N.E. Ohio - Blue Arrow Records - A new vinyl store *

It's for a good cause.

I just realized all but three of the CD's I bought this week were either on Sundazed or produced by Bob Irwin for Sony Legacy.

 

scott told me last summer (2008) that hoped he would make it to christmas 2009!

 

Loved My Generation and Quonset Hut. I shopped at those two only for a long time. They both went under within a year of each other (My Gen in '04 and Quonset the following year). In fact, Quonset was rumored to be buying My Gen before they started to run into their own problems. Those two stores always had everything I wanted. I truly miss them. Did not like Record Exchange a lot because their stuff is in glass cases and good luck trying to find someone to open them and then watch you like you're a thief. Don't like shopping in places where I'm treated like a criminal the second I walk through the door.

 

Holy hell. I miss Quonset Hut. Haven't thought about that place in years. They had killer record release parties back in the day at the Parma location.

Sadly no more...

The Record Exchange still turns up gems for me. I hit it at least once a week.

 

Time Traveler is again offering 20% off everything in the store if you pay with cash, and I think 15% off with credit card. I found a few goodies there yesterday, including an OOP Chuck Willis comp on Sundazed.


Here is a recent Akron Beacon Journal article - not looking too good at the moment.

http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/abram/52742757.html

 

Wow, thanks for that and thanks for bumping this thread!

I picked up a postcard for Blue Arrow a few weeks ago at Melt (BEST. SANDWICHES. EVER.) and have been meaning to go, but you know how that is when you have kids in the house... anyone else checked it out yet? I'm on the near West side (by Edgewater), so the drive won't be bad right down the Shoreway...

Anyway, I wrote a piece a while back when My Generation closed if anyone is interested: http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/dead_letter_office/the-farewell.htm

 

I think I've gone in there three times since you first posted about the cash discount ...most recently this past weekend. While it's still the same old Saturday afternoon at Time Traveler (bunch of guys hanging out and talking music), there did seem to be a bit of a cloud hanging over the proceedings.

Without sounding presumptuous about his bottom line and/or personal finances, the notion of moving a few doors down and downsizing seems totally doable if he can hang on a little longer. Clearly he's got his audience...seemed to me that when I would REALLY frequent them in the early/mid-90's, I was on the very young end of his customer base...and really, I think I still am. That said, I've got to imagine the same group of folks ages 40 and up that really aren't hip to downloading who visit the store a few times a month are going to continue to do so. I hope, anyway.

 

I think I've only ever been there once (sort of a drive for me to get there), but I'll start shopping there more if it will help!

 

I checked them out on their first weekend and thought it was a great start. I need to check it out again soon...but our FIRST child is on the way very soon, so I'll know what it's all about shortly.

 

Congrats!

 

pssst.... someone mentioned in another thread that there was a record store in Brunswick. I did a quick online search and turned up nothing. Does anyone know where it is?

 

Ha! I was just about to post a question about that!

I'm totally unfamiliar with anything new in Brunswick. Perhaps he was technically in a different city and THOUGHT he was in Brunswick?!?

 

Google search turned up this place:

Sound of Music
1733 Pearl Rd
Brunswick, OH 44212-3400(Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, OH Metro Area)

Phone: (330) 225-0440

Not sure if they're new or not, but I've sure never been there!

 

I'm not sure if this is the store that I've been to in Brunswick or not, a few times in the past 5 years, BUT, if it is, there is no real need to bother. This guy had an average selection, I seem to remember him having LOTS of still new Rhino product. The real problem with this store, for me, starts with his used stuff, which he keeps locked up in these weird cabinets, plus he has this stupid passion of putting price stickers right on the discs or defacing the jewel case, in some manner. The owner also seems to be a cranky old fart that always gives me the creeps and acts like he'll bite your head off, if you ask a question. Walk tall and carry a big stick if you dare to go. Again, this is my story and I'm sticking to it, "if", this is the store I'm thinking of?

As for "Blue Arrow" (the store that started this thread), I recently checked it out and found that seeing the floor was worth the trip. The owner was playing some old Bobbie Gentry vinyl when I walked in and he seemed glad to have someone in the store. The selection does need to grow, but he had some interesting vinyl, (I picked up a vinyl copy of Mark Knopfler's side project, "Notting Hillbillies" in NM condition for about $3 bucks and a few other things of interest). He had an interesting PROMO copy of The Who's, "Who Are You", that claimed to have edited versions of the songs, but it was pretty beat, so I passed. If you have time to dig through his small rows of 45's, you might find a few unique singles to add to your collections. I'm heading back to that area, (I call it, the middle of nowhere), next month and I plan to visit the store and see if they've grown or bought some new used product. I believe that if he continues to grow, he stands a small chance to survive, but this store is REAL remote, in my opinion.

Chris C

 

I finally had a chance to shop at Sound of Music last week. I had been to that plaza at least a dozen times and never noticed that shop before.

It's not a huge store, but I still managed to spend $90 there, including five volumes of the Rhino Just Can't Get Enough series - all still sealed, all for $11.99, which is pretty good considering a few of these are OOP.

He appears to have quite a bit of vinyl also but time constraints prevented me from searching through it. Maybe next time.

 

Per an article in Scene today, it looks like the end for Time Traveler:

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2010/01/06/top-five-musical-crimes-of-the-2000s

Edit: Didn't see you already posted the Beacon article, MikeP5877.

 

I'm located in the Mansfield area and have never really hit the NE Ohio region, mainly a Columbus guy. Looks like I'm going to have to pick a Saturday real soon and make a day of hitting the shops in your area!