Recommendations for Record Stores in...

[Rabshakeh]

11 hours ago, Aggie87 said:

I was in the Thunderbird Zia on Saturday a.m. for Record Store Day. I got there at 5:00 a.m., but there were already about 200 people in line, a number of whom had been camping overnight.  Got the things I wanted, though, so it was a success.  

That's dedication.

All the signs of RSD were there, including some funny handwritten notes. Genuinely nice vibe. Everything that a local record shop should be, and obviously rewarded for it by the customers.

11 hours ago, Aggie87 said:

I also shop in the Bethany Zia location (which seems to be their "flagship" store, but only recently moved to that location from the one they'd previously been in for many years), but it is a little sketchier area of Phoenix.  I've never felt threatened there though. 

Yeah. I didn't want to suggest that I actually felt threatened at all. It was 10:30am on a Sunday morning when I visited, and it looked okay. The only thing that was alarming was how keen everyone was to tell us how dangerous it was for us to be there.

11 hours ago, Aggie87 said:

I didn't realize you'd be here in town as long as you have been, or I'd have offered to meet up for a coffee or something.

No problem. I was pretty time-poor, and I got lucky to be able to get out and about on the Sunday morning.

Edited April 23, 2024 by Rabshakeh

[Rabshakeh]

Does anyone know a record shop in London that specialises in folk / blues / roots / country of vinyl record? Or at least has a good selection.

I'm coming up with a complete blank.

[mjazzg]

4 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

Does anyone know a record shop in London that specialises in folk / blues / roots / country of vinyl record? Or at least has a good selection.

I'm coming up with a complete blank.

No, I can't.

Have you looked in Atlantis? They often have some interesting stock additions on Insta but it tends to be more "World" music rather than what you're after but there have been blues, folk and country represented, not in great numbers mind.

[Rabshakeh]

7 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

No, I can't.

Have you looked in Atlantis? They often have some interesting stock additions on Insta but it tends to be more "World" music rather than what you're after but there have been blues, folk and country represented, not in great numbers mind.

It does tend to have a good assortment. 

Ray's also used to have good stuff, after it had moved into Foyles. But I haven't seen it's like since. 

[Rabshakeh]

Any recommendations for Rome? I'll be there for a few days from Tuesday. Not sure how much record shopping I'll get in but would be good to see. 

[Rabshakeh]

Are there any good second hand record shops in Dublin? I'll be there this weekend. 

[paulfromcamden]

20 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

Are there any good second hand record shops in Dublin? I'll be there this weekend. 

Probably not if you're looking for jazz tbh.

[Rabshakeh]

3 hours ago, paulfromcamden said:

Probably not if you're looking for jazz tbh.

Ha! That was my guess too. Seems like a rock town.

[Rabshakeh]

Okay. This might be a hard one: what about record shops in Hong Kong and Beijing? I'll be in those cities briefly over the coming weeks and may get an afternoon or so off. 

[Big Beat Steve]

You sure do get around, man!

[Rabshakeh]

44 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

You sure do get around, man!

I mean, it is work. It's definitely work in this case. 

[JSngry]

Are you inclined to mention your line of work?

[Rabshakeh]

27 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Are you inclined to mention your line of work?

It could not be a less exciting work travel reason if it tried to be. Let's just pretend I will be wearing sunglasses playing rocking saxophone on a skateboard as I do 180°s on a half pipe and leave it at that. 

Edited May 29 by Rabshakeh

[cliffpeterson]

Re record stores in Dublin, I was in Dublin last fall and visited 3 different used stores. Found some cds but not records. Interestingly, there are two Tower Records stores in Dublin. 

[JSngry]

3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

It could not be a less exciting work travel reason if it tried to be. Let's just pretend I will be wearing sunglasses playing rocking saxophone on a skateboard as I do 180°s on a half pipe and leave it at that. 

So you're taking Grace Kelley with you?

[Rabshakeh]

14 minutes ago, JSngry said:

So you're taking Grace Kelley with you?

Not exactly. Princess G is meeting me there. 

[JSngry]

Long as she brings her own board...

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I was in Hong Kong 25 years ago and there were not many CD shops even then. I doubt there are more today.

[Rabshakeh]

I'm still inspired by my recording shopping in Singapore, another city that supposedly has no record shops but which turns out to have some good ones. It remains the best way to really see a city. 

Supposedly there is at least one very good one in Beijing, although it is quite far out and I suspect I won't be able to get there. 

This list seems pretty good:

https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2024/01/19/six-beijing-record-shops-are-worth-visit-browsing-listening

 

Edited May 29 by Rabshakeh

[Dub Modal]

A buddy of mine familiar with HK recs the Wai Fung shop. 

[rostasi]

That Beijing article just reminds me that even tho record shops may have different ways to appear fancy, the stock has the same universal dullness as nearly every other shop.

[Rabshakeh]

1 hour ago, Dub Modal said:

A buddy of mine familiar with HK recs the Wai Fung shop. 

Thanks 

23 minutes ago, rostasi said:

That Beijing article just reminds me that even tho record shops may have different ways to appear fancy, the stock has the same universal dullness as nearly every other shop.

My worst is first hand record shops that sell records, pot plants and coffee table books. They always have an espresso machine. Online vinyl culture loves them. 

There's only one kind of record shop I want to visit and that is the one that stocks stuff that I cannot otherwise purchase. That means second hand shops only. 

[danasgoodstuff]

If you should ever find yourself in beautiful downtown Nanaimo BC, check out Fascinating Rhythm for CDs and vinyl

I got a CD of this charming collection for $10 CND and had a nice chat with the owner

[rostasi]

On 5/30/2025 at 9:32 AM, Rabshakeh said:

My worst is first hand record shops that sell records, pot plants and coffee table books. They always have an espresso machine. Online vinyl culture loves them. 

There's only one kind of record shop I want to visit and that is the one that stocks stuff that I cannot otherwise purchase. That means second hand shops only. 

The dullness I see is when I go to a second-hand shop in a foreign country and you see the very same second-hand stuff that you see nearly everywhere else. If I'm in Köln or München, for instance, I don't want to see old copies of Frampton Comes Alive or the Grease Soundtrack or umpteen Bob Marley LPs, etc. We didn't carry that kind of stuff when we owned a store right here in the States. Tho they didn't specialize in LPs, Zweitausendeins, for instance, was a favorite of mine for the reason that they usually didn't carry stuff like that.

52 minutes ago, danasgoodstuff said:

If you should ever find yourself in beautiful downtown Nanaimo BC, check out Fascinating Rhythm for CDs and vinyl.

I love Nanaimo and it's been too long since I've been there.
We used to stay at a wonderful B&B there until they closed
when the husband died. I'm wondering if this store you've
mentioned is the same store that Thurston Moore would 
visit to sell some of his personal collection. Apparently,
he had a favorite record store in Nanaimo.

Edited June 2 by rostasi

[danasgoodstuff]

5 hours ago, rostasi said:

 

I love Nanaimo and it's been too long since I've been there.
We used to stay at a wonderful B&B there until they closed
when the husband died. I'm wondering if this store you've
mentioned is the same store that Thurston Moore would 
visit to sell some of his personal collection. Apparently,
he had a favorite record store in Nanaimo.

I suspect that Mr. Moore may have preferred the nearby NOISEAGONYMAYHEM, but perhaps not.

Edited June 2 by danasgoodstuff