Used record stores in Philadelphia

Yes. They moved to 2nd Street above Market a while back.

Another record store in my own neighborhood that went under the radar and I didn't know it even existed is Long in the Tooth, in the 2000 block of Sansom Street. They have used vinyl from a lot of different genres. Also (someone please help me with the name, I forgot it) there is a place on the main street in the Chestnut Hill section of the city. I like it a lot.

I haven't yet been to the Album Hunter across the river from Philly in Maple Shade, NJ.

 

Hideaway Records. The motto on the front window is "Better Living Through Vinyl". Top of the hill in Chestnut Hill, by the train station.

 

There's also an online vinyl source out of the Doylestown area. I've had good experience with them but I don't think it's a B&M:
http://www.soundstagedirect.com/

 

alas,the saturday show is ONLY 45s & 78s-no lps. they are at the sunday show.

 

Just FYI, I was in the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia over the weekend and visited:

Hideaway Music
8612 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
215-248-4434

I was using up a GC someone gave me. My last trip to this store a couple years ago was a bit of a bust as they must have just opened and there wasn't much stock.

This time was a totally different experience. There were at least six other people combing through quite a few used CDs and many bins of vinyl. I believe they even have more downstairs. I only quickly glanced at the records but picked up a few nice CDs:

Emerson Lake and Palmer - Pictures at an Exhibition - West Germany target CD
Crosby Stills Nash Young - So Far - Made in USA by Sanyo CD
Charlie Parker - 3/27/65 10th Memorial Concert - Japan 32JD-117 CD
Ella Fitzgerald - Irving Berlin Songbook Vol. 1 - Made in West Germany aluminum-to-center CD
Rolling Stones - Rewind - Made in Japan by Sanyo, Rolling Stone Records

If you can get there I recommend a visit, partly since it's a nice little mom & pop shop and also because it's nice to stroll along Germantown Ave. There are tons of little shops and some great restaurants.

Below are links to other threads about record stores in Philly:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=116981&highlight=philadelphia

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=111651&highlight=philadelphia

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=121409&highlight=philadelphia

-s1m0n-

 

Here are three in Phila:
http://www.myspace.com/aka_music


http://www.jazsound.com/

http://www.philarecx.com/

Outside Phila, but close to Princeton via Bucks County:
http://sirenrecords.com/


Bethelhem:
Play It Again: 610.868.3711

Allentown:
Double Decker:610.868.3711

 

Hmmm, good to know. I was in there once a couple years ago and wasn't overly impressed, sounds like it's worth another shot.

 

I was there last week. I didn't know they had a "downstairs". Somehow thought it was all on 1 floor.

 

They don't have a downstairs. It's 10 minutes away from me.

 

Repo Records
AKA Music
Long In the Tooth
Philadelphia Record Exchange
Shady Dog Records in Berwyn, PA

These are the places I frequent most. I hate to disclose these as I have been finding some very good used vinyl lately. I only rarely see SACDs or DVD-As on very rare occasions.

 

Does Repo still cater to the punk/goth crowd or did they change with the new owners?

 

AFAIK, Repo has the same owner as they have had for the last 20+ years (unless Dan sold it very recently). I haven't been to the store in a month or 2 as it is not a convenient lunch time excursion. Repo does still cater a bit to the Punk/Goth crowd, but they have always had lots of good alternative and rock titles. Unlike the store in Bryn Mawr (before it closed), I was surprised to see that Repo has quite a lot of new and used vinyl.

In the old days when Repo was in Wayne (later Bryn Mawr) I would buy just about anything at great prices - e.g. Beatles Roll Top Box of all Cds, George Winston Collection, most of my imports were purchased at Repo as tough to get in the late 80's and early 90's

 

Dan had moved to Arizona, didn't know he was back. I used to be able to make over lunch in the 90's but everything was getting thrown together alpha-wise and I got tired of having everything thrown together and all the punk kids hanging out striking poses.

 

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that. As I live in the western burbs, I rarely ever ventured into the South St store. I hadn't been to Repo for several years (since the store in Bryn Mawr closed) until I started working in the city.

I agree about the general disarray and the South St crowd, but Repo has always been a bit disorganized. Fun if you've got the time to dig through the mess, but a pain in the butt when you've got limited time.

 

If you are ever in Levittown, Positively Records is great for CD's....some vinyl, but not much.

Forever Records used to be great, but then the owner passed away and all the oldies CD's were sold to Positively Records and the vinyl went G-d knows where.

 

Woah... I remember the place. Sad to hear that this was the reason for the loss of the store.

I live in the area and I hadn't heard of some of these places before. I really gotta stay away though.

It's outside of the city, but for anyone who remembers Plastic Fantastic in Ardmore, the same husband and wife run Gold Million Records in Bryn Mawr. The name is far worse, but the selection is just as good. All vinyl, no CDs. I went there twice in a week, spent hundreds, and then decided that I can't afford to do that again so I've stayed far away.

 

FYI - Shady Dog Records is in Berwyn.

It's worse for me as I live out near you, but I work in the city. It's hard not to check these stores out on a regular basis as great used stuff is coming in all the time.

 

Yes, it was sad. He was a heavy smoker, and his body just couldn't take it anymore. I won't say any further than that about his passing. He was my very close friend.

I went there every Saturday for three years....it was like a peace of me died when the store closed.

 

I didn't know this, either. Forever Vinyl was a terrific place. I have a non-collector friend who I dragged in there once just to see all the great LP's on the wall.

And whatever happened to the place over in NJ on Rt. 130, called something like Remember When?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr0bq5rfOJA

 

Yeah, but you can't look around, Val won't let you. He is known for his temper, he will throw you out if you come in looking for one 45. Best way is to get a list of rare singles and call his place, he will mail them to you and you usually will deal with his assistant who is nicer.

Although, in recent years, Val has become a bit friendlier, but you still can't look at his stock.

 

Main Street Music in Manayunk - 4444 Main St.
(215) 487-7732

Have added a modest amount of vinyl over the last couple of years. It's mostly cds with really good used selection.

 

Repo Records and AKA Records are my favorites in Phily. Terrific stores both of them.

 

My faves for the Philly area are the Princeton Record Exchange, as well as Siren Records in Doylestown:

http://www.sirenrecords.com/

Yea, I know neither are actually IN Philly, but I'd take either one of them over anything downtown these days.

 

Princeton Record Exchange, Siren Records, Philly Record Exchange, Long in the Tooth and AKA are my current faves.