Great little NJ store for new vinyl

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by emkay, Aug 22, 2006.

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  1. emkay

    emkay Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    Just recently got a Rega P3, so I've been trolling around NJ looking for places I can feed the little beast.

    I've certainly found my fair share of stores, especially those carrying used records. But one little store had a very impressive of vinyl reissues in addition to the most well-organized an well-cared for used titles.

    Rock & Groove Records on 80 North Washington Ave. in Bergenfield, NJ has a lot of very cool stuff at very reasonable prices - though no Classic titles (the owner thinks they cost too much, though that COULD change if he saw a little more traffic :p ). I picked up a stack of vinyl today that included the MoFi Plastic Ono Band, Sundazed mono Blonde on Blonde, Stones LIB and Banquet (both 180g), and the RTI re-issue of Some Girls. Used, I got a minty Genesis Lamb on the yellow Atco label with Pecko in the runout groove and a nice Chris Squire Fish out of water.

    If I were made out of money, there's a lot more I would get. Many titles are still sealed new old stock -- TONS of jazz, and progressive.

    The owner is a real nice fella, and he's even dabbled in the reissue market -- check out his site at www.rockandgrooverecords.com. He tells me that he considered pressing those titles as vinyl reissues too, but it was cost prohibitive. If you're in the area, check this guys place out -- kinda easy to miss because it's in an office buiding!!! But these are the folks we need to support so they can support our habbit!
    -mk
     
  2. luckyman

    luckyman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brick, NJ
    Emkay, this is very good news! The place I had previously gone to in your area
    is now out of business, so I will definitely check this place out!
     
  3. emkay

    emkay Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    If the place that went out of business was in Closter, this IS that guy. Time off followed by a move.
    -mk
     
  4. MikePh

    MikePh Forum Resident/Song and Dance Man

    I live only a few miles away and didn't even know it was there. Thanks for the head's up.:righton:
     
  5. luckyman

    luckyman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brick, NJ
    The place that is closing is Izzy's in Kennelworth. I got a lot of great stuff
    out of their $1 bin. I live down at the shore, but don't mind traveling the
    Parkway, if anyone in North Jersey has recomendations, I would love to
    hear them! I know I could go to Princeton Record Exchange, but I have
    heard their used vinyl selection is not what it used to be, I have no
    problem finding used cd's, but I am really looking for vinyl. Thanks.
     
  6. Mike B

    Mike B Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Thanks for the heads up.
    I'm moving to Summit, NJ next week.
     
  7. Dave G.

    Dave G. Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    I know them, the owner is a cool guy.
    I told him to join this forum before, but if anything he lurks a little.
    He knows his stuff....used to be a buyer for Kim's in NYC.
    HEY LLOYD register!
    ha ha.
     
  8. seg763

    seg763 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    check out Vintage Vinyl in Fords NJ (it's mostly cd's these days, but fantastic at that) and welcome to the 'hood.

    Summit has a Scotties, it's pretty bad but they do have some good prices on new releases and the ocasional promo giveaway. I got a free picture disc single with the new Flaming Lips cd which was 12.99 and I think I got the Wilco live one there for 15.99
     
  9. Urban Spaceman

    Urban Spaceman Forum Eulipion

    Interesting...........I went to Izzy's for the first time about a month ago (they're having an awesome 50% off sale) and when I was there I asked one of the guys if they're going out of business and he says "No"! It struck me as odd for a store to be doing a 50% off sale if they're staying in business.
    I know what you mean about Princeton - I discovered the store about 10 years ago and it's unfortunately gone downhill with regards to vinyl. Overall, vinyl-carrying storefronts are disappearing or downsizing considerably these days. I know there's a decent vinyl shop in Montclair NJ - Absoulte Vinyl on Midland Ave (I think). Some of the new vinyl is a bit pricey, but not a bad selection of used stuff. Plus, last time I was there I saw quite a stack of 45s in the back which I didn't have the energy to sift through, but maybe next time.................
    ------- Chris
     
  10. Sean Murdock

    Sean Murdock Forum Intruder

    Location:
    Bergenfield, NJ
    Holy crap -- I live in Bergenfield, and I didn't even know it was there! Bergenfield used to have 2 or 3 really good record shops about 10-20 years ago, and I've recently been pining for the "good old days." Thanks for the heads-up!
     
  11. pope_ttb_xxx

    pope_ttb_xxx New Member

    I just did a quick Google to see if Pellett Records in Morristown is still around (sadly, it isn't) and found this list. Can't believe Scotti's is still around. The first thing I bought there was the White Album and the last was Steel Wheels.

    BOUND BROOK
    The Record Den, 14 Maiden Lane, (732) 469-8644, www.recordden.com
    Vinyl only
    Specialties: Collectors' records, music old and new

    FORDS SECTION OF WOODBRIDGE
    Vintage Vinyl, 51 Lafayette Road, (732) 225-7717, www.vvinyl.com
    CDs, vinyl, new and used, collectibles from the '50s and '60s
    Specialties: Just about everything

    FREEHOLD
    VIP Records, 22-24 W. Main St., (732) 866-9984, www.viprecordsusa.com
    Vinyl, some CDs and cassettes
    Specialties: Trance, house, techno, drum 'n' bass, hip-hop

    PRINCETON
    Princeton Record Exchange, 20 S. Tulane St., (609) 921-0881, www.prex.com
    Vinyl, CDs, DVDs
    Specialties: Most everything

    SOMERVILLE
    Curmudgeon Records, 31 W. Main St., (908)-704-1984
    New and Used vinyl, CDs, videos
    Specialties: Punk, indie rock, ska, rockabilly, metal, pop, hip-hop

    SUMMIT
    Scotti's Record Shop, 351 Springfield Ave., (908) 277-3893, www.scotticd.com
    CDs, DVDs, some vinyl
    Specialties: Punk, jazz, rock, hip-hop, folk, funk, R&B

    Source: The Courier News
     
  12. Ken E.

    Ken E. Senior Member

    I grew up in Summit, now live close by.
    Scotties has been around since the 60s, they do vinyl I think only in Summit. They do not do much new vinyl, used stuff is in the back of the store and can be a great source.
     
  13. racerx20

    racerx20 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Holy crap -- I live in Bergenfield, and I didn't even know it was there! Bergenfield used to have 2 or 3 really good record shops about 10-20 years ago, and I've recently been pining for the "good old days." Thanks for the heads-up!

    Bergenfield was king in the late '70s. The Camp, Sound City And the Pyramid made up a small triangle right at the intersection by movie theater. $1.99 used single records and $3.99 doubles. I built my record collection from their used bins. The Camp put these big round stickers on the covers that were a bitch to remove. My Steve Miller Band - Book of Dreams had a chunk of the cover removed by the sticker.

    Down the street was the Record Mill which was a storefront for a distribution company. They had the best prices on new records and later CD's. When they would have the annual sidewalk sale the Mill would put out all kinds of old stock from their backroom/warehouse. I remember getting Jefferson Airplane - Flight Log for 75 cents.

    Of course the ultimate store in Bergenfield was Collectors World. Each guy had their own counter: buttons, T-Shirt Iron-on, posters, baseball cards, coins, ticket scalper, and rare/import record dude in the back. They eventually got a ticketron in there and I spent many long hours in the parking lot behind that place waiting for tickets. The turn out for the 84/85 Springsteen runs in the Meadowlands was unreal. I waited all day and didn't even come close to getting in the door. Later on the Pyramid took over the ticket business and handed out numbers the day before to keep things orderly, they still have it but they moved up the street and are now a t-shirt printing business.

    Ah, good times.
     
  14. World of Genesis

    World of Genesis Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    New haunts... Thanks.
     
  15. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Sigh. Pellet Records was GREAT and if you got Mal on a good day, you could get a decent rap out of him. ('rap' meaning 'talk'..not rap meaning 'rap')
     
  16. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I LOVE New Providence. I delivered there for years when I worked for Fedex until about two years ago. It always seemed like the kind of town that could use a good used vinyl store.
     
  17. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Izzy's is about five minutes from me..literally. I believe that they are closed now and I heard that they are moving to NYC. I just hope that they.....

    a) get a store that has parking that doesn't have to compete with a karate school AND a driveway that allows more than one care to go in and out of it and....

    b) get a store that can be seen from the street so folks know where they are. Their current location was behind a karate school with a parking lot that had a tall wooden fence around it so that you didn't even know it was there.

    Duh.
     
  18. Sean Murdock

    Sean Murdock Forum Intruder

    Location:
    Bergenfield, NJ
    I don't remember The Camp or Sound City, but I spent most of my teenage income at Collectors World and The Pyramid in the mid-80s. Both were great, but Collector's World had an almost magical quality -- particularly because I discovered grey market LPs there. Later on, when Collector's World was gone, and The Pyramid became mostly a ticket/tee-shirt place (as you said), The Record Mill was the only place I'd go for new releases -- it was a small place, but they had a good selection and great prices, and new releases were always a dollar off. I grieved when they closed and I was forced to Tower, and then eventually to Best Buy. The magic is gone.

    But I'll have to check out this new place -- sounds like fun!
     
  19. Mike B

    Mike B Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Ah yes, Vintage. I used to live in Edison, so I've been there quite a few times. I especially enjoy being there when some band is doing an in-store performance.
     
  20. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    He just had the New York Dolls last week.

    Go here and scroll down for the video...

    http://www.vvinyl.com/default.asp
     
  21. MikeT

    MikeT Prior Forum Cretin and Current Impatient Creep

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    There is also a vinyl store in Pompton Lakes, NJ called Flipside II. He is only open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays though. I haven't been there in awhile, but I did pick up a few DCC vinyls (around $30.00 each), some MFSL vinyl and a few other things. I may go back there this week or next since I am on vacation - it all depends on whether my daughter (12 yrs old) will go with me (since I am home with her until school starts on 9/6).
     
  22. All Rights

    All Rights Senior Member

    Wow, small world. I use to hang out at the Diner and the Jack-in the Box on the corner of New Bridge rd. and Washington ave in the 70's.
     
  23. pope_ttb_xxx

    pope_ttb_xxx New Member

    I didn't know Mal; I spent a lot of time (and money) there in the early 80s. The owner was Chris (blonde-ish hair, ruddy complexion), but the guy I was friends with was Charlie (not too tall, short dark hair) who worked nights. He loved Jad Fair and Half Japanese.

    Pellett had the best "import" selection I knew of outside of Second Coming and Venus in the city.
     
  24. MikeT

    MikeT Prior Forum Cretin and Current Impatient Creep

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    I bought many an LP at Pellet Records. I can't remember the name of the soft spoken guy who worked there the nights I went, but he turned me on to Ultravox, Killing Joke and other bands like them. I remember talking about Joy Division, Stiff Little Fingers, Minor Threat, etc... with him.
     
  25. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Ah, yes. I got quite a few 'imports' from him. :whistle:
     
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