) to the U.K. these days.

Edit - and the Harvey’s Best of course.

 

They’re gone now. Have to go to Haight for an record shops in SF, which is a shame as I’m usually restricted to union square area on my trips.

 

I enjoy it whenever I can.

Part of the fun of a trip.

 

Boy, haven't been to P.RI. for a long time! (off topic) Remember Custy's?

 

You hit the nail right on the head. The Wife & I are heading to Toronto in a few weeks and half the fun of record-store visits for me are exactly what you are talking about. Meeting nice locals & enjoying a brew or two makes for a helluva good time.

 

"I've been everywhere, man. I've been everywhere."

Always make time for music shopping. For me, there's nothing like a music purchase (especially vinyl) to trigger other trip memories. And who know if you'll ever get back?

 

I can't help myself. I simply have to look at the local stores. I am not buying vinyl, but have to look for original CDs. When I visited Europe on work excursions for a few weeks at a time, it was wonderful to take the Saturday off and drive to the local CD stores and see what I could find. Not only the shopping, but to soak up the atmosphere as if a local. Made me feel less of a tourist.

 

Starting in 1993 and through 2007, I frequently went on two week or longer business trips to Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and China. Evening and weekend music focused shopping trips kept me out of all sorts of other trouble!

 

Well, only a very mean-spirited person would actually encourage you to visit Wax Trax, or whatever the heck it's called!

 

Since the beginning of 2017 I have traveled a number of times. Before each trip I looked up record stores nearby to where I was headed to. I bought some great records in Boulder, CO, USA (Bart's Record Shop), Arlington, VA (USA) and in Munich, Germany at a shop called "Optimal Records" which I highly recommend.

I find the prices are actually better when I travel than when I shop at my local used record shops in north central Massachusetts.

 

This thread inspired me to think about the different cities I've gotten to go record shopping the past six or seven years, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Nashville, Memphis, Chicago, Austin, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.

 

Any music stores worthwhile in Orlando? I frequently visit Florida. Haven't thought to check. My parents have a house in the Space Coast area.
When I lived in Wyoming I would drive down to Denver once and awhile and I do remember they have a few decent ones there. One is called Independent IIRC. New, used, posters, swag.

 

I'm spending only a day in Montreal later this week and it occurred to me that I'm bound to find a bunch of Canadian artists' records that I can't find in the States, or even Canadian pressings of albums of interest, so I'm hitting as many record stores there as I can in the few short hours that I'll have.

For the most part, I never know what the heck else to do when I'm out of town somewhere other than find the closest record stores.

 

I used to always look for record stores, now it's just going to be heartbreaking because what I would like to have is probably only on ebay.

 

So far this year, I've been to stores in: Victoria BC, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Vancouver, Portland, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Rafael, San Diego, Honolulu, Edinburgh, London, and Ludlow. Will be hitting Louisville around the holidays, maybe the UK again.

In the past, I've been to stores in New York, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Vancouver BC, Toronto, Montreal, Paris, Brussels, Kaiserslautern, Heidelberg, Munich, Cologne, Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, Vienna, Prague, Liverpool, and Dublin – visiting record shops when I travel is always fun, even if I don't actually buy anything.

 

There is a cool place in Orlando called Rock and Roll Heaven, unfortunately their pricing makes it more of a museum. Park Ave. CDs is worth a visit as well.

 

Most of the time. I spent hours in a record shop in Los Angeles. I also dragged my mate around a few independent record shops in Seattle. I came home with about ten new albums.

 

I don't believe that all the good stuff goes on Ebay or online. There are sellers who prefer not to sell online because of the hassle or are just too old school to bother. Even if they have an online presence, many stores will have the stuff available to visiting customers and are happy to deal with you. I got to know the owner of a store in Europe and as a serious buyer, they will hold stuff for me until I next visit (which can take up to a year!).

It's important to support B&M stores where ever you go and establish a serious relationship (by buying of course). In any case, it adds local flavor and makes your trips more interesting.