Music Stores You Like to Go To

[Hot Ptah]

We recently had a discussion about whether it would be good for record stores to die off, so that downloading and online ordering would become the methods of buying CDs and records.

I still like to go to a music store. I have started this thread so that we can list the music stores which are still open, and which you like to go to.

My current favorites:

In the Kansas City metro area:

Zebedee's, 39th St., Kansas City, MO (mostly used, good jazz vinyl selection, old time used music store, with that kind of atmosphere--could have been open in 1972)

Prospero's, 39th St., Kansas City, MO (used, variable selection but some incredible gems at times, old time used bookstore with music in basement)

Vinyl Renaissance, Shawnee, KS (excellent jazz vinyl selection, not inexpensive, also sells older stereo equipment and turntables, in suburban setting)

Needmore Discs, Shawnee, KS (surburban store with surprisingly good used jazz CD section. The staff seems to be made up of 1980s rock lovers and I don't think that they understand how great their jazz selection is).

Vintage Stock, 135th St., Overland Park, KS (Chain specializing in a variety of used stuff, used CD section is usually quite good)

Half Price Books (Westport, Kansas City, Mo.; 91st and Metcalf, Overland Park, KS; Olathe, KS) (amazing selection of jazz vinyl and CDs, variable but nearly always rewarding)

Barnes and Noble, Plaza, Kansas City, MO (new CDs, jazz and classical selection still quite good)

Borders, 92nd and Metcalf, Overland Park, KS (new CDs, jazz selection stil quite good)

In Lawrence, KS:

Love Garden (on Massachusetts Ave.--a large used record and CD store, of the type that used to be more common, often excellent jazz vinyl and CDs, and much selection of obscure genres other than jazz)

Kiefs (smaller store, but often very good new and used jazz selection, with jazz on small indie labels often available, on Massachusetts Ave.)

Edited December 7, 2008 by Hot Ptah

[AndrewHill]

There's a few places that I really enjoy shopping at. On top of the list is:

Paul's CD's in Pittsburgh (hands down, the best jazz stock around, and a great used section)

Exchanges throughout the area of Pittsburgh and Cleveland (found plenty of gems at decent prices)

Half Price Books (another great place to frequent when the occasional gems come rolling through, like when someone brought in 3 boxes of jazz cds)

And that's about it. All the Borders in the area are terrible and B&N are overpriced. Its really sad if you like the old brick and mortor stores, and really don't care to shop on line. Its becoming a thing of the past.

[ejp626]

That's pretty interesting that so many stores are viable in KS. Perhaps the rent hikes/gentrification hasn't hit like in other cities. I can think of 10 or so record stores (well, they were mostly used CD stores) that closed in Chicago within the last 4-5 years. There are still a handful hanging on, though it looks like Dr. Wax will be going under pretty soon. Jazz Record Mart is still hanging in, but I find it just a shadow of its former self and nearly never go in.

I still like going into Dusty Groove and browsing, but that's pretty much it.

Otherwise, I usually pre-shop at Reckless Records and have them ship the CDs I want to their newish Loop store, go there after work, quickly flip through the Just Arrived bin, buy my CDs and leave.

Maybe a total of 0.5 hour CD shopping in stores every two weeks versus 1-2 hours each weekend 4-5 years ago. It's a whole new era now that all the stores I used to shop at closed down.

[blajay]

I live right near a dusty old record store called The Jazz Quarter in the Sunset district of SF, and its eccentric one person staff named Tom has been a challenging influence for my dive into the history of Jazz. Through him, I've been hipped to events like Larry Vuckovich at the Piedmont Piano Store and the Dogpatch Saloon. He's the type of guy that doesn't say hello or involve himself in any sort of stop-and-chat, but every time I enter the store, he plays obscure records specifically based on my taste from what he remembers me buying the last time I came in. When pushed, he gives me a thorough lecture filled with personal stories. I love that place.

[Hot Ptah]

That's pretty interesting that so many stores are viable in KS. Perhaps the rent hikes/gentrification hasn't hit like in other cities. I can think of 10 or so record stores (well, they were mostly used CD stores) that closed in Chicago within the last 4-5 years. There are still a handful hanging on, though it looks like Dr. Wax will be going under pretty soon. Jazz Record Mart is still hanging in, but I find it just a shadow of its former self and nearly never go in.

I still like going into Dusty Groove and browsing, but that's pretty much it.

Otherwise, I usually pre-shop at Reckless Records and have them ship the CDs I want to their newish Loop store, go there after work, quickly flip through the Just Arrived bin, buy my CDs and leave.

Maybe a total of 0.5 hour CD shopping in stores every two weeks versus 1-2 hours each weekend 4-5 years ago. It's a whole new era now that all the stores I used to shop at closed down.

In the Kansas City area, there were 11 used music stores in a one mile radius about 15 years ago. They are all gone now. There were two very large, excellent used and rare music stores, Music Exchange and Recyled Sounds, which went out of business at about the same time, a few years ago. That was a terrible blow to the Kansas City area music community.

In the light of the end of the Music Exchange and Recycled Sounds, these multiple smaller stores sprang up. Also, Half Price Books opened three stores in our metro area, and a fourth in nearby Lawrence, Kansas.

So the scene in Kansas City is not what it once was, to be sure. I am surprised that a new generation of stores did spring up, and that at least one of the Barnes and Nobles and one of the Borders maintain a decent jazz selection.

There is not much of an impact of gentrification or rent hikes in Kansas City. It is a geographically far flung, sprawling metro area, with no natural boundaries. There are older buildings to rent in, which most likely do not have high rents (Zebedees, Prosperos), but you can always move to another part of the endless metro area and get a cheaper rent if you need to. There has been a lot of flight to the exurbs, and vacancies in the central city, so there is a good selection of vacant spaces in the central city, if you don't want to be in the high end retail areas.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Hot Ptah

[BruceH]

I used to like to go to the Streetlight Records on 24th street in Noe Valley. It's closing in January.

[BruceH]

I live right near a dusty old record store called The Jazz Quarter in the Sunset district of SF, and its eccentric one person staff named Tom has been a challenging influence for my dive into the history of Jazz. Through him, I've been hipped to events like Larry Vuckovich at the Piedmont Piano Store and the Dogpatch Saloon. He's the type of guy that doesn't say hello or involve himself in any sort of stop-and-chat, but every time I enter the store, he plays obscure records specifically based on my taste from what he remembers me buying the last time I came in. When pushed, he gives me a thorough lecture filled with personal stories. I love that place.

Is that the one on 20th near Irving?

[blajay]

I live right near a dusty old record store called The Jazz Quarter in the Sunset district of SF, and its eccentric one person staff named Tom has been a challenging influence for my dive into the history of Jazz. Through him, I've been hipped to events like Larry Vuckovich at the Piedmont Piano Store and the Dogpatch Saloon. He's the type of guy that doesn't say hello or involve himself in any sort of stop-and-chat, but every time I enter the store, he plays obscure records specifically based on my taste from what he remembers me buying the last time I came in. When pushed, he gives me a thorough lecture filled with personal stories. I love that place.

Is that the one on 20th near Irving?

Yup.

[GregK]

Encore Recordings, PJs Used records, Wazoo, Underground Sounds, and of course the flagship downtown Ann Arbor Borders.

[Hot Ptah]

Encore Recordings, PJs Used records, Wazoo, Underground Sounds, and of course the flagship downtown Ann Arbor Borders.

Good to hear that Wazoo is still around. I shopped there a lot in 1978--81.

Back then, I also shopped at the Wazoo in Madison, Wisconsin, owned by the brother of the guy who owned Wazoo in Ann Arbor.

[GregK]

Encore Recordings, PJs Used records, Wazoo, Underground Sounds, and of course the flagship downtown Ann Arbor Borders.

Good to hear that Wazoo is still around. I shopped there a lot in 1978--81.

Back then, I also shopped at the Wazoo in Madison, Wisconsin, owned by the brother of the guy who owned Wazoo in Ann Arbor.

I wish I could support them more. Great store.

[seeline]

My favorite D.C.-area store is still in existence, but I wonder how much longer they'll be able to hold out...

Melody Records

- Ptah, I made a business trip to KC MO in 1990 and had a great time browsing around in record stores there. I'm sorry (but not surprised) to hear that most of them are gone.

Edited December 4, 2008 by seeline

[AndrewHill]

Otherwise, I usually pre-shop at Reckless Records and have them ship the CDs I want to their newish Loop store, go there

Totally forgot about Reckless Records. Went to the location near downtown (not the loop) a couple of years ago, and I spent a good hour going through their selections (which were really good) and walked away with about $100 in cd's. I bought one of their cd's on-line and was not expecting to pay nearly $6 in shipping charges, so I never bought a cd from them on line again.

[six string]

I live right near a dusty old record store called The Jazz Quarter in the Sunset district of SF, and its eccentric one person staff named Tom has been a challenging influence for my dive into the history of Jazz. Through him, I've been hipped to events like Larry Vuckovich at the Piedmont Piano Store and the Dogpatch Saloon. He's the type of guy that doesn't say hello or involve himself in any sort of stop-and-chat, but every time I enter the store, he plays obscure records specifically based on my taste from what he remembers me buying the last time I came in. When pushed, he gives me a thorough lecture filled with personal stories. I love that place.

Is that the one on 20th near Irving?

Yup.

I'll have to remember that one. I didn't know about it. I may be coming into SF Friday or Saturday. I'll make an effort to stop in and check it out.

[Chuck Nessa]

I'd like to visit Met Music on the South Side of Chicago in 1966/8 as I did then (without money). They had tons of great stuff in the basement.

I'd like to visit the Discount Records store I managed in the early '70a. Many lps from this time went away - and I'd dive into the file cabinet to save the letters from Lester Koenig. I was a good customer.

[blajay]

I live right near a dusty old record store called The Jazz Quarter in the Sunset district of SF, and its eccentric one person staff named Tom has been a challenging influence for my dive into the history of Jazz. Through him, I've been hipped to events like Larry Vuckovich at the Piedmont Piano Store and the Dogpatch Saloon. He's the type of guy that doesn't say hello or involve himself in any sort of stop-and-chat, but every time I enter the store, he plays obscure records specifically based on my taste from what he remembers me buying the last time I came in. When pushed, he gives me a thorough lecture filled with personal stories. I love that place.

Is that the one on 20th near Irving?

Yup.

I'll have to remember that one. I didn't know about it. I may be coming into SF Friday or Saturday. I'll make an effort to stop in and check it out.

Don't get too excited because the hours are extremely erratic, and it is just one guy's operation, but I think technically it is supposed to be 1pm to 6pm Tues.-Sat.

[Alexander]

The only decent record store in my area is Last Vestige. I would desperately like to own my own record store, but opening one would be an excercise in futility! Nevertheless, there's a great location in Schenectady, NY...

[ghost of miles]

I'll sing their praises once again for those who sometimes pass through Bloomington, IN or live nearby--Landlocked Music is an excellent store, especially if you're a vinyl fiend. The jazz CD section is small but full of excellent and interesting new and used material. All in all, it's a great place for discoveries.

Edited December 4, 2008 by ghost of miles

[Chuck Nessa]

The open toilet lid and the wet 'n' dry vac give me pause.

[Chuck Nessa]

Not fair changing the pic!

[Teasing the Korean]

Stereo Jack's in Cambridge, MA. I still have dreams about their dollar bin, and sometimes dream of an imaginary back room where they have all this amazing stuff. I will be in Beantown in May 2009 and will show up with lots of spending money, God willing.

Princeton Record Exchange in Princeton, NJ was great in the early 1990s, but I've heard it's not as good in recent years. Not sure if that's so.

[ghost of miles]

Did it before I even saw your comment.

Heath took these pics just before they opened the new store, which is right off the downtown square--the city's taking over their old location for a transportation center, but the new place is even better. It's right down the street from the Bluebird, a bar which opened around '73 (were you still there? can't remember when you told me you left B-town) and featured some dynamite jazz in its first few years (including a legendary Mingus gig), kinda degenerated into mostly bad covers bands throughout the 80s and 90s, and which now is drawing some good indie rock acts, who often drop into Landlocked and blow hundreds of $$ on vinyl and turntables.

[Indestructible!]

Here in L.A., it's got to be Amoeba Records. Unbelievable selection, HUGE store, lots of OOP items... It's heaven, I tells ya.

Although, truth be told, I liked to browse at Aron's Records a bit more... there were some real gems in there from time to time... it's a shame they're gone.

Cheers,

Shane

[Alexander]

Stereo Jack's in Cambridge, MA. I still have dreams about their dollar bin, and sometimes dream of an imaginary back room where they have all this amazing stuff. I will be in Beantown in May 2009 and will show up with lots of spending money, God willing.

Princeton Record Exchange in Princeton, NJ was great in the early 1990s, but I've heard it's not as good in recent years. Not sure if that's so.

I LOVE Stereo Jack's! I miss it so much!

[BruceH]

Stereo Jack's in Cambridge, MA. I still have dreams about their dollar bin, and sometimes dream of an imaginary back room where they have all this amazing stuff. I will be in Beantown in May 2009 and will show up with lots of spending money, God willing.

Princeton Record Exchange in Princeton, NJ was great in the early 1990s, but I've heard it's not as good in recent years. Not sure if that's so.

Stereo Jack's was one of my favorite record stores in the Boston area (and back when there were a lot more of them!) One of the best of all time, easily.

Don't get to go there much these days.

Visited the Princeton Record Exchange just once in 1990 or '91 on a car trip back from NYC. Grabbed some rare Mingus and Ellington. Was quite impressed with the place.

Of course, here there's always Amoeba and Rasputin. I tend to go to the Amoeba near the Golden Gate panhandle just because it's the most convenient.