Vintage Vinyl, N.J.’s premier record store, closing after 42 years

remember when they had a 2nd location at the jersey shore in the early 90's? back in the heyday of CD's.

Compact Disc World also had at least 2 locations, one initially right across RTE 1 from Vintage before they moved to Menlopark Mall, the other on rte 36 right near Monmouth Mall.

my goodness in the mid to late 90's cd stores were everywhere.

 

Sad news!

 

I'm someone who complains about the price of literally everything and I no issues with their vinyl prices. On the other hand, I'm also someone who doesn't give a crap about CDs so again, no issues with VV.

 

Wow - I spent lots of time and lots of money there in the 1980s and early 90s. They had a great run! But still - very sad news.

 

The Route 1 CDW was very cool, I think it had practically one copy of every CD in print at the time. If you couldn't find it in VV, you could find it there. They pared things down a little when they moved to the mall, but still had some pretty obscure stuff in the DVD section.

CDW also had a place on Route 18 (Village Green where the vitamin shop is now) where I'd stop every Tuesday, and one on 46 in Totowa right over the bridge on the way to 23.

 

There was a CD world in Cherry Hill in south NJ too, not sure if it was part of the same chain though

 

It was. There was one on Route 22 in Union as well (near the ship).

 

Been going there since 82, bought tons of imports there. It’s my bright spot when I visit friends and family in NY/NJ. Bought so many rare LP’s there in the last 5 years that I wouldn’t have found anywhere else.
R.I.P.

 

Used to go over there at lunch hour when I worked at Newark Airport.

 

The ones in good condition or collectible ones were all over $25.

 

if you're speaking about vinyl, that's completely false

 

You might want to check out Sound Exchange in Wayne, NJ on Route 23. He seems to stock more CDs than vinyl. Only caveat, it is very hard to browse in the store it is small and packed with product.

 

I was one of his first customers when he was in Irvington, since he was not too far from Seton Hall (where I went to college). I bought a lot of UK imports from him. When he moved to Fords, NJ I didn't shop there as much. But he was one of the larger stores in Northern/Central NJ - who is going to take up that slack?

 

All the ones in good condition are on the left side of the store and on the wall. Even before vinyl became collectible they were charging a lot.

 

The statement about pricing is false. All of the bagged, pre-owned stuff is on the left side (as you walk in) and wraps part way to the right along the backwall. And the pricier stuff is hanging on the wall which also is on the left side and wraps around. The entire right side against the wall is all sealed stuff and that wraps a bit toward the front of the store. There's also a metal vinyl row smack in the middle toward the front of the store. I've shopped in there dozens and dozens of times. I've bought plenty of bagged, pre-owned vinyl that was under $20. In terms of brand new stuff, yes, the prices are higher because new vinyl retails higher. But I've never felt gouged by that store for used stuff, in fact, quite the opposite.

 

I'm not familiar with the store but it sounds very much like a store here on Long Island called, Looney Tunes which has been here since the early 70's and appears to still be going relatively strong given all the variables. That said, the closing up of Vintage is a sad thing to read about any way you look at it. The owner deserves thanks for his years of keeping it going.

 

I’ve been there. I guess the place in Princeton is still there.

 

it's like an old friend moving far away...I feel the patrons pain...never been to that store, but I was sad when we lost so the great Record Stores in the Village, NYC. : (

 

On Record Store Day this year, I explored the rest of the store and found and bought some great used vinyl. I’ll miss them.

 

Not a place for great deals like PREX, but they had some incredible in-store shows….

 

Used to go to the Irvington store back in the 80's twas not for the faint of heart. I always got in and out of there fairly quickly. Great store and it will be missed.

 

They'll be more to close. If Rockaway in L.A. has had enough of the retail thing you can count on the rest to think about it.

 

Yes...saw Rhett Miller there late 2000s

 

I'm from that area and loved CD World growing up. I remember you could trade in five used CDs for a new one. Nearby on 22 there was also Sam Goody, Coconuts and FYE (although maybe the Coconuts became an FYE?). CD World was my favorite though.