Remembering Record Stores

Record stores are an endangered species. Please share your memories of record/CD stores that no longer exist. PLEASE DON'T LIST STORES STILL IN BUSINESS, for that will be another thread. Pictures would be great! I'll likely post several times, since I've been to hundreds of record stores in my 50+ years of collecting. Memories of stores where you bought most of your Quad/5.1 titles would be especially interesting.

Tower Records

I had visited Tower locations in Chicago, NYC, New Orleans, and Las Vegas. Their largest stores had perhaps the biggest selection ever, although the prices were high. They were low on new releases and sales. 4th & Broadway in Greenwich Village, NYC was the LARGEST VOLUME record store in the US! Virtually every CD in print in the US, and a slew of imports! 4 sales floors for CD's, and escalators, with separate closeout, video and book stores! After they closed, I cried when I walked past! Their Lincoln Park and Wabash Ave. (formerly Rose) stores in Chicago were much smaller, but had virtually the same selection. I had several friends that worked at three of their Chicago stores, so I had virtually unlimited return priviledges. When SACD's & DVD-A's were being released weekly, I visited at least one Tower store each week. I cried when they closed. Their on-line business still exists in a more limited form under new ownership: www.tower.com

E. J. Korvette

Urban legend says the name stood for "Eight Jewish Korean Veterans." WRONG!! E was for Eugene Ferkauf and J for his partner Joe Zwillenberg. Korvette stood for the Canadian WWII ship. The name predates the Korean War, and the car by a couple years. Founded in NY, they had six stores in Chicago, five of which were among their largest stores. Those five had two levels, escalators, and other adjacent buildings for home improvement, groceries and auto repair. All in Chicago were freestanding in their own development named Korvette City. They closed in '77 in Chicago and in '80 elsewhere. Again, virtually every title in print in the US, with a generous sprinkling of imports. Unless you had been in Korvettes, it's impossible to conceive of this large a record department in a discount store! It was merchandised more like a Dept. Store, so you weren't slumming! They displayed every best selling title 20 deep, in tight racks along the walls and/or on gondolas. In Quad's heyday, the more popular Quad titles were displayed the same way! I shoulda grabbed all 20 WYWH SQ's with their blue shrinkwrap! $$$$ today!! A HUGE % of my Quads came from there. There was always something on sale. Several times a year, there were "all-label" sales. When stereo LP's listed at $4.98, you would find them on sale for as low as $2.39 at Korvettes! These weren't cutouts, they were current full-price albums. In addition, Korvettes had a component hi-fi audio room, similar to Allied Radio, before Radio Shack bought them. They even had their own brand of electronics called XAM. 35 years after they closed here, I still miss them! Hey, guys, check out Julie Newmar in a '76 ad, ALL LABEL LP SALE!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edn7eI4PEbA

Rose Records

Founded in 1931 by the Rosenbloom Bros, this store had EVERYTHING in print in the US, and a great deal of new stock that was OOP. They would order large quantities of titles that were about to go OOP, so they'd continue to sell them for years! A good selection of imports. They did a large mail order business, and had two stores in Downtown Chicago. In the late '70's, they finally branched out into the 'burbs. Their Wabash Ave. flagship had three levels and escalators. Many of my Quads came from here. Rose had an entire floor on Wabash dedicated to cutouts, so several of my Quad cutouts were from Rose. They began to stumble in the CD era, and carried fewer imports than most big stores. Their prices were generally high, but they has great storewide sales a couple times a year. They closed all the suburban stores in the '90's, and sold the Wabash flagship store to Tower in '95.

Record City

Run from '75 to 2000 by Jimmy P. Staggs, better known as Jim Stagg, formerly a DJ and Program Director at WCFL in Chi. He narrated the Chickenman series, though he didn't play Chickenman. He was one of the first US DJ's to interview the Beatles. Jim passed in '07. Another store that carried everything in print in the US, and a wealth of imports and cutouts. Jim was a friend, and a client. I received unlimited exchanges on in-print titles and an employee discount. A visit each Tuesday was mandatory! Few of my Quad titles came from there, although a substantial part of my CD and LP collections did. The original store was in Skokie. Later, they added four other stores in IL, and two stores in Orlando, FL.

Radio Doctors

Milwaukee's oldest record store and Wisconsin's largest record distributor until the '90's. In the early 80's, they opened a classical store behind their main store. They even had chairs and a coffee table in the classical store, ala what Borders RIP and Barnes and Noble do in their stores. Once again, if it was in print in the US, they likely had it. Many imports, as well. Another client and a classic downtown record store. Their back room and basement was a beehive of activity filling orders for other record stores.

Peaches

Many of you remember this national chain. I recall them having a couple small stores around Chicago, which I rarely visited. In Milwaukee, they had a store which was previously a large chain grocer. Huge! One day, I was in Record City in Northbrook, IL (see above.) A friend who worked there informed me that he was moving to Milwaukee and would be the buyer at Peaches. That's great, I said, I'm in Milwaukee 1 or 2 days a week! Just one more connection for great deals! This store had everything in print in the US, and a wide selection of imports. They closed in the '90's

Oh, how I long for a record store with an escalator!! :banana: I could go on forever, but it's time to give everyone else a chance. How about your favorite record stores that are long gone?

Don't know if they're still in business- I haven't seen one in years- but my fondest recollection of a record store is Sam Goody's circa mid-70's. Every Friday- which worked out perfectly for my teenage paycheck- they would put a major label on sale- everything from that label was just $3! I would go in every week and get 2-3 albums, sometimes more. This was how I got the majority of my vinyl. Every weekend I had tons of new stuff to enjoy. After a listen or two, I'd dub to cassette so I could listen in my car. I had outfitted each car I drove (originally my parents' car that I had use of) with sound- anyone remember jensen coaxials? I started way back when 8-track was the tape medium.

Anyway, I fondly remember those Fridays in Sam Goody's; I was the proverbial kid in a candy store. Just getting into a variety of music, hearing wonderful new creations and getting immersed in the worlds of those fantastic albums covers and the music they held within. Those were the days!

Worked for Peaches in South Florida from '92 to about '94 or '95, when the store I worked at closed. I believe they remained in the area, with a couple of other stores, for a few more years, before getting out of Florida altogether.

Even during those years, what made us stand out from the competition was our ability to special order tougher-to-find items and having a more knowledgable staff. The tide was too much, though, and BB and Circuit City were beginning their big expansions.

I believe the great Florida chain, Specs, is now officially kaput, but they were South Florida music for a long time. They made a HUGE expansion with two massive stores in Miami, exactly as the bubble burst, which sent them into a worse tailspin than they would have wound up in anyway. I believe they were down to their flagship store about 3-4 years ago, but I think that's now gone.

The Specs in Dadeland Mall in Miami used to be staffed by some guys heavily involved in the ambient/electronic scene in the 90's, who used to stock the store with a ton of stuff off Pete Namlook's FAX label. You could find some incredibly rare stuff there, and I'd often buy them out and ship them out to fans around the country. They were always great to go to for a recommendation.

Pretty sure San Goody is dead and buried as well.

Tower on 4th and Broadway still doesn't have a regular tenant. Last I saw, it was an MLB FanCave attraction. 66th and BWay is a furniture store. The Barnes & Noble across the street is now closed, as they've now come for the bookstores.

never had the priv.of a good record store where I live.( 50 mi. west of Syracuse) We were always "stuck" with independents before the big box stores. and plenty of cut rate discount stores, that would willingly take returns. My cus would buy an LP tape it, then return it, or exchange it. When HR came out, all I had then was BB and CC. I remember going to the independent back then and seeking HR formats, asked and got a stupid answer. We looked around, and actually found some dvd a, pointed them out to staff, and told them about it. They had the offerings (such as they were) in with everything else. Well, got some smart ass answers and frankly told them because of the attitude and not staying up with the times they wouldn't last long. Got asked to leave! 3 months later they were gone.

When I was in the Navy in the Norfolk area in the mid-70s, the two biggest record stores were Peaches and Tracks. Tracks was my favorite, as they had a very large Quad section. One of the biggest I can recall.

When I'd come home for a week or so, I would sneak down to Times Square, and a store called King Karol records on 42nd St (I think) was huge, and had albums stacked in racks far above the floor. There were ladders for the employees to get LPs down. Back then, I could scan the edge printing looking for the long 'COLUMBIA QUADRAPHONIC' writing and see the quads they had stashed away. There were also some other good record stores at Times Square, but I can't remember their names (not Sam Goody, etc), but one of a kind.

There was also a very cool record store of sorts in the Berkshire's around Lee, Mass called the Berkshire Record Outlet. They were set up in a barn, and sold cutout and such. Pulled a lot of quad out of that barn in the late '70s after I got out of the Navy.

In Hartford, CT, in the late 60s, early 70s, there was a first class record store called Belmonts that had everything. I used to go there a lot, bought a lot of stuff there, Beatles, Apples, stuff like that.

Many places I've probably forgot, but those come to mind.

I was waiting for someone to mention King Karol. In the late '90's, I was at the last King Karol on the upper East Side. Sad.

Not only were there several record stores in and around Times Square, there was a record store IN THE SUBWAY!! Only in Manhattan!!!

JonUrban said:

... and a store called King Karol records on 42nd St (I think) was huge, and had albums stacked in racks far above the floor. There were ladders for the employees to get LPs down. Back then, I could scan the edge printing looking for the long 'COLUMBIA QUADRAPHONIC' writing and see the quads they had stashed away. There were also some other good record stores at Times Square, but I can't remember their names (not Sam Goody, etc), but one of a kind.

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and a few more great ones which are gone:

Virgin Megastore

More record stores with escalators. The store in Chicago carried everything in print in the US, and gobs of imports. Prices a bit higher than Tower. A similar concept. Three levels of CD's in Chicago. The store in Times Square had three or four levels. Originally, there were several levels of Sony Theaters in the store, a cafe, and a DJ booth way up high reminscent of the Space Needle. "Virgin Radio" the sign said. I was in the Times Square and Union Square stores right before they closed.

Remember When

This suburban Chicago (Westmont) gem closed in the fall of 2011. Picture a 7-11 sized store with '50's, '60's and '70's new and used CD's and LP's. Lots of memorabilia and a basement full of used LP's. 50's & 60's imports that weren't in ANY other store. Hank, the owner, was mega knowledgable. It is sorely missed.

Crow's Nest

Two stores: one on State St. in Downtown Chicago, two levels, now a Barnes & Noble. The other, their main location in Joliet (actually Crest Hill), was one level. I'll bet Jake & Elwood shopped there. Everything in print in the US, and piles of imports at both locations. They were a client. Floyd Crow pulled the plug a few years ago. To add insult to injury, the B&N store that replaced their State St. store doesn't carry CD's or DVD's.

Rock Records

It's only rock and roll, but I like it. A rock wonderland. Check out all the pix: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W7ClJMinnw540e8CCpfBOw?select=SodcHvpIzqukWTPGnYx6ew Bombarding your senses! They were very deep on Quad and DVD-A, but ignored SACD. If it was Rock, they had it. Coupons were printed monthly in the Illinois Entertainer for $$$ off anything in the store. Rolling Stones in Norridge looks nearly identical and is still in business. Different owners, although this one was also called Rolling Stones for years.

Quad Linda said:

I was waiting for someone to mention King Karol. In the late '90's, I was at the last King Karol on the upper East Side. Sad.

Not only were there several record store in and around Times Square, there was a record store IN THE SUBWAY!! Only in Manhattan!!!




and a few more great ones which are gone:

Virgin Megastore

More record stores with escalators. The store in Chicago carried everything in print in the US, and gobs of imports. Prices a bit higher than Tower. A similar concept. Three levels of CD's in Chicago. The store in Times Square had three or four levels. Originally, there were several levels of Sony Theaters in the store, a cafe, and a DJ booth way up high reminscent of the Space Needle. "Virgin Radio" the sign said. I was in the Times Square and Union Square stores right before they closed.

Remember When

This suburban Chicago (Westmont) gem closed in the fall of 2011. Picture a 7-11 sized store with '50's, '60's and '70's new and used CD's and LP's. Lots of memorabilia and a basement full of used LP's. 50's & 60's imports that weren't in ANY other store. Hank, the owner, was mega knowledgable. It is sorely missed.

Crow's Nest

Two stores: one on State St. in Downtown Chicago, two levels, now a Barnes & Noble. The other, their main location in Joliet (actually Crest Hill), was one level. I'll bet Jake & Elwood shopped there. Everything in print in the US, and piles of imports at both locations. They were a client. Floyd Crow pulled the plug a few years ago. To add insult to injury, the B&N store that replaced their State St. store doesn't carry CD's or DVD's.

Rock Records

It's only rock and roll, but I like it. A rock wonderland. Check out all the pix: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/W7ClJMinnw540e8CCpfBOw?select=SodcHvpIzqukWTPGnYx6ew Bombarding your senses! They were very deep on Quad and DVD-A, but ignored SACD. If it was Rock, they had it. Coupons were printed monthly in the Illinois Entertainer for $$$ off anything in the store. Rolling Stones in Norridge looks nearly identical and is still in business. Different owners, although this one was also called Rolling Stones for years.

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Ben Karol - was the last of his kind - the old school record store owner that did everything all the way up until the end. I remember buying George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass'' vinyl box when it first came out in their store in Flushing, Queens. I called on his final store on the upper east side - actually just around the corner from the HMV on 86th and Lexington for a few years - he held out as long as he could. There were tons of great stores in the Metro area that of course have all gone by the wayside, Colony (right next to the Brill Building but more of a sheet music store now) Disomat(mart), Record Hunter (the classical music lover's haven on 5th Ave), Crazy Eddie's (his prices were INSAAANE!), and well, too many others to mention. All that's really left are J&R Music and Other Music (across the street from the old Tower on 4th and B'way).

My early faves were Korvettes in Douglaston, Queens (just off the LIE) and the Macy's like dept store, S.Kleins on Main St. in Flushing - back then, dept stores had some serious record departments - but S.Kleins was hopping - on Fridays they had 3 for a dollar 45's - from the Billboard top 100. I practically lived there from the ages of 14-17 years old.

Palace Hi-Fi in Anaheim, CA. They didn't really sell any Hi-Fi stuff, just records and tapes. They were next door to Swingers Psych Shop, so you could pick up a Hendrix reel and a new bong on the same trip.

Henry Radio in Anaheim, CA. They only sold reel-to-reel and audiophile cassettes. No records.

Pacific Stereo in Westminster. They had a record dept. including reel-to-reel tapes. Bought Led Zeppelin IV reel there. Still have it.

I assume that the Pacific Stereo is the firm that mainly sells car stereo, and not the national chain that was owned by CBS? I had worked for the CBS Pacific. The only software I recall carrying were a few CD's when they were new, and MFSL/CBS Mastersound 1/2 speed mastered LP's.

cupboy said:

Pacific Stereo in Westminster. They had a record dept. including reel-to-reel tapes. Bought Led Zeppelin IV reel there. Still have it.

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I've been pondering whether to post a reply....but I knew sooner or later, I'd bite....

First record stores I remember were in Mayagüez, PR....kitty corner from my parent's store there was
"Maelo's Record Store". Now it's a parking lot. THe typical place where they "hung" 45s ,even if they came in a sleeve, still have the "Feel so Good " 45 with the hole in the sleeve...I got the "With the Beatles" and "Please Please me" mid 70's Parlophone reissues there ("Imported from ENGLAND" sticker).

There was "Disco Stop" too, but the staff was not very nice....got 3 LPs for $2.99 each when they were being phased out in the early 90's..."Men without hats" 1st LP, The Fixx "Reach the Beach" and The (English ) Beat's "Just can't stop it"

Of course, Sears, Woolworth's....and all the big retail stores had huge Music depts....but never CHEAP!

Later, In San Juan, I used to walk to the "Distribuidora Nacional de Discos" , and even though they WERE, the prices were NEVER below 7.98, that's why , when I went to the US(NYC, and Hartford) in Xmas '76 and went to Jimmy's Music World" in ...Brooklyn(?) and found Beatles records for $2.99, I went CRAZY!!! Got the Capitol "Yellow Submarine" , along with a red Apple "Let it be"...

I even worked at a place in Plaza Las Américas (SJ) called Discomanía, run by a Cuban guy-it couldn't have been bigger than 60 x 20 ft., but man, this guy had a HUGE turnover rate....this was early 80's...they even sold tix for concerts there...

Honorable mention was "Stereo Warehouse" in SJ, a hi-fi store which also sold records- they had "El Flaco" (no longer skinny but still around-so I've heard), who would PLAY them for you to see if you liked them-GREAT PLACE!!!!

Later, in Boston, I went to the typical places, Newbury Comics(RIP) in Newbury Street, Looney Tunes, and later I worked for a year in the recently opened Tower Records (87-88) in the Rock Floor.
(1st floor-videos; 2nd floor Rock/Pop, with a separate section for cassettes(LPs and CDs were in the same one), and 3rd floor, Classical.)
At the time , it was supposed to have been the BIGGEST record store in the WORLD!!!

In Madrid, cds were astronomically priced so I didn't buy a lot of stuff (3,295 pesetas for the new Sting CD????? NO WAY!!!- about $30!!!!)
I bought very few LPs, mainly from places that were phasing them out...
There was also "Madrid Rock"(RIP) which had a HUGE selection but the staff were retarded or something, it was in the Gran Vía and it was a two floor building...well , alas...a bit more "reasonably priced, but I think it was the staff that brought them down...

Now all I buy(well, now is relative-that being, when I had a steady job!) is mostly online cause the few record stores in Madrid are OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive (10-12 Euros for SPANISH pressings!! More for UK or USA ones and 30 Eur for Japanese pressings-and that's where I find some stuff sometimes, even DVD-As; BanglaDesh Records)

I believe the great Florida chain, Specs, is now officially kaput, but they were South Florida music for a long time. They made a HUGE expansion with two massive stores in Miami, exactly as the bubble burst, which sent them into a worse tailspin than they would have wound up in anyway. I believe they were down to their flagship store about 3-4 years ago, but I think that's now gone.
The Specs in Dadeland Mall in Miami ..........................

Thanks for the memory jog! :banana: I couldn't recall the name of that chain. That store in Dadeland Mall was where I bought practically every piece of vinyl in the years 1974-77. Lived West of there off Kendall Drive, my brother and I would take the bus or bicycle to Dadeland Mall....I was in high school. John

Electric Foetus and Wax Museum in Minneapolis. Electric Foetus is still there.

Oarfolkjokeopus off 35W in Minneapolis, and Positively 4th Street, near Dinkytown (University of Minnesota.)

And yes, John and you Floridians, I remember Specs.

Yes, Elmer, I remember Record Hunter on 5th Ave. I recall a smaller store near the Flat Iron building. Remember Crazy Eddie and the Wiz, too.

Kap'n, I was in a many Sears, Woolworth's and Penneys record depts. Woolworth had incredible $1 LP cutouts in the early '80's.

a few more I remember:

Appletree Records

Originally, it was owned by Appletree Stereo, another client. Later, it was spun off. College towns in Illinois and "satellite cities" were their market. A great selection of domestic and imported product.

Media Play/Musicworks/Musicland

The Musicland chain had a stores in hundreds of US Malls. Media Play was a superstore as large as Tower's "A stores." Pricing wasn't that great, but the selection was superb. A killer cutout section, thanks to Musicland's immense buying power. Media Play had a huge store in Rockford, IL in the '90's. Musicworks had a huge store in Norridge in the late '70's, a block west of the local powerhouse Rolling Stones, which they ultimately couldn't compete with. Rolling Stones survives to this day.

National Record Mart

A Pittsburgh based chain that evolved into a national chain with store in 26 states, DBA as Music Oasis, Music X, National Record Mart, Vibes Music, Tempo, House of Music and Waves. Went out of business in 2001.

Laury's Records

A local Chicago chain. The first to embrace Compact Discs. In the early days of CD, when there were less than a hundred domestic titles, Laury's had thousands of imports in stock from both Europe and Japan. They were doing a brisk mail order business when CD's were new. Virually everything in domestic CD & LP was in stock. Piles of imports, a complete classical section, and a knowledgable staff. Bought by Rose Records in the '80's.

Discount Records

A national chain, owned by CBS in its' later days. If it existed in Quad, they had it. The day I bought my CR-80DSS, I popped $100 on Q8's at their Niles, IL store.

Disc Records

A more complete alternative to Musicland in many malls. I spent loads of money on Quad & 2ch at their Woodfield Mall store.

1812 Overture

Their original location was at 1812 Brady St. in Milwaukee. They grew to several locations in and around Milwaukee. 1973-1982.

Mainstream

Another local chain around Milwaukee. Primarily a rock record store in strip centers around town. Great selection and sale prices.

Doug G. said:

Electric Foetus and Wax Museum in Minneapolis. Electric Foetus is still there.

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My earliest memory of a record store in Richmond, Virginia is so dim I can't remember what they were called. But I do remember that they were in The Village Shopping Center, and if you wanted, you could listen to any record before you bought it. They had special listening booths which I *think* had headphones (they may have had a speaker in the ceiling) and the clerk would play the record on a turntable behind the counter. Very old school, but this was around 1968-9.

After that, record stores for me were drug stores and department stores until THE MALL!!! opened up around 1975. And in there was a wonderland called Harmony Hut! I never had any money to spend, but I would look through and fondle those records longingly, making mental notes for my Christmas and Birthday wish list.

J. D.

I should have mentioned that the Electric Foetus was originally near the U. of Minnesota too and moved to its current location right off 35W South later.

Of course, back in the late sixties and into the seventies and eighties, almost every kind of store was a "record store". I got my copy of "Woodstock" at a Red Owl grocery store.



Doug

Quad Linda said:

I assume that the Pacific Stereo is the firm that mainly sells car stereo, and not the national chain that was owned by CBS? I had worked for the CBS Pacific. The only software I recall carrying were a few CD's when they were new, and MFSL/CBS Mastersound 1/2 speed mastered LP's.

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It was owned by CBS.

Another store was Licorice Pizza. There's some old movie with a Licorice Pizza in it. Forget which one, but I've got it either on Blu-ray or DVD. It may be Fast Times At Ridgemont High.

ALL the record stores in Vancouver are gone (OK there are a few small indies that focus more on vinyl, but that's it).

A&B Sound
The King, deep catalog, killer prices, multiple stores...... RIP

Sam the Record Man
Great selection, but a bit pricier than A&B, only one big store

A&A Records

Kelly's Stereo Mart (later Kelly's Electronic World)

Miller's
Gone by the late 80's absorbed by Kelly's IIRC

Edit:

How could I forget the Virgin Megastore that used to be downtown at the site of the old public library.
It closed and HMV took over the space. They were never as good as Virgin but they were a nice option. They too closed, earlier this year.

Growing up in a tiny town of 5,000 in Eastern Oregon in the 60's and 70's provided extremely limited resources for buying records. This was pre-Walmart and every other big box store or chain in America. The soul source of records in my hometown was Hermiston Drug on Main Street. In the front of the store they had their music section with bins of albums and probably 45's as well, but my memory is of the rock albums. I still have every album I bought in that drug store and they are still in the original cellophane with the $4.98 price tags.

Growing up in Toronto me and my friends had Saturday morning/afternoon excursions that became almost ritualistic. We did this almost every weekend from 73 thru 76

Get off the subway at Bay Street and head up to Round Records (upstairs on Bloor Street between Bay and Yonge). Then turn onto Yonge and head into Records on Wheels (started in a bus that they parked just off Yonge St before opening their first real shop at Yonge & Isabella). Then south on Yonge, stop and grab a falafel, and carry on south to the Yonge/Dundas area with Sam the Record Man and A&A. With our reconnaissance done and assorted stocks and prices in our heads we'd decide what we wanted that day and where we saw the best deal. Great way to spend a Saturday when you're music obsessed teens.