Record/CD stores in Portland, Oregon*

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by Dan C, Oct 11, 2002.

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  1. Dan C

    Dan C Forum Fotographer Thread Starter

    Location:
    The West
    I'm going to Portland next week for business.
    Sadly, my time will be limited but I want to do a bit of vinyl and even CD hunting if possible.

    Any store with oodles of reasonably priced classical would be nice as well.
    Thanks,
    Dan C
     
  2. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Which Portland, Maine, or Oregon? If it's Oregon, good luck! I had trouble there also. Protland OR has oldies all right, but the town seems to be more in tune with independant, local talent, and are musically off the beaten path. The average age is younger there, i'd say, around 26.
     
  3. Dan C

    Dan C Forum Fotographer Thread Starter

    Location:
    The West
    Sorry about that! Oregon is where I'm heading.

    Thanks,
    Dan C
     
  4. chrischross

    chrischross New Member

    Location:
    Vancouver, WA
    I'm not the biggest expert on Portland's vinyl scene -- but if classical is what you're after, definitely check out Musical Millenium (Eastside) on 32nd and East Burnside. I'm not sure if I would call them "cheap" but they do have a wide selection of CD's (and even SACD's).

    Everyday Music on 13th and West Burnside has used vinyl and pretty good selection of jazz and blues. There is an eastside location, but I find the west side store better. 2nd Avenue records has used vinyl as well with a definite rock/alternative bent. I've been meaning to check out Crossroads music on 31st and SE Hawthorne as well. Hawthorne also has Reverb Music on 36th, which I haven't been at in years, but it had a good used selection. Maybe another forum member from the Portland area can add some comments here?

    Oh -- and Portland's not very young at all, in fact demographic research has shown it to be one of the oldest (average age 46) and whitest (over 90%) cities in the country. Maybe that's why there is a dearth of Motown/Stax/Chess in this town!

    I would agree that alternative/emo rock dominates the town, always has.
     
  5. rmos

    rmos Forum Resident

    Can anyone offer any updated information regarding used CD stores in Portland, Oregon? I'm going there for a visit over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

    I did a search, but could only find postings from 2002.
     
  6. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    My store is mainly vinyl, but we have about 10,000 CDs here at Crossroads Music. At most any Portland store you can pick up a guide to independent record and CD stores in the area. We have them here.
     
  7. rmos

    rmos Forum Resident

    Sounds good ... Thanks!
     
  8. cdice

    cdice New Member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Portland is an absolute blast for new and used CD music shopping. I always spend way too much money in Portland on music. The downtown area has, probably, 4 or 5 shops within easy walking distance of each other. I wish I could remember the actual names of the stores, but I can't. There was a really good one down the street from The Mallory Hotel, where I stayed. I think the street was called Burnside. Oh yeah, there's a store called D'Jangos also near The Mallory Hotel, and there was a store directly across the street from D'Jangos that specialized in punk and new wave. I haven't been there for two years, but I'd assume the stores were still there. If you can find Powell's Bookstore (the largest bookstore in North America--a city block) (on Burnside?), two of the CD stores I'm talking about are directly across the street, and the other really good CD shop is just right down the street (Burnside?) heading away from the downtown area towards the ocean. I know this is pretty vague, but inde record store maps are available. Once you find one inde store, ask for the map! Have fun! :righton:
     
  9. johmbolaya

    johmbolaya Active Member

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Trust me, as a music junkie, Crossroads is one of THE best stores in Portland, period. There are many, but it's great to see a store not only with turntables, but reel-to-reels, 8-tracks, and I'm sure some other formats I haven't gone through. I haven't been there in a year or two but I try to make it my first stop when I am in Portland.

    But as Lord Hawthorne said, there is a guide. Dan of Jump Jump sent me a recent edition, featuring 27 different stores, and the pamplet does have a helpful map.
     
  10. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Django's is out of business, sadly. It was bought by investors with no understanding of how a record store operates, with the goal of turning it into an internet behemoth. That part of the enterprise still exists (Django.com), but with a new set of owners. Django's was the first all-used record store in Portland, opening in 1973 to my great delight. The founder, Bob Dietsche, comes into my store regularly, and will have a book on the history of the jazz scene in Portland going to the printers very soon.
    That store across the street (Ozone) exists in a different form with new owners a few blocks down the street. A bit of "Hollywood Confidential" in it.
    There's no sales tax in Oregon, either.
     
  11. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Thanks for the kind words. Crossroads operates differently from other store, in that it is more like an antique mall. We rent out spaces to dealers who maintain their own stock seperately from the others so it is collector oriented with a bit of anarchy, but fathomable once you know the system -- it's like a record show without the crowd (Jump-Jump Dan is one of our dealers). Hawthorne Boulevard has the biggest concentration of record/CD stores in Portland with five stores in a ten-block stretch and a few others in another direction. I'm the one with the tables selling stereo gear & tapes (along with records), as well as managing the place.
     
  12. Winter Hugohalter

    Winter Hugohalter New Member

    Location:
    Camas Washington
    Should mention the two Everyday Music (EM) locations, one at 1313 West Burnside and the other at 1931 NE Sandy Blvd. Thousands of new and used CD's and some vinyl.
     
  13. johmbolaya

    johmbolaya Active Member

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest

    Good to know. The last few times I've been down, it's been on family trips so I haven't had time to talk story or even meet people. Hopefully within a few months, I will.
     
  14. quentincollins

    quentincollins Forum Word Nerd

    Location:
    Liverpool
    I've only been to Portland once, but I stumbled across the Everyday Music that's about three blocks from Powells the night I was down there (don't know which EM location that specifically is). I was floored, man, that place is HUGE.

    We have an EM in Seattle now, used to be Cellophane Square (owned by Djangos, I think). Also a gigantic store. Used to be one floor, now they've moved all the rock upstairs and left the main floor for jazz, blues, etc.
     
  15. rmos

    rmos Forum Resident

    Again, thanks for all the tips, guys. :righton:

    I'm staying with my brother, so I don't have spend money on a hotel and a rental car, so that means more money for CDs! :agree:
     
  16. gener8tr

    gener8tr Senior Member

    Location:
    Vancouver, WA USA
    Okay, I hate give away all my secrets, but most of you on this forum are more inclined to search for the Beatles or the Doors rather than Autograph or Twisted Sister, so here you go:

    You MUST go to all three Everyday Music Store locations. Two are previously mentioned on this thread, the other is located on Cedar Hills Blvd. in Beaverton (approx. 15 minutes from Downtown).

    While you're at it, do yourself a favor and check out all three Wherehouse Records locations. There is one in Beaverton about 5 minutes from the E.D. store I mentioned, and two more just off I-205. One is across the street from Clackamas Town Center Mall, and the other is just north a few miles on 82nd. Ave. You will not find any vinyl at these locations, but there are a ton of used CD's.

    Now, do not forget to check out the (2) CD / Game Exchange locations, as well. There is one not terribly far from Crossroads... and as previously mentioned, obviously you need to make a stop in there. Tons of vinyl and CD's at very good prices.

    Now, here's something most people neglect, but well worth checking out... Portland has more Pawn Shops than Vegas (maybe not, but quite a few). In any case, I cannot begin to tell you how many gems I've pulled out of various Pawn facilities. My favorite is Canyon Exchange which is mearly 2 minutes from the Beaverton E.D. location I mentioned. I bet they have 10,000 used CD's in there, and they have them all cataloged on computer to make your search VERY easy. Believe it or not, most are in VERY good condition... Pawn shops get a bad rap, but C.E. doesn't buy junk CD's.

    There is also a Tower Records in town not far from the Wherehouse location on 82nd. It's just north at the 1-205 / 84 interchange on 102nd. Ave.

    That's an entire weekend's worth of looking in itself, so good luck!
     
  17. rmos

    rmos Forum Resident

    Whoa! Portland sounds like a music lovers' paradise!
     
  18. johnborzatti

    johnborzatti Senior Member

    Greetings to all, I will be in Portland for a quick weekend visit and might have some time to look around. Is there anything similar to Ameoba or the like in the downtown area. I will be staying at the Marroitt Downtown Waterfront at 1401 SW Naito Parkway at the mercy of public transportation. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies, this forum has helped me in the past for every new city I have visited ! ! You all are wonderful !
     
  19. gener8tr

    gener8tr Senior Member

    Location:
    Vancouver, WA USA
    Not really in downtown, but there are several places you should visit if you have a rental car.

    First and foremost I'll prop our good friend and SH Gort Lord Hawthorne's place which is on, of all streets, HAWTHORNE :) Not you know where he got his name (sorry if I let the cat out of the bag, Eric). TONS of great vinyl there!

    You should also stop by the two Portland branches of Everyday Music. One is in NW Portland at about 12th. and NW Burnside; the other is at about 17th. and NE Sandy Blvd. They are only a few miles from each other and basically a straight shot down (or up depending on which direction you are travelling) Burnside.

    After you hit the Everyday on Sandy, travel another couple of miles east and stop by Music Millenium. It's worth the 5 minute trip.
     
  20. Frank G

    Frank G Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    WHAT!!?? You mean to tell me that Lord Hawthorne is not really a LORD?! Why, I oughtta....

    Frank G
     
  21. hotrats2

    hotrats2 New Member

    Location:
    vancouver, wa
    If you like punk rock portland has some really great punk vinyl stores, discourage records for one. Heres what I would do if I were you, at the Everyday Music stores, at the counters, they will have a little flyer entitled "portland independent music stores 2007" or something like that, its got all the stores and their addresses as well as phone #s, hours, and what they carry, ie vinyl, used, stuff like that. If you go to the everdyday musics, when you first come in there are bins of newly arrived and vinyl cds. I always thumb through these first, I found MFSL The Wall and Atom Heart Mother for 20 bucks combined a year ago, lots of times they dont know what they have, just all depends on who prices stuff. I recently saw all the Iron Maiden castle remasters but they want $25 for each of em, its ups and down with that place but they are like the supermarket of used music in portland. Also, make sure and check 2nd avenue records, its downtown off second ave just north of morrison street by the waterfront. Lots of rare stuff, I scored an old vinyl copy of JFA Valley of the Yakes for $10 when I moved here, if you go there make sure and talk to the clerks, most of their stuff cd wise is in boxes that are organized by alphabet behind the counter, but they are more than happy to let you look through them. You may want to make sure and call the stores first, some of them have closed, such as For What Its Worth Records, I tried to go there last weekend and its a pizz place now, more of the effects of online sales. I would avoid Jackpot Records, they say they have lots of rare stuff in the flyer but when ya go there all they put on the floor is front covers, and as someone from this forum thats pretty frustrating because you cant really know which pressing it is. Hope you find some cool stuff tax free when your here, hope this info helps.
     
  22. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    The guide to Independent Portland Music Sellers is available in all the independent stores, which is virtually every store in town.
     
  23. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I work a few blocks away from that Marriott hotel, on 1st and Yamhill. 2nd Avenue Records is easy to get to from where you are... About 12-14 blocks away (don't worry; Portland's city blocks are uniformly smaller than most USA cities).

    It's okay but nothing spectacular. Back in 2000 I picked up a few MFSL LPs there for around $20 each, but I haven't seen anything like that there in many years.

    Mostly they've got run of the mill stuff. Maybe 1 out of every 500 LPs is gonna be something interesting/unusual. At least that's my experience, based on what's already in my collection. They may happen to have lots of fantastic stuff you're looking for that's not on my radar at all!

    Jackpot Records (the one on Burnside near downtown, not the one on Hawthorne over the river) had some sealed OJC vinyl last time I was there, but I was not compelled to buy them because they were not very interesting/unusual titles.

    I hate how Jackpot keeps their CDs (same with Everyday Music, etc.) - they're so bundled up with plastic anti-theft devices that I can't figure out what pressing the discs are... Oh wait; plastic anti-theft is what Everyday Music does. Jackpot goes one more step and actually removes the booklets from the jewel cases and puts the booklets in tall cardboard sleeves that you flip through... So you don't get to see even the back of the jewel case, much less the disc itself!

    Have to take them up to the counter and trouble the clerk to get the jewel cases and discs for me.... 49 times out of 50, it's not a pressing I'm interested in (it's a cruddy remaster, or not a Japan pressing, etc.), and I end up telling the bewildered clerk that I don't want anything in my stack. After putting them through all that, I can tell they hate me too. :)

    I'm sure many CD shops are the same way, all around the world, with these anti-theft schemes. But it still sucks.

    Craig(VC).
     
  24. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    I'll be in Portland during my vacation later this month. NOt really a vinyl guy anymore.

    What about CD stores, especially for Hi-Rez (I know....I don't ask for much ;))
     
  25. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Not much used hi-res gets around, but for new DVD-A, SACD, XRCD try Music Millenium.
     
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