In Minneapolis this weekend - record store advice

If I ever get out of this conference room downtown, I am going to take a number of these suggestions!!

Thanks all!

 

That sounds about right. I remember finding some nice MFSL vinyl at each place around that time.

 

There's only one thing to do. Call the head office, and tell them you've broken your sternum, and you can't be moved..

Then go over to Sebastian Joe's ice cream on Hennepin, and get a bowl of Pavarotti.

 

I liked there, too. Wasn't it also up 26th about half a block, next to the mystery bookstore?

 

So David, What did you end up finding?

 

(please excuse a nolstagic romp through minneapolis record stores long gone).

Don't know. I only started venturing beyond the mall record stores like Musicland in, say, 1987 or so. I get the feeling that I just started to explore the local record scene at the same time that a number of area record stores that couldn't adapt to the transition to CD began to disappear one by one. I've only heard stories about some of them (like "Wax Museum") others I got to visit once or twice before they vanished, like "Platters" which I remember was upstairs from a clothing store called "Tatters", but seemed to have lots of cool imports of things I hadn't seen anywhere else.

Northern Lights (downtown mostly, but I also visited the Burnsville and Bloomington locations occassionally) was my first regular record store haunt, and the first one where I learned the joys of discovering new music courtesy of an adventurous staff and overhead listening playlist. Getting the LEFT OF THE DIAL boxset brought back a lot of memories of this place, as I think a good chunk of the set consists of tracks I first heard there. Garage D'or was a regular stop for me as well, but I remember it more for introducing me to ICE Magazine than any great finds, I guess. I was also fond of Positively Fourth Street in Dinkytown (could there ever be a better name for a U of M record store on 4th street?), but they seemed to go downhill long before they closed after changing their name to Know Name.

Any memories of Twin Cities record stores of yore anyone cares to share would certainly be enjoyed.

 

So, I did manage to achieve escape velocity for a few hours on Sunday.

The first place I went was Cheapos on Lake. It was just as described by several folks. The basement was full of vinyl but, for some reason, I had a hard time getting comfortable there. Picked up new copies of Decemberists, Towns Van Earl, and a few lps from Spoon. Also grabbed a couple of Shawn Phillips cds for a great price.

Then I headed over to Treehouse for some more fun. This place is quite small but the new releases bins were well stocked with some quality stuff. From the store, I got:

Mamas and Papas - original issue mono, VG+
Derek & the Dominos Live - NM (No spindle marks, never played from what I can tell)
Hejira - Cutout, but the vinyl looks great
and a couple of others that escape me for the moment.

I'll have to wait until next trip to hit the other places. Thanks for the help, y'all!

 

Oops. I meant to say that I picked up a couple of SAM Phillips cds. I got Omnipop and Cruel Inventions for $7.00 total. New cds at Cheapos were way too high to consider. I had to check to see whether I'd stumbled into Borders instead!

 

Platter's was pretty neat. I picked up some nice European Siouxsie concert tour posters there. I also like when the Down in the Valley Golden Valley store in the 90's when it had a wall so the used area was seperate. I remember they would never buy record club CDs in the used store. I really liked Let it Be when they were on Harmon Place and had the posters upstairs. You could tell that store was bound for greatness. Cheapo also has moved I don't know how many times. They were at 1) Lake and Lagoon upstairs, 2) over near the uptown bar, 3) a couple blocks east of Lyndale

 

Down in the Valley was pretty great at one time. I think all that's left is the anchor store on Hwy. 55, and I'm not even sure if that's open anymore, but I found some great stuff there over the years -- especially in the early '90s when they were ditching their vinyl.

Another great little hole-in-the-wall was Flip Side on Randolph in St. Paul, across from St. Kate's. Dave, the owner, really knew his stuff, but nothing ever seemed over-priced. Few stores had as much cool merchandise in such a small space. Dave also owned the Crackpot Records label, which released the first Golden Smog EP (later reissued by Ryko).

The Wax Museum stores in Dinkytown and on Lake Street were nice while they lasted. And I never was a huge fan of Know Name after it took over that 4th St. space, but I do remember they had TONS of cutout DCC and MFSL titles for like $8 each. I bought a few, but obviously wish I'd gotten more.

 

There's Down In The Valley in Maple Grove and Wayzata.

 

I'm pretty sure Wayzata closed. It is now a Chuck and Don's Pet Food Warehouse. Pretty sure the Crystal and Maple Grove are still open.

 

Good call. He used to have that Pleased to Meet Me mobile near the cash register.

 

Shows what I know. I don't make it out to the suburbs very often.

 

That was a great store. I did most of my shopping there when it was in business. I really miss it.

 

I haven't been there for about a year or so and their vinyl selection was small. It was more a CD and head shop anyway. Last weekend, I drove by the Maple Grove Down In The Valley and saw the store sign. I didn't go in though.

 

I remember convincing my dad to drive me around to a few record stores one Saturday afternoon before I could drive. I know we hit Garage D'Or, and Down in the Valley in Bloomington (or was it Richfield?). That was where I bought my first "live import" CD, which I thought was awesome at the time.

I'll also give a shout out to Root Cellar Records in St. Paul since it hasn't been mentioned yet. May it rest in peace.

 

I was reintroduced to this thread via a Google search for something else. Funny how little the Twin Cities record store scene has changed in the years that have followed. I did find this rather comprehensive list of MN Record Stores of yore:

http://gojohnnygojohnny.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/list-of-dead-indie-record-stores/

 

Wax Museum on Lake Street (across the street and slightly west of a great old pool hall that had a jukebox full of jazz greats ) and Oarfolk were my faves when I was in the area "way back when". Peter at Oarfolk was very patient with all my inquiries and executed quite a few import special orders of records. I still have a lot of that vinyl with their respective price tags. Good times

 

I’m going to take a shot at breaking down the present-day Twin Cities record store scene. Even with the industry in decline, Minneapolis/St. Paul is still a very solid record-buying market that beats many larger U.S. metropolitan areas, in my opinion.

I’m a Twin Cities native in my mid-30s who began collecting physical music in earnest in the mid- to late 1990s, so my memory doesn’t go back super far. I’m just old enough to have visited Let It Be a handful of times, for example. That downtown Minneapolis store’s closure in 2005 was unfortunate as it was easily one of the best record shops in the Twin Cities. Let It Be does live on through its online site, though: https://www.letitbe.com

I should also mention that I haven’t lived in the Twin Cities since 2011, but I do continue to check out the stores when I’m back in town. There are still quite a few shops that sell CDs and vinyl in the Twin Cities. I have been to many, but not all, of them, as noted below.

So here’s a look at brick-and-mortar record stores in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. This is a long and detailed post, so beware!

Electric Fetus (2000 4th Ave. S., Minneapolis 55404): The best record store in the Twin Cities, and it has been for years. Has one of the deepest and most wide-ranging selections of new CDs that I’ve seen of any shop in the U.S. Used CD selection is excellent, too. They’ve expanded their new and used vinyl offerings, though this is an area in which there’s room for improvement. Also, their collection of CD box sets had gotten weaker as of my last visit a few months ago. Those things said, this is still a great store, definitely worthy of its status on Rolling Stone’s 2010 list of the best record stores in the U.S.: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/the-best-record-stores-in-the-usa-20100916

Incidentally, the Electric Fetus store in Duluth (in northern Minnesota) is excellent as well, if not as large as its Minneapolis counterpart.

Cheapo Discs, (3 locations – 1300 W. Lake St., Minneapolis 55408; 71 Snelling Ave. N, St. Paul 55104; and 170 89th Ave. NE, Blaine 55434): Probably the best place(s) in the Twin Cities to pick up used CDs, and the used LP stock is a big plus, too. This longtime chain has three branches as of this writing, fewer than it had back in its heyday. The store in the Uptown area of Minneapolis is the biggest and best, even after it was scaled back from two floors to one in recent years. The St. Paul branch is strong, too. I haven’t been to the one in the northern Twin Cities suburb of Blaine.

One can make some good finds in the Monday-Sunday used CD bins that get refreshed each week. The used vinyl selection is large, too: You can find many mainstream albums, and some more obscure LPs, from several genres going back decades. The vinyl stock, including 45s, is deeper than almost any store in the Twin Cities. (Only Hymie’s competes in this regard.) Cheapo also has sizable amounts of new CDs and vinyl, but the selection is hit-or-miss at this point.

Treehouse Records, (2557 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis 55405): Not even close to the biggest store in the Twin Cities, but it’s definitely one of the most interesting. The store used to be called Oar Folkjokeopus and was a hub of Minneapolis’ thriving independent rock scene in the 1970s and 1980s. It was renamed Treehouse Records in 2001.

The store is packed with used vinyl and CDs, with some new product mixed in. I’ve found many collectibles here. Check the LP new arrivals bin first. If you’re a ’60s psychedelic/garage rock fan, those genres are well-represented. But there’s more, too. Basically, I recommend rock/R&B collectors to visit this place because the stock is interesting, if not comprehensive. I’ve occasionally seen this shop crack a national “best store” list, and I don’t have any objections.

Hymie’s Vintage Records (3820 E. Lake St., Minneapolis 55406): Interesting store in that it’s very vinyl-heavy – 33 1/3s, 45s and even some 78s, I believe – and large. I guess I’ve been to this place a handful of times over the years. The couple who own the store are nice and I like the ambience, but honestly this hasn’t been one of my go-to spots.

Perhaps I need to visit Hymie’s a few more times to fully appreciate what it offers, as I have to admit that I was surprised when Rolling Stone named it one of the top record stores in the nation in 2010: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/the-best-record-stores-in-the-usa-20100916

The Electric Fetus -- deservedly so -- also made that Rolling Stone list, but I’d place Treehouse Records, for example, and probably Cheapo ahead of Hymie’s in a ranking of Twin Cities stores. Why? I’ve found the turnover and number of rarities at Hymie’s to be comparatively weaker. That said, check the place out if you’re a vinyl fan and you can form your own opinion.

One area in which Hymie’s might have an advantage is in 1950s and 1960s LPs. They seem to have more of those than any other shop in the Twin Cities. Hymie’s also has a good amount of 45s, if you’re a fan of that format.

Roadrunner Records (4304 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis 55409): Under-the-radar, hole-in-the-wall, vinyl-heavy shop that has more going for it than you might suspect. Seems like the turnover is pretty decent at this store, and they’ve got separate bins for new arrivals, which is always a plus. I’ve found collectibles in the new arrivals and regular bins. This shop has some used CDs, too, but the vinyl is the main reason to come here. Small store, but a place worth visiting.

Half Price Books (Numerous locations in the Twin Cities. The two best are: 2041 Ford Pkwy., St. Paul 55116 and 5017 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park 55416): Used bookstores that also sell sizable amounts of used CDs and vinyl.

As mentioned above, there are Half Price stores scattered all over the Twin Cities and the surrounding suburbs. The two that typically have the best, most interesting stock are the two most urban stores -- the ones in St. Paul and St. Louis Park, a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis.

It’s possible to find CD and vinyl collectibles, though the stock typically gets picked over quite a bit. Some of the items, vinyl especially, are marked too high, but the stock is organized fairly well.

If you’re a fan of music books (rock and otherwise), by the way, these stores are definitely worth checking out. I’ve found many great music books -- in print and out of print -- over the years, and the prices are usually pretty cheap.

Other stores I’m less familiar with but have visited:

Discland (822 W. 98th St., Bloomington 55420): Have been to this place once, in 2013. Large store with plenty of used “discs” -- whether it’s CDs, DVDs, video games, etc. The CD selection was better than I would have guessed it would be. When I made my purchases, the clerk used some of sort of cleaning machine on some of the CDs I bought. I don’t think he damaged anything, but that “courtesy” was not necessary!

Fifth Element (2411 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis 55405): I’ve only visited this store once, and it was a brief visit probably a decade ago. Fifth Element gets a lot of love for being a gathering place of the Minneapolis hip-hop community. From what I remember, the store had a small collection of CDs and vinyl in the hip-hop genre -- but it was the kind of stuff you might have trouble finding anywhere else. I need to give this store another look when I’m back in town. I think it serves a nice niche.

Homestead Pickin’ Parlor (6625 Penn Ave. S., Richfield 55423): One of the things I like about the Twin Cities’ record store scene is that there are certain shops that fill niches. This store -- which “specializes in acoustic music recordings, instruments, accessories, and instruction” according to its Web site -- is one of those stores. I’ve only been here a few times, but the music selection, which is mostly CDs if memory serves correctly, was interesting because there was a lot of folk and bluegrass. Those styles aren’t well-represented at many stores. Interesting place.

Rice Street Music Memorabilia (2768 Rice St., Little Canada 55113): Very under-the-radar shop that I saw listed in a newspaper somewhere. Otherwise wouldn’t have known that it existed. This smallish store had CDs, vinyl and some other music collectible stuff (shirts, etc.). I actually found a few collectible discs here, though I got the impression that the turnover wasn’t very good because it didn’t change much between multiple visits that I made. Worth a look, even though it’s in an out-of-the-way northern suburb.

Eclipse Records (381 N. Wabasha St., St. Paul 55102): I visited this store when it was located in St. Paul on University Avenue. That was probably about six years ago. It has since relocated to downtown St. Paul. When I visited, the bins had decent amounts of vinyl and CDs, and there was a performance space in the store. The stock didn’t blow me away, but I did find a few things.

Down in the Valley (3 locations; the original store is at 8020 Olson Memorial Hwy., Golden Valley 55427): Small record store chain that’s been around for years. The original shop is the one in Golden Valley -- in a 1960s-style strip mall -- and that one’s probably the best. Have only been to that location a few times; the stock of CDs and vinyl (new and used) was OK and fairly large. Other music-related items were for sale as well. Looks like as of this writing, the store has two more branches in the Minneapolis suburbs of Maple Grove and Crystal (though the Crystal branch is closed while the store is being renovated).

Know Name Records (6009 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis 55417): Haven’t been to this store in a long time. Last time I was there, I don’t recall the stock being very memorable. Store had/has a lot of gag gifts and other things of that nature. The store is still open, though, right across from one of the older Dairy Queen restaurants in the Twin Cities.

Stores I’ve never visited but that are worth mentioning:

Extreme Noise Records (407 W. Lake St., Minneapolis 55408): Specializes in punk and heavy metal. Those musical genres aren’t among my favorites, but I’d still like to check out this shop that is highly regarded by many people. Fills a valuable niche in the Twin Cities market.

Vintage Music Co. (1820 E. 38th St., Minneapolis 55407): This place sounds really interesting. Sells and repairs vintage record players and radios and sells 78s, from what I understand. I haven’t gotten into collecting 78s, but it’s cool to know that there’s a place that specializes in that format. I need to check this place out the next time I’m in town!

More stores that I haven’t yet visited:

-- The Book House in Dinkytown (1316 4th St. SE, Minneapolis 55414)
-- Corner Store (900 W. Lake St., Minneapolis 55408)
-- Barely Bros. Records (783 Raymond Ave., St. Paul 55114)
-- Into the Void Records (461 Temperance St., St. Paul 55101)
-- Mr. Zero’s (1744 Lexington Ave. N., Roseville 55113)
-- Go Johnny Go Records (4755 Banning Ave., White Bear Lake 55110)

 

A fantastic look at the shops I frequent, and a some clues to a few places I should give a chance. Thanks for your thoughts here!

 

Thanks! Do you have any favorite brick-and-mortar stores among the ones I listed?

 

Was in Know Name over the weekend. Not a lot of quantity, but a good variety of quality. Reasonable prices. When you have several thousand records, it gets hard to just walk in and find something, and I could have walked out with quite a stack if I had prepared for it by saving up a bit. My next trip there should be memorable.

Still, picked up 3 records.