Los Angeles area record stores

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by jamesc, Jun 16, 2016.

  1. MrGrumpy

    MrGrumpy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Burbank
    If you're visiting L.A. and coming to Amoeba, get on their mailing list and/or follow on Twitter. They have 15% off coupons quite often, as well as specialized deals, often coinciding with a birthday.
     
  2. timnor

    timnor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Thanks. I found the Amoeba selection of used vinyl quite limited which is why I was looking for alternatives in LA. I’m dragging my family along so something in an interesting neighborhood would be great !
     
    hi_watt likes this.
  3. MrGrumpy

    MrGrumpy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Burbank
    Welcome. Where are you staying? Do you have wheels? Other interests?
     
    timnor likes this.
  4. timnor

    timnor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Thanks. Well I’m with my teenage daughters who like to walk, shop, thrift stores, coffee, bookstores and markets so I thought of Silverlake.
     
  5. Marc Perman

    Marc Perman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Also Highland Park, which your daughters will like, and there are two branches of Permanent Records across the street from each other on York Blvd.
     
    timnor likes this.
  6. jamesmaya

    jamesmaya Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I was at The Last Bookstore this past weekend. Found first pressings of Jefferson Airplane LONG JOHN SILVER (-1S matrices) and James Gang RIDES AGAIN (non-abridged “Bomber”). Both great condition, total $8.
     
  7. Marry a Carrot

    Marry a Carrot Interesting blues gets a convincing reading.

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    maui jim likes this.
  8. RTurner

    RTurner Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
  9. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Come on. They always had two sides to their business - and they are clearly going out of business as a regular used record/CD store. It’s sad news. It was a great place and I have nothing good memories.
     
    chickendinna likes this.
  10. RTurner

    RTurner Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Until now I really liked the store. They have had the 'Back Counter' for expensive records forever, but this is essentially saying "'regular' record store customers are not worth their time. They have always had a significant relationship with record industry people and international record buyers and they own the building. I suppose the writing was on the wall when they reduced the retail space by nearly half in order to rent that parcel separately to another retailer. That downsizing kind of ruined it for me. Seems like they will cater to industry types/international buyers/people with deep pockets. I am privileged to be able to spend whatever I want on records (I'm even considering the uber George Harrison box) but this rubs me the wrong way. Good luck to them.
     
    Brian Doherty, hi_watt and maui jim like this.
  11. Put me in the Bagatelle camp (record store in Long Beach). The man who owns the store is really cool. I only went there once, and he was so friendly. I love that place!
     
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  12. RTurner

    RTurner Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I haven't been there in a while but I like that store . Time to pay a visit. :cool:
     
    Barnyard Symphony likes this.
  13. His record store is only
    There is a whole lot of history in that neighborhood. Many of the houses there from the mid 1960s have been demolished and replaced with condos and apartments. The nearby park has been greatly expanded since then as well. The elementary school remains after all these years--that alone is a trip! I still love the area.
     
  14. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    Went to Amoeba a couple weeks ago and we decided to swing by Rockaway. Unfortunately, despite all of the reopening activity, Rockaway remained closed. Too bad, there were eight of us with with over a year of having been denied the record store experience. I dare to say Rockaway lost a decent amount of money on that day.
     
  15. erikdavid5000

    erikdavid5000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    So, how do I make an appointment to get in there and snag me a Greek pressing of In Through The Out Door for $60?
     
  16. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I don’t think it’s a matter of choosing to cater to rich people, or anything so nefarious. I think that it’s a simple matter of not being able to secure adequate supply of used vinyl at prices that would allow them to pay the expenses of running a business while competing with online sellers. I wonder if they are retiring. They are getting around that age.
     
    davers, somnar and Bobsblkwax like this.
  17. somnar

    somnar Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC & Amsterdam
    davers, neruda and Bobsblkwax like this.
  18. somnar

    somnar Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC & Amsterdam
    I think probably more accurate to say that regular record store customers don't make enough money to pay the rent. Or maybe they don't want to deal with the hassle of a retail store any more. They've been doing this for a very long time and, to my mind, if they want to change the model a bit, more power to them. They stuck with long after many others closer their door and then again when many new shops opened theirs. And anyway, we should be glad that they're not closing entirely, which is an all-too-common occurrence these days.
     
    davers, Shawn, neruda and 1 other person like this.
  19. shark shaped fin

    shark shaped fin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I always thought Rockaway was a pretty solid spot, they had a lot of expensive records but their prices were generally pretty fair all the way down to the discount boxes they had at ankle level below the main LP section. Since it’s always been the record store that’s closest to me I went there a lot, so I’ll miss it. Since I’m not much of a customer when it comes to rare and expensive vinyl, I doubt I’d ever make any kind of appointment.

    At this point I’m just looking forward to the opening of Record Safari in Atwater Village!
     
    Shawn likes this.
  20. erikdavid5000

    erikdavid5000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    No one has mentioned Sound Station by LAX and maybe it’s a good thing. Best record store in LA. Lots of new vinyl as well as boatloads of used, all at fair prices. Lots of collectibles and merch too. The owners are great guys
     
    Tjazz likes this.
  21. tdcrjeff

    tdcrjeff Senior Member

    Location:
    Hermosa Beach, CA
    Soundsations has been mentioned a half dozen times.

     
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  22. erikdavid5000

    erikdavid5000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    i stand happily corrected
     
  23. RTurner

    RTurner Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    My local stores are Sounsations, Record Surplus, and Amoeba. The one time I went to The Last Book Store in downtown I was very impressed with the record section - not just a bookstore afterthought but a real record store within. If I feel like driving I will go to CD Trader (Tarzana), Freakbeat (Studio City) or Atomic (Burbank).
     
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  24. erikdavid5000

    erikdavid5000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I wonder if Rockaway has some kind of a “guaranteed to buy something” situation w this “appointment only” model. Seems it would be endlessly depressing for them to go though all the trouble of “booking client appointments” just to have guys wander in, look around for ten minutes, and then leave without buying any overpriced items.
     
    audiomixer likes this.
  25. Beyond Mania

    Beyond Mania Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Well, that was fun while it lasted. I have some great memories of finding some treasures there. Plenty of great stuff behind the counter and out in the open. I've been waiting for them to open back up so I can plan a trip there (I'm about an hour away) and spend some money. But honestly, looking at the items for sale on their site, they have just become way too overpriced. It's almost more like a museum full of items I can't afford.
     
    erikdavid5000 likes this.

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