Going to Seattle, WA. Record Stores?

I'm packing up to go to Seattle. It's basically my GF's old stomping grounds, and we're going to take in the sights of the city for a few days.

In vinyl, are there any places you would recommend for the traveler? It's my first time on a plane, so I hope they let me on with my CD player. It'll be an experience for sure!

 

The U-District (University Way) has several stores (Cellophane Square, Tower, and a bunch of smaller independents).

Just north of the U-District is a Mom and Pop store called The Landing that I go to frequently. NE 64th and Roosevelt Way NE, kitty-corner from Whole Foods.

Near the Seattle Center on Mercer - Easy Street Records (also a store in West Seattle).

Sonic Boom has several stores (Fremont, Ballard, Capitol Hill)

I don't buy much vinyl anymore, but all of those stores carry some. Rick (Kayaker) paid a visit in March and might have some ideas too. You're lucky you have someone that knows the area so it will be easier to get around.

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. When do you leave?

Have fun,
Craig

 

S/b Tuesday. Someone told me of that area, and I'm sure we'll scour around there. Sounds like the 'place to be'.

 

Craig set me up nicely with some new stores when I was there a couple of months ago. I was only looking for CD's. It's a great city for music. Cellophane Square in the U-District had an excellent used CD section and some great blues and jazz selections upstairs. Easy Street near the Seattle Center had a fabulous used and new selection of just about everything and lots of vinyl. I picked up a few used SACD's and DVD-a's there cheap - less than $10. Tower - right across from the Space Needle was going out of business and had a great sale. They may be gone by now. There were some small stores on Capitol Hill all pretty close to one another that are worth checking out - oh yeah there was a large selection of just about everything at the Sonic Boom there. (Also check out the Elysian Brewing Company for great beer and food). West Seattle had a couple of small mom and pop stores and a large Easy Street - worth checking out right near each other (also near the fine Elliott Bay Brewery & Pub).
Craig was right about The Landing - although I did not find anything, the owner was a fountain of knowledge on music. I saw plenty of used vinyl there too. Sonic Boom in Freemont was good but aways away.

I love Seattle and would move there tomorrow (great kayaking out there!) but my wife is not ready to leave NY just yet. Have a great time Sckott!

 

I highly recommend scheduling a visit to the EMP (Experience Music Project). Just by the Space Noodle. A fantastic eye/ear candy store for anyone interested in music, not to be missed.

My favorite exhibits were a device you moved your hand over to create music, and playing the drums to Twist and Shout.

I've been once, on my last visit to my brother and his wife two years ago. I'm returning for a visit late this summer, and I hope to get there again.

http://www.emplive.com/

 

Glad you enjoyed it. However, at $19.95 to get in, I have passed every time I'm there. I've been warned by my Seattle in-laws who have been there that its way overpriced. (Then again with movies at $10 now, it may be priced right.) Based on your rave, I may check it out the next time I'm there.

 

Sckott, I'm heading out for a visit to Seattle towards the end of the month. Anything of note to report from your visit in June?

 

Vinyl-wise, you HAVE to see Bop Street Records in the Ballard area. The biggest selection of vinyl in Seattle by far... the biggest selection I've ever seen anywhere, in fact. Be sure to check out the basement.

 

I need to go over my notes, as I wanted to report back on which ones, but now I need my girlfriend to help me remember where/what.

For now, I would STRONGLY suggest Jive Time and the Underground Thrifts. They both yield not only collectors vinyl but lots of "general fare" vinyl for $1 and up, most of it in mint condition. Dire Straits, Chicago, Allman Bros, Moodies, et al. I need to get back to you on that, but the rest wasn't that interesting. Sure, some used CDs here, some junk in a pawn shop, another "BIG" used record store over there that yields only specific stuff at high prices.

So, for now, Jive Time and the Underground Thrift in Freemont get high mention. I brought home over 30 lbs of used vinyl in one bag. Thank heavens for my GF's airplane pillow. Along with clothes from Value Village (also very recommended for 2nd hand clothing, electronics, records) I spent a bit of money on a lot of nice 2nd hand stuff. In these places, the prices are WORTH the haul.

There's a lot of junk to sift through, even in some other areas. I should have picked up an Aladdin LD while I was there. One store had 40 used copies...

It really depends what you hunt for.

http://www.jivetimerecords.com/

 

Take it from a Seattle native...

As I live in the U-District, I frequent music stores in the Seattle area. Here're my recommendations:

* Tower Records - 520 5th Ave. N (Downtown Seattle)
This store is so close to the Space Needle you can pretty much throw a rock at it and hit it. They just recently moved to the address given. Their old location was right across the parking lot, like 50 feet away (500 Mercer St).

* Everyday Music - 112 Broadway Ave. E. (Capitol Hill District)
My friends and I frequent this store (they're based in Portland, OR, and this is their only store outside of Oregon). They just recently redesigned the place: it's now two stories, with the upstairs dedicated to rock and rap, I believe. Definitely hit this place up... it's a nice big store, and they've got one of the best used CD selections in town, in addition to carrying vinyl, VHS, DVD, etc.

* Bop Street Records - 5219 Ballard Ave NW (Ballard District)
A vinyl lover's wet dream. If you're into vinyl, you must pay a visit, no question. Don't let the small selection upstairs fool you... to get to the real meat, you have to go down to... the basement!!!

* Easy Street Records - 20 Mercer Street (Technically in the Queen Anne District, but closer to Downtown, I guess)
This is this indie chain's second store, and it's still fairly new (I believe it opened sometime in 2002 or 2003). Good selection of new and used CD's, vinyl, etc. You might also want to pay a visit to their original store in West Seattle, located at 4559 California Ave. SW

Those are just some highlights. You should definitely hit up the U-District. Be careful, though, as parking is a real b!tch there. On the plus side, it's very easy to hit up all the stores, as they're pretty much all along University Way NE (locally referred to as "The Ave"). So, what you wanna do is start at 50th Street & The Ave and work your way south down the Ave. You'll come across (not in order) Cellophane Square, Tower Records, Al's Music, Second Time Around, and maybe another one, I really can't remember.

Any other questions?

BTW Sckott, did you pay a visit to Bop Street like you were told?

 

Thanks, everybody, for your input. I'm just back from Seattle, and I managed to squeeze in some great time hunting for vinyl.

Bop Street boasts over 1/2 Million items in stock. This was the most vinyl I have seen in one place in a long, long time. I got some personal attention from Dave on some jazz. This was a good time.

Jive Time had a copy of Miles Davis' Jazz Track with the abstract cover, for $40. I was sorely tempted. I saw a second copy at Bop Street, Dave is keeping that one for himself <grin>.

Landing Records had a copy of an S&P Records Eva Cassidy Songbird on display. Also some very interesting jazz displayed, including an Ahmad Jamal Lp.

I got to a few other places, but these were the highlights for me. I was looking strictly for vinyl, specifically NRBQ Scraps on Kama Sutra (scored it at Bop Street), Miles Davis Kind of Blue and Jazz Track, and Buffalo Springfield Again in Mono. Admittedly, a very tough selection, but except for the last item I saw all of it. This judge gives Seattle a 9.375 for vinyl, and Canadien Olympic coverage (CBC).

 

And don't forget to bring us back some vinyl souvenirs.

 

I get out there for work fairly often. The U-District is great. Cellophane is one of my favorite stores (but it was better years ago; always worth a visit, and they get new albums on promo - new releases "used" sell for roughly $8.99). The Tower that used to be near the Space Needle was good; not sure about the new one. Easy Street (the California Ave one right near the old Tower and the Space Needle - it was a former Tower Books) is good as well - discovered that one last time. Everyday Music is also very good - another recent find; another great selection of used CDs with great stock.

I'm surprised no one mentioned Silver Platters. While it's not for used stuff, I've found a lot of escoteric jazz titles there that I have had to order online. They have a stores in Bellevue and Tukwilla (near the mall near the airport).

 

The new one is pretty much the same store as the old one... just in a different [and slightly smaller] location (pretty much 20 feet from the old store )

That Easy Street is the one at 20 Mercer St. (The California Ave. location is in West Seattle). And yeah, both Easy Street and Everyday are damn good stores

 

You must have real big feet.

There's one a couple of blocks south of the Northgate Shopping center too.