Los Angeles area record stores

it gets worse out there, the $1 vinyl thrift stores in L.A. are an increasingly rare species. Lots of the folks who run those places heard about how “vinyl is expensive now” and decided to price accordingly, without having any knowledge of what that meant.

 

It’s been literally ages since I set foot in there (vowing never to return, if only due to nothing having a price on it, let alone the insults) but the owner has it down to performance art at this point:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-record-collector-los-angeles?start=100

 

I'm a get along guy, and I know enough about music and record collecting that I can talk to just about any record store employee or owner no matter how cantankerous.

But not this guy. I used my best skills with this guy, and it was still 100% an itchy experience with this guy--always on the verge of either being pissed or mad.

Add to that the fact that you really can't browse anything in the store without someone hovering over you and asking how long you're going to be before you buy something.

Perhaps funny in the Soup Nazi sort of way but not really.

Oh and prices are crap on top of that

 

How does this guy stay in business?

 

The prices are really high and maybe they're are a lot of rich suckers?

 

Lol all these stories are making me wanna go in there. If I pay a visit, I shall be reporting back.

 

I could be wrong but I think I read somewhere that he owns the building, and his family used to have money. Anyway, if he owns the building he wouldn't have to sell the kind of volume other stores do to pay the mile high rent.

 

Whoa. But you'd think he'd be constantly fighting off developers/prospective big money buyers like he's John McCabe or something. That alone could give someone an overinflated sense of power and importance.

 

Somebody should make a documentary about this guy. It might be hilarious. I've been reading through all the one star Yelp reviews, sorted by rating. They are a hoot. In one he makes a comment to a woman about the time she spent in there without buying anything, she says, "I've only been in here ten minutes," to which he replies "Lady, you couldn't count to ten." I'm surprised someone hasn't cleaned this guy's clock yet.
And then there is his "archivist" who he yells at, and who follows customers around the store the whole time they are there.

 

Check out other review sites too - there’s lots of fun ones to read out there.

 

That’s actually an amazing idea! Anyone in LA wanna just go and do it? I’m sure his ego is huge enough that he might co-operate.

 

Sounds like the guy in Vegas

 

Love it! You're cracking me up! I truly hope that it doesn't come to that in all earnestness.

 

ANALOG MAN

 

I just want to go in and ask where all the CDs are…

 

Yea, he'd go batusi.

 

That's Tommy Chong in disguise!

 

Steven Tyler shows up at Rockaway records in Silverlake recently.

Instagram.

 

I wonder if he still has lotsa swag and records.

 

Priceless. See now I was just there the other day. And yes, the owner (Sandy) has an insult-comic thing going on. But his tune changes if you just laugh along but stay focused on the records. And in particular if there are some specific records you have in mind you'll get his attention. I sensed he didn't have much time for browsing, and frankly god knows how you'd browse in that place anyway - it's overwhelming.

I would say a few other things:

• First, based on what I was looking for, he had a great selection, and it was all in great condition (at least, the 20 or so records I examined).
• Second, yes his prices were not great but he was willing to bargain. I didn't like his first offer of a price and he dropped it by 20%.
• Third, if you're a jazz collector looking for 50s/60s pressings, you normally have to look on the web and pay for shipping as well. He's got a massive selection and so being able to find lots of stuff under the same roof is a bonus and I would factor that in as a reason to go.
• Fourth, personally I thought Sandy was hilarious but I suppose everyone is different. I would go back BECAUSE of him, not despite.

If you do go, ask if you can climb the ladder yourself (he'll let you). Watching a 70+ year old guy teeter on the second-to-top step was a little edgy.

 

Cool! Someone walked in who can probably afford their prices.

 

Who can afford L.A. prices in 2023?

 

See above

 

Not sure if I’ve seen Deadly Wax records mentioned yet. They’re deep in the valley in Chatsworth. Been around for at least a year, but I finally got a chance to visit them last weekend.

I walked away with a couple great finds. Worth a trip if you’re in the area. Very nice folks too – basically run by a husband and wife team.

 

I'll be in Hollywood for a couple of days this week, and I have a full day to visit record stores. I'm shopping for vinyl only. I'll have a car so I can do some driving if there's a worthwhile place elsewhere in the metro area. I'm primarily looking for ambient/new age albums, some jazz, soul, funk, and African, Latin, and Brazilian funk/boogie/cumbia/salsa/etc.

Here's my list so far - are there any great ones I'm missing, or any I should skip altogether?

• Amoeba
• Record Safari
• In Sheep's Clothing
• Freakbeat
• Arroyo Records
• Atomic Records