Two more good CD stores bite the dust: CD World in Princeton and Cherry Hill, NJ

Is this to be blamed on MP3 downloaders? I don't know. Two of my frequent music stops over the past few years closed down today. The CD World stores in Princeton and Cherry Hill, NJ are no more. I know that CD World has been in trouble for awhile, but I didn't know that these two stores were closing. It just so happened that I ventured into New Jersey from Delaware to do some CD shopping today, and when I pulled up to the Princeton store, I saw sale signs all over the windows. Used CDs were 50% off, and all other merchandise (new music, new DVDs, posters, etc.) was 20% off. I was thrilled to see that they were having a huge sale, but I also knew that something was up. When I walked in, I immediately noticed that walls that once housed portable CD players, CD-Rs, and other accessories were now bare.

The Princeton store had moved into a nice, new location earlier in the year. Now it's gone.

After buying a used CD, an SACD, and three DVD-Audio discs at the Princeton store, I headed over to the Cherry Hill store. A manager there had told me a few months ago that they were filing for bankruptcy, but she was hopeful that they would survive. This store had stopped carrying magazines and certain other ancillaries some months ago in an attempt to streamline costs. I guess it wasn't enough.

I walked out of the Cherry Hill store with a few used CDs, and that's the end of that.

It's also worth noting that CD World opened a store in Bridgewater in May 2002 that closed in less than a year.

The used CD scene in Delaware is pretty lame, so I enjoyed venturing to these CD World stores in Jersey to feed my music hunger. The Princeton and Cherry Hill CD World stores just happened to be their southern-most stores, so now I don't have a CD World anywhere near me. Fortunately there is still the Princeton Record Exchange. Hopefully it isn't going anywhere.

 

I used to buy a lot at the CD World store in Paramus when I had to venture into NJ for work, as my company's office was in Parsippany. They had great stock, imports, and a big selection of LaserDiscs. Then, suddenly one day as I stopped in, the prices had changed and there was a "Member" price and a regular price. Since I only stopped in there 2-3 times a year, I did not feel like paying to "join", so I stopped buying, unless I found something unusual or on sale for the "regular Joe".

These membership deals tend to foreshadow a poor cash flow.

Too bad, though, I really did like the store.

 

New York isn't exactly a paradise for used CD stores, but I certainly noticed that there were a lot of smaller stores in Boston closing down when I lived there. Fortunately there are plenty left...but who knows how long they will last! Probably be okay as long as Boston is the nation's biggest college town....

 

Jon said:

You may be right. When I moved to Delaware in April 2001, there was a small chain called Rainbow Records. They had three stores in the area and a membership program much like the one that CD World has. Within a year of moving to Delaware, Rainbow closed two of its stores. One store remains, and they don't have the membership program anymore.

 

I think they're owned by the same people that do the Chester Co. Book & Music Company by me, which has a membership program. I noticed the writing on the stickers on the 'sale priced' CDs is the same at the Rainbow Records just over the border on Rt 202 as the location by me.

 

Would not the colleges in Delaware, be able to support these stores?
Do you have 'larger' used CD stores?
Sure hope so.
My 'collection', would be COMPLETELY boring, without used selections!

 

Big Ed asked:

Well, remember that Delaware is a small state with really only one major college -- The University of Delaware in Newark. The two Rainbow Records stores that closed were in major shopping districts in Wilmington, yet they didn't survive. The remaining store is on the main drag in Newark, right near the University of Delaware campus.

The Wilmington area I guess is not large enough to support many used CD stores. As I said, it is really lame here. The largest shopping district in Wilmington, Concord Pike, has no used CD shops. It's pathetic.

 

I went to that store on Route 17 only once. Picked up a used Coltrane CD that was taped shut (as all their used stock was) and the guy would not let me open it to see if it was in good shape. (Paid the non-member price for it). I took it anyway and did not get to open it for week - well it was badly scratched. Could not believe a store would sell such a piece of crap. That's the only used store I knew that would not let you see the disc before buying it.
Alway pass it by now on my way to Tower. (I do miss that Tower Outlet store - much better than the one in the city).

 

You know that Tower Outlet (on B'way/4th-ish) is on its way out, right? Nothing there when I last went, at all....

 

Kayaker said:

I haven't been to the Paramus store in a couple of years, but the Princeton and Cherry Hill CD World stores always had an orange "USED" sticker over the top of the jewel case to keep it shut. That was easy enough to overcome -- just detach the jewel case door via the bottom hinge and swing the door over to the back. Voila! I did that all the time at these stores in order to inspect discs. None of the employees ever bothered me.

 

I did not know that - but I figured as much Never see anyone up there. Strange location, strange pricing, strange set-up. Too much effort to find stuff - got a headache every time I shop there.
I have not gotten anything there in quite some time. Best deal were the Classic Compact Discs Gold Jazz/Classical CD's for $7.99 a couple of years ago. They do have a good international music section.
May go to check out whats left. Will take Aspirin with me.

 

A couple of months ago I was in a used store in New York (J & R Outlet) and was doing that - prying open the the CD's. When I got downstairs I got an earful from the security guard who was "watching" me on camera.
Now I know where the cameras are and go into a corner and open them there.

 

Is that JR outlet any good?

 

It may be closed by the time you go. Honestly, there was about a fifth of the retail space with actual stuff in it. Not worth it.

 

Yes and no.
Totally disorganized and the CD's are filthy - But last week I picked up a couple of used DVD-A's fro $9.99 - Hotel California and Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now. They still have few DVD-A's left for $9.99 - The Band Last Waltz, A couple of Steely Dans, a few Neil Young Harvest's and many others. Also picked up the Sam Cooke Live at the Copa SACD cheap. Last year I scored a few gold discs there for under $8, but I never see those anymore.
I will try to get there tomorrow.

 

I've actually always been of the opinion that eBay did a lot to kill used CD stores. Whereas people used to dump their inventories on local CD stores, now everything is web-based and, usually, eBay based.

Central Compact Discs near where I live had been in business since 1987, and recently closed. He cited a whole host of reasons (the rise of the internet, both insofar as downloading and other methods of distribution were concerned, DVDs and video games, the fact that boomers kinda *had* rebought everything, etc.)

-D

 

Well CD World has been owned for over 4 to 5 months now by TWEC. TWEC is the same company that owns Coconuts and FYE stores (just to name a few). CD World was in Chapter 11 prior to the sale to TWEC.

I still frequent CD World in Totowa, NJ and East Hanover, NJ weekly, and they are still going strong. The manager at the Coconuts store in Totowa (one of the best Coconuts stores around - actually better than most large chain stores) told me about 2 weeks ago that some CD World stores were going to close - he just didn't know which ones. I guess we know now, thanks to Keith.

This kind of action by a large company (i.e., TWEC) is common when they purchase another company. They like to shed the "losers" in the bunch, so suffice to say that the Princeton and Cherry Hill CD World stores probably didn't make any money. As much as you don't like to see people lose their jobs and stores that you frequent close, if they bleed money they can't be good for the principal company as a whole. It probably made good business sense to close these stores, but only the managing directors of TWEC would know for sure.

 

Something of a tangent, but do we know if Coconuts gets their "used" stock from some sort of central distribution, or whether it's local?

I ask because although their stores are inevitably disorganized, they tend to have surprisingly good deals on used discs (i.e. all Kate Bush for 5.99).

 

Mike, thanks for the info. on the ownership of CD World. I'm sure you are right about the Cherry Hill and Princeton stores being duds in the chain. It's still too bad. Both stores were in good locations -- the Cherry Hill store was right off I-295 on Rt. 70 West and the Princeton store was on Rt. 1 down the road from two malls. There is a Best Buy and Circuit City down the road from the Princeton CD World, so that may have hurt this particular store.

 

Well that could be. Both the CD World stores I frequent (in addition to the Coconuts in Totowa) are right near or next to Circuit City and/or Best Buy stores. The CD World in East Hanover, NJ is RIGHT next door to a Best Buy and it doesn't seem to have hurt them too much (and Circuit City is just up the street on Rt. 10 in Livingston, NJ). In fact I usually hit CD World first, then walk a few steps over a parking lot divider into the Best Buy parking lot and then take advantage of the weekly special at Best Buy.

The CD World in Totowa is close to both Best Buy and Circuit City on Route 46, but neither are next door. Yet the Coconuts in Totowa is right next door to Circuit City and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

It is strange how in some areas the demographic is such that these kinds of stores can survive right near each other, while in other areas it means quick death.

Northern NJ (as opposed to other area of NJ) is one of the MOST DENSELY populated places in the US (I think). So that may account for the fact that more stores seem to survive in Morris, Essex, Passaic and Bergen counties of NJ than in other parts of NJ.

 

Here in central New Jersey(Monmouth County) we have a Coconuts and a CD World lest than a mile apart from each other on the same highway(rte 36). They both seem to get some great used discs in....but that has dried up in recent months. I wonder how long they will keep both stores so close to each other. It will be a shame to loose CD World here...we already lost a great mom and pop shop nearby(Compact Disc & Tape Center-Rte 35 Middletown) in the fall...could not compete with the Best Buy's and Circuit Cities..that was a big loss...Tom always got whatever new imports you needed..and got them quick too!!!! CD World does not have many great imports but it's still a nice store...hope they hang in there....the employees there are also very friendly..would hate to see them close.

I get my fix by making a monthly (or more frequent) trip to Vintage Vinyl.

JF

 

Joe, it sounds like you are referring to the Eatontown CD World. I haven't been there, as it's quite a bit farther from me than the Cherry Hill and Princeton stores were. The Eatontown store is now the closest one to me.

I don't know how the Coconuts stores in Jersey are for used CDs, but I don't think much of the Coconuts in Wilmington. They have all used CDs in hermetically-sealed bags, and they aren't to eager to open them so that I can inspect the discs. I can usually cajole them to do so, though. It's still a pain. It doesn't really matter because the Coconuts in Wilmington rarely gets in anything good.

 

Hi Keith, The one here by me is hit and miss with used discs....but you're right ...they seal them in these bags that are impossible to open unless you destroy the bag...I really like to check the discs before I buy them...as a previous post stated at least the used discs at CD World you can open the jewel cases to check the discs and close them again...I do find though that the used discs so far at Coconuts are overall in better shape than those at CD World..maybe it's just these 2 stores......I had some great luck about a month ago when I found aprox. 10-15 used DCC and MFSL discs and they were all in mint condition and priced between 11.99 and 15.99..some real nice finds too!!!! "Night Moves" on DCC "Aja" on MFSL and a couple Doors titles on DCC along with a MFSL of "Dark Side Of The Moon" and Jethro Tulls' "Passion Play"...I was very lucky to say the least....you don't find these in used bins too often if ever....

JF

 

Joe, I do find a good disc on occasion at Coconuts. It's rare, but I keep checking because you never know what will turn up. Still, I can't stand those hermetically-sealed bags. One Coconuts employee recently told me that there was no need for me to see discs before paying since all the used discs they take in are in mint condition. I don't even try to explain that I am a collector and that I need to see discs because I am looking for particular pressings. It's not worth the effort to explain it time and time again.

 

Good product can end up at "bad places" neglected. Lots of DCC product is found that way.... You can never leave a stone unturned. Besides, it's fun.