Do you miss a particular audio brick-and-mortar store?

[Will S.]

While I do miss some of the local Radio Shacks and HiFi Buys, more than anything I miss audio being more mainstream. It seems as though years ago nearly everyone owned a component system and understood caring for vinyl, etc.

Audio is mainstream, just not big component systems. People are more in to cans and streaming now. Not for me, but neither is the "vintage" thing.

 

[muscmp]

i will as of today. i don't need many radio shack parts but when i do, they are right there. now, no more. it is either a 45 minute drive or online. no more buying it and being home in 20 minutes to use.
play music!

 

[Descartridge]

I truly miss these, they were great
1. HiFi Haven, New Brunswick NJ, bought my first LP12 there; and the owner had golden ears and willing to share
2. Disco, Union NJ, the greatest prices in a warehouse
3. Stereo Emporium, Buffalo NY, great gear- owners were something else
4. Transcendental Sound, Buffalo NY

 

[Chrisxo55441]

I had an unsatisfactory experience the last time I was at HiFi Sound. Enough so that I emailed the proprietor about it. Never heard back, not going back. OTOH, I have nothing but good things to say about Audio Perfection, Stereoland and Halsten.

Ive never bought new gear there im just vintage so i wouldnt know how their sales are but i bring stuff in for service, Dave Olsen the tech there recapped my 500C , 7C, 8B, model 19, model 18, and serviced a bunch of tables for me absolutely superb work. He is picky about what he will work on though and i have heard him tell customers there gear is junk and not worth fixing or cant be and they should throw it away, if i ever get a pair of model 9's i wouldnt hesitate to have him recap them though, top notch

 

[TimF]

Progressive Audio [Columbus]

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Progressive was a great place, heard Watt Puppies on the end of a fine Spectral system there, shame it is gone.

Going way back, I have fond memories of Playback in Danville, Illinois. That was the beginning of my hifi spiral. Probably others I miss are Good Vibes, in Champaign, Ill. and also in Lafayette, Indiana, spent a lot of time in both stores, not to mention money. Fortunately there still is the fine folks at Glenn Poor's AV in Champaign, always highly recommended.

Another place I spent a bit of money and always had a good time was August Systems in Sidney, Illinois. Now those guys were a hoot!

 

[mhedges]

I don't really miss any equipment focused store, as I never bought anything from them anyway. I do miss Borders back in the early and mid 2000's when it had a very nice music section with tons of CD's. And 30-40% off coupons!

 

[Northwinds]

I will probably get a ration of shit for this but I miss the vibe of Radio Shack back in the late 70s to early 80s. Stores were always full of people and the sound system displays were pretty cool to a young teen's eyes who was used to his Dad's cheap GE all in one system and a suitcase record player in my bedroom. Then I ended up with my uncle's silver faced Marantz system and the rabbit hole beckoned

 

[2DualsNotEnough]

I miss Audio Mart in Burbank.Yamaha,Klipsch K-Horns,B&O.I bought my first all new stereo system there.
I spent a lot of time on Stereo Row in North Hollywood,CA(University Stereo,Pacific Stereo).
The whole AAFES system.When I first joined the Air Force in '84,the BX and the Audio Club store(Electric Avenue at Mildenhall and Lakenheath were my favorite hangouts.I bought so much equipment from them.I wish I still had that stuff.And the AAFES catalog!Everything from Micro Seiki Vacuum tt's to Nakamichi Dragons,and at ridiculously low prices.

 

[Doctorhugo]

Not strictly a dedicated hifi store, but Daddy's Junky Music in New Haven CT used to have a lot of cool used equipment. Sad when they disappeared.

I also miss the store that got me started in all this: Canterbury Hifi in Dover, Kent (UK). Since I'm about 8,000 miles away I doubt I'd get there much anyway, but still.........

 

[Northwinds]

^^^^^

I remember Daddy's well, I still have them on our main phone call log LMAO!!! Never saw stereo gear there but man, I got some stupid deals on guitars and amps there

 

[2DualsNotEnough]

Not strictly a dedicated hifi store, but Daddy's Junky Music in New Haven CT used to have a lot of cool used equipment. Sad when they disappeared.

I also miss the store that got me started in all this: Canterbury Hifi in Dover, Kent (UK). Since I'm about 8,000 miles away I doubt I'd get there much anyway, but still.........

When I was stationed in England,we used to go to London all the time.There was a particular street with all the electronics shops on it.I wish I could remember where it was.I spent a lot of time there.

 

[MER71]

Radio Shack from the 70s.

I agree. We never went into high end stores. Radio Shack was within walking distance, for us kids to go too. The discount department store had stereos in that shopping center. I think my oldest brother bought a Panasonic all in one. We thought that was bad ass with the Thrusters.

How about Radio Shack battery of the month club?

 

[ggregg]

Nothing wrong with Radio Shack back then, or Lafayette, Olson, Allied (before RS bought them), etc. Well run, good products, lots of action.

 

[spicer]

Tower Records. Especially the pre cd era.

The one right on Sunset Blvd. Wall to wall records... they spilled onto the walk ways like so much clutter.

 

[spicer]

The coolest by far was the original University Stereo in Long Beach, CA. Actually it was their second location, the first being the founder’s garage. It was very apropos for its time which was the early 70’s when AOR FM was brand new, just barely becoming a thing for the emerging counter culture. There were just 2 low power AOR stations in LA - the Donahue’s KPPC broadcasting from the basement of the Pasadena Presbyterian Church (Birthplace of Dr. Demento) and KNAC in Long Beach where Jim Ladd got started. Well before we Angelinos had the big boomers like KMET and KLOS to listen to. What little advertising there was, was just ad copy read by the DJ for local head shops like B&M Toy’s, University Stereo and ACT Electronics. University Stereo was an unmarked old house on Pacific Coast Highway that lay in the shadows of the Signal Hill oil fields. The windows were blacked out and door was locked. You knocked on the front door and the little peep hole door opened while you stood inspection. If you looked cool (non-narc) enough they let you in. Once inside you browsed and auditioned systems setup in the various rooms of the old house complete with black light posters and long hairs enjoying doobies while shopping. A singular experience with zero sales pressure to say the least.

A few years later when I had some money to spend there were a few high-end boutique shops in my area where I got my first taste for the good stuff. Paris Electronics in Tustin carried Tannoy, Well-Tempered, Braun, Tandberg … Stereo Haven in Huntington Beach carried Audio Research, G.A.S., Dayton Wright, Linn, Beveridge, Dahquist, B&O, Nakamichi, NAD and the then new to the US market Yamaha line. Stereo Haven was cool, no ‘attitude’ so I bought my first system there.

I was visited the Long Beach University Stereo a few times. A house filled/stacked with stereo stuff, room to room.. stuff everywhere. The locked door and peep hole for inspection is because it wasn't in the best part of town.. in keeping with their low overhead.

 

[Will S.]

In Richmond, VA, as teenagers we spent a lot of time at Atlantis Sound, where I bought my used Pioneer CS-77As and Harmon/Kardon HK-505 and new Mission 70MKIIs. I still have the Missions. Audio Exchange was around then too. Every once in a while we'd go waaaaay downtown to Audio Art to buy an entry level Grado cartridge. That was where I first saw Magnepans and Kyocera cassette decks. Audio Exchange is still around and Audio Art still seems to be around but in a new location and by appointment only. Best Products, Memco, Ward's Loading Dock (the original Circuit City) were the places we'd go that sold the more mass market stuff.

I've lived a bunch of places since then. The only memorable stereo stores were Acoustic Images and Audio Classics in the Binghamton area and several in MSP.

 

[elcoholic]

I was visited the Long Beach University Stereo a few times. A house filled/stacked with stereo stuff, room to room.. stuff everywhere. The locked door and peep hole for inspection is because it wasn't in the best part of town.. in keeping with their low overhead.

Yeah that wasn't the best neighborhood. When my wife and married in '74 we found our first apartment just a few blocks from there off of PCH.

 

[spicer]

Yeah that wasn't the best neighborhood. When my wife and married in '74 we found our first apartment just a few blocks from there off of PCH.

I know the area well.. at least I used to. It has gone through a lot of changes but that is all I know. I have no reason to be in that area anymore, visit the Petroleum Club once is a while, that's about it.

 

[turbotee]

I sure do. I used to love going to Pacific Stereo. As I remember, the stores had listening rooms for three tiers of equipment; cheap, middle of the road, and very expensive. Our local PS let customers hang out as long as they liked as long as you didn't cause trouble, and didn't waste the time of the sales staff. (who I think were on commission.) My buddies and I were musicians, had a band, and lived for music and electronic gadgets. So PS was a gas to go to burn a couple of hours.
We had one buddy who was the manager of a "boutique" electronics store (not a PS, it was a small, locally owned store selling very high priced stuff to the gullible rich). He'd let us, and whatever girls were were hanging out with at the time, into the store after hours. We'd listen to music, party and audition equipment for hours.

All this hanging out paid off for those places. I bought tons of gear from that PS while hanging out, including a Tanberg reel 2 reel, two Luxman receivers, and a Nakamichi Dragon from the boutique shop. (turns out the rich aren't the only ones who turned gullible in that shop, LOL)

I miss those B&M stores.

I sure do. I used to love going to Pacific Stereo. As I remember, the stores had listening rooms for three tiers of equipment; cheap, middle of the road, and very expensive. Our local PS let customers hang out as long as they liked as long as you didn't cause trouble, and didn't waste the time of the sales staff. (who I think were on commission.) My buddies and I were musicians, had a band, and lived for music and electronic gadgets. So PS was a gas to go to burn a couple of hours.
We had one buddy who was the manager of a "boutique" electronics store (not a PS, it was a small, locally owned store selling very high priced stuff to the gullible rich). He'd let us, and whatever girls were were hanging out with at the time, into the store after hours. We'd listen to music, party and audition equipment for hours.

All this hanging out paid off for those places. I bought tons of gear from that PS while hanging out, including a Tanberg reel 2 reel, two Luxman receivers, and a Nakamichi Dragon from the boutique shop. (turns out the rich aren't the only ones who turned gullible in that shop, LOL)

I miss those B&M stores.

I miss Pacific Stereo and Price Club in Pacific Beach (forerunner to Costco located close to La Jolla ,CA) and believe it or not, Fedco and Gemco, CA. Not all the stores had the same level of audio equipment , but I found (and still own both) a Marantz 2265B at Gemco in Gardena, CA and Ohm Walsh 2XO speakers at Fedco in San Bernardino, CA, each for less than $250 back in the 70's if memory serves.

 

[dbxdx5]

Purdue Radio in Montclair NJ. I bought some of my first gear from them. I can still recall lusting after all of the Nakamichi cassette decks they carried. Sigh.