Record Store Experience

[wharf rat]

Was in Denver during the holiday and made my annual visit to Twist and Shout Records. I lived in Denver for years, years ago and T&S has been around since the late seventies in one location or another with different names, from Underground Records on South Pearl St ca 1980 to its present Colfax home.

Anyway, I was blown away by the lack of used vinyl and the quantity of new vinyl. Hundreds (maybe thousands) of new vinyl. Mostly reissues but wow, this vinyl resurgence is true. BTW I live no where near a record store. I find it harsh that most of the sealed stuff was a minimum $18.99. I wanted a fresh clean copy of some VU but couldn't justify the $30+.

Found a few used <$10, MQJ, Andrew Hill, Richard Thompson. I love record stores.

 

[needforspeed]

Agree, My stores are generally jammed on weekends. The telling part is ratio of CD, To record buyers. At least 2 to 1. Wasn't long ago, It was the reverse, And then some.

 

[darkblue94]

Portland, Oregon has some great record stores.

 

[SPEC2man]

Portland ...

I remember back in 2005 when Music Millennium had the LP's shoved upstairs and there were piles and piles to go through. I would head over at lunch (20 miles round trip) with a $20 bill and walk out with a stack. It was treated like a huge junk drawer. Now it's half the store and butt to butt on Saturday/Sunday - Record Store Day was insane. EveryDay Music was a slightly different story ... lots of room to move around at least. I love Music Millennium anyway... I have been making the drive for 30 years now. Lots of the same old faces and that store has a certain charm to it. Kinda like an old hunting cabin.

I guess the price is the price; MM has lots of used vinyl but I have watched the price go from $3-4 to $8-10 per LP. The price is what it is; it wasn't all that long ago there was serious talk of record stores disappearing and now, at long last some profit. In a sick way, I feel like I am donating to a way of life that was dieing at one point. At one point, I thought downloads were going to kill the "music for profit" model that has sustained for 100 years. I saw myself as a grumpy old man spinning LPs and talking about the way it used to be. Now I am watching equipment reviews from kids that have maybe 5-10 years experience in the business and speak like audio is a new magic. Music reviews from folks who are just discovering LP's I have been listening to for 40 years? It's both fun and interesting watching 20 year olds argue about which Beatles pressing sounds the best. I work at a large community college with tons of 16-20 year olds, so I get to witness it first hand. Vinyl and classic rock are cool again ... I would have never guessed it in a million years. I come here (AK) sometimes .... just to get grounded.

 

[Carraway]

I'm a bit surprised by the resurgence, but especially the prices on many new pressings, especially of albums I've seen for $1 many times. For instance, at a Barnes & Noble I saw a new pressing of Whipped Cream and Other Delights prominently displayed, priced over $20. I'm trying to fathom the meeting where people decided to issue a new pressing of that one. And if anyone's bought it.

I feel a bit old in that it doesn't seem all that long ago when I went into a Peaches Records and saw all the LPs were moved off to a corner, discount priced between a quarter and two dollars. I recall checking my wallet and wishing I had more cash.

Anyway, there are a couple local record stores I've been shopping at on occasion. One is aptly described as a "den," and has albums stuck about everywhere. There isn't much jazz--my preferred genre--but a few days ago I went through the "just in" stacks, picked up Santana's debut as well as Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Work, Kenny Barron's Scratch and Benny Goodman's Carnegie Hall Concert. Total was $13. This shop has quite a few CDs, but most of the people I see in there stick to the vinyl.

There's another shop a bit further away which specializes in psychedelic rock and is vinyl only. There's also a very good jazz section. While the LPs are generally in much better condition, many are in the $10-$50 range. There are some good sized $1-$5 bins though.

It's an interesting time, anyway. If I had a record shop I'd likely go heavily into vinyl. Competing with downloads, streaming, and Amazon would be difficult for digital, but I think part of the fun of vinyl shopping is finding a local shop and spending time searching the bins.

Finally, this year has been the first time I've bought vinyl since that day at Peaches Records.

 

[misterjones]

I have found that records stores, while good for browsing, suffer from the same flaw as CD stores as the internet grew - namely, a minimal selection. I don't blame them. I just don't see how you they can compete with internet sellers.

 

[Decatur Greg]

Nothing to contribute other than when I opened this thread Twist & Shout started playing on the radio... blew my mind!

 

[SA-708]

I have found that records stores, while good for browsing, suffer from the same flaw as CD stores as the internet grew - namely, a minimal selection. I don't blame them. I just don't see how you they can compete with internet sellers.

If there is specific music I am looking for, that isn't a new release, I shop online.

New releases, i order from my local record store if they don't already have a copy.

Otherwise, I look through new arrivals at the local store for things I never realized I wanted until I see it. Bought a UK import double CD anthology by The Mission (The Mission UK in the states, but this was an import) on a whim last week.

Also, the discussion with the folks behind the counter about music and life in general is often worthwhile.

 

[qdrone]

Was in Phoenix Az. over Thanksgiving and they have a lot of record stores and i bought a few.
I was disappointed to find that Blues Vinyl sections in the four places i visted were small and under represented of the genre.

 

[meggy]

Was in Phoenix Az. over Thanksgiving and they have a lot of record stores and i bought a few...

Did you get to Revolver on Roosevelt & 2'nd?

 

[Homer4beer]

Record companies must be frothing at the mouth over the vinyl resurgence.

Huge profits over any other medium (hipster pricing) and the increased difficulty of piracy.

Pretty hard to pirate vinyl........

 

[Brianito]

On the contrary, it's extremely easy to pirate vinyl, at least in genres that aren't ultra mainstream and current stuff that isn't on any of the charts. For instance, I mainly buy punk (and related) records. Piracy is rampant and pricing can be extortionate.

Same thing goes for profits. Most small labels make very little in profits. I have 9 friends spread across the US and Europe that run small labels. Prices range from $16-$22 retail for a new or reissue record, depending on several factors (colored vinyl, inserts, gatefold or not, etc). CDs, however, have a vastly higher profit margin because of much cheaper production costs. Also, turnaround is weeks instead of months from the pressing plant.

One friend has all but quit, another two keep vowing to quit, but they all continue to keep releasing new records because they love the music and the format. And the CD versions help keep them afloat.

 

[kaplang]

If history repeates it self those new high priced reissue LPs will eventually be selling for 25 cents on the dollar. All you have to do is wait it out.

 

[fuzzywobbles]

I have almost completely stopped buying vinyl at record stores other than when it’s a new release or RSD. Pricing is getting ridiculous even on fairly common used records. The exception is when I find a local store that is willing to pay a decent price for trade ins. Then I usually show up with a crate in trade and leave with a modest stack from their used section and call it close enough.

I have moved around a bunch in the last decade since the resurgence of vinyl and make it a point to find a shop where trade ins make sense, otherwise these days it’s BT, thrift stores and targets of opportunity for me. That said, I do miss hanging at the LRSs, and always have a smile on my face when I find a new one.

 

[qdrone]

Did you get to Revolver on Roosevelt & 2'nd?

No Meggy ,I went to Two Zia stores,The IN Groove and I believe it was called Stinkweed?

 

[HunterMcD]

I have no record stores near me. I have a cabin near traverse city in Michigan. Record sore called RPM records is awesome. Tons of used stuff in there. Picked up a couple dire straits albums for $8 ea. Lots of new stuff too. They have a huge blues/ jazz section too. Also an entire room of 45s. Recommended if anyone’s in the area.

 

[qdrone]

Portland, Oregon has some great record stores.

I agree,was up in Portland the first of Nov. Picked up all mint
The Circle will be Unbroken Volume 2 / Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Original pressing
The Butts Band / The Butts Band / Original Pressing
McCartney / Paul McCartney / Sterling original pressing
Bought some sealed re pressings too.

 

[meggy]

No Meggy ,I went to Two Zia stores,The IN Groove and I believe it was called Stinkweed?

Yup, Stinkweeds.