Great Record Stores That Are Very Much Alive!!

[Bob Romano]

Reports of the demise of the record store have been exaggerated! Do you have a favorite record store that's still in business? Here are 10 stores that are keeping the flame alive:

J&R Music World

J&R in Downtown Manhattan may be THE most complete record store still in existence. They often host artist appearances. A couple floors of goodness. http://www.jr.com/

Exclusive Company

Wisconsin's premier record store, with 8 locations. An incredible selection of rock domestic and imports. A good selection of jazz and classical, depending on the location. The wackiest and most memorable slogan, "Say it with me!" http://www.exclusivecompany.com/

Jazz Record Mart

WORLD'S LARGEST selection of new Jazz and Blues! A great smattering of used, as well. Between State St & Michigan Ave on Illinois St., in Chicago's Gold Coast. Bob Koester, the owner, also owns Delmark records, which has produced some incredible Blues and Jazz albums, like Junior Wells' Hoodoo Man Blues (2ch AP SACD.) They also have acquired many smaller labels over the years. http://jazzmart.com/

Rolling Stones

In suburban Norridge, IL. Chicago's NW side is literally across the street. An incredible store for the rock lover! On both their website and in the Illinois Entertainer, they have monthly coupons for discounts on CD's, Blu-Ray and DVD. Open 'til 11 each night. http://www.rollingstonesmusic.com/

Jazz Record Center

Tucked away on the 8th floor of a building on 26th st in Manhattan, Jazz Record Center is the REAL DEAL for jazz collectors. Perhaps the best selection of used jazz anywhere. http://www.jazzrecordcenter.com/

B Side

Although there is an Exclusive Company location on the next block, this is Madison, WI's best record store. A great selection of rock and jazz, with many hard-to-find imports. Dan, the owner, and his staff are very knowledgable. Halfway between UW and the state Capitol in beautiful Mad City. http://b-sidemadison.com/home.html While you're there, walk a couple blocks North to pay homage to Otis Redding, who rests in Lake Mendota.

Chicago Digital

The FIRST CD store in Illinois, and one of the last. An INCREDIBLE selection or new and used across every genre. The selection will give J&R a run for their money. The store is small, but mighty. The shelves are unfinished wood. They house the booklet for each CD in a plastic bag. The discs themselves are housed in their stock room. You can listen to ANY TITLE in the store. Chris, the owner is very knowledgeable. http://chicagocompactdiscs.com/

Disc-O-Rama

Some great deals. On 8th street in Greenwich Village. http://www.discoramaoverstock.com/

Dusty Groove

A very eclectic record store on Chicago's NW side. Well merchandised and neat as a pin. New & used, rock, jazz. world, blues & soul. Lots of hard-to-find imports. CD & vinyl. http://www.dustygroove.com/

Music Masters

Located in Downers' Grove, IL (is that where they grow on trees?), a western 'burb of Chicago. A great selection of import and domestic CD's. Classic rock, jazz, and electronic abound. Even SHM CD's and SACD's. Great SACD & Gold CD selection. http://musicmast.com/

One more in suburban Oak Park IL is Val's Halla

http://www.valshalla.com/index.htm

 

[Quad Linda]

Val is a great Gal. Have gone into her store since '74, when she was on South Blvd.

 

[cupboy]

My first visit to Exclusive Company. Wasn't worth the drive over. Couldn't even check out a common McCartney CD that was released several months ago. And the used stock was what I'd call dead stock. They did have 3 copies of the old Mister Mister CD on RCA. How strange. I saw 2 Dylan SACDs. One for $34, the other for $35. Both MFSL. Not a single AF SACD or CD in the whole store.

I'll probably just order the SHM version from Japan now.

update: Oh crap! They did have a NoSound dvd-audio for 13.99 and I intended to buy it. Forgot!

 

[Failed Muso]

In an attempt to redress the balance for this side of the pond, if you are in the UK, or visiting, and have even a remote interest in vinyl then the city of my birth, Norwich, is an amazing place to visit. And once you've done cleaning out the numerous record shops, there is a fine city left for you to explore, full of history, culture, amazing buildings, large parks and the warmest, friendliest people I know.

So, if you ever find yourself here, the best place to start looking is an area of the city known as "The Lanes". These ancient streets have been the home to many independent traders for over 1000 years. Yes, one thousand. Of course, wool, grain and other staples were the order of the day back then, but nowadays, and at least for the last few decades, it's seen many great shops and today it is the home to some amazing record shops, such as Blossom Records, Fine City Records, Sound Clash and Calypso. Blossom started as a market stall, which they soon outgrew and they offer a nice blend of new and old vinyl, as well as memorabilia and even vintage audio hardware. Fine City are more focused on deep filled, but well categorised, crates, as well as hardware and CDs. Much the same could be said of the others. But don't just limit yourself to the shops. Norwich has the largest concentration of churches per square mile of anywhere in the UK, if not the world, and many of these have been converted into spaces that host numerous antique fairs and record fairs as well as being live music venues.

A short walk from here is Magdalen Street where you'll find a few more shops, such as Out of Time and Beatniks.

Of course, visiting our nation's capital will yield some amazing shops such as Rough Trade and Sister Ray, but Norwich is a vibrant and relevant record buying destination that delivers so much more besides!

I spent over £120 there just this very day! :yikes

If you're ever this way, I'd be happy to give you some pointers

 

[hwkn]

One record store tha i've been going to since around 1985 that's still around is Vintage Vinyl in Evanston Illnois(that's where I get most of my boxed sets/import cds from).They've been there since 1980.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Did I miss it or did no one mention Academy Records at 333 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011? Also, J&R no longer looks like the interior photo above.

 

[Quad Linda]

Vintage Vinyl is a very nice, well run store. Lots of used and collectible product. IMHO, a very pricey proposition. Owner is very knowledgeable.



Interview with Steve Kay, the owner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuiDm11m3Iw



A couple local yokels visiting Vintage Vinyl:

One record store tha i've been going to since around 1985 that's still around is Vintage Vinyl in Evanston Illnois(that's where I get most of my boxed sets/import cds from).They've been there since 1980.

 

[Clement]

Here's some pix from the Tower Records in Shinjuku:

 

[Clement]

Here's some from the Tower Records in Shibuya:

 

[Bill B]

Just seeing a brick and mortar store with that much space devoted to physical product makes me jealous and sad that most such places have been rendered obsolete by online shopping.

 

[Clement]

An assortment from Disk Unions!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Here's some pix from the Tower Records in Shinjuku:

Harry Hosono, top left??
Absolutely fascinating pics. Next time you visit, let me be be your bag carrier.

 

[gene_stl]

The Record Exchange in St. Louis
https://www.facebook.com/RecordExchangeStLhttp://www.recordexchangestl.com/?f...xZaihcIs83hU6RzDtGW5Zv6TrVBicHf5kOZahU4RW_hyU

 

[marpow]

Here's some pix from the Tower Records in Shinjuku:

These pics are so cool. Just like the Tower of my youth at San Francisco, Columbus and Bay.

 

[cbmmm3]

 

[gene_stl]

I think it will come back out of the cloud for many people.

 

[soesbeout]

My place to shop when I go home to Portland,Or thankyou Quadwreck for still being around.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

It's been fun seeing this thread revived & reading through it again. But time takes its toll & checking @Quad Linda's original 2012 post I see J & R Music World, Exclusive Company, and Music Masters is no longer. Or at least dead links. Chicago Digital is apparently a CD replication shop now, nothing for retail consumers. But Disc-O-Rama seems strong. I like the way they have new releases arranged by year. And besides music, yes, you can get your Funko fix there too.

 

[Quad Linda]

A few updates:

Chicago Digital in OAK PARK, IL is still in business and selling CD's, so far as I know.

Exclusive Co. closed all it's stores upon the death of owner Jim Giombetti. Their stores on Farwell in Milwaukee and 76th st. in Greenfield are still open under new owners. They have changed their names to reflect two individual businesses.

Music Masters in Downers' Grove, IL closed a few years ago. Original owner Lou sold it to a guy named Cordell. He decided to close a few years later.

I bought lots from Disc-o-Rama in NYC on trips there. They gave me a coffee mug.

 

[gene_stl]

My late great partner in audio crime married a high school sweet heart suddenly in about 1980 and moved to New Yawk City. Very quickly he was hired by J&R Music World. He was mainly on the equipment side of things but was well known and liked for his knowledge of both music and equipment including cameras. When I bought my 82 volvo turbo I left it with no radio and he got me a Blaupunkt for it. Even after he moved back to St. Louis after his divorce he continued to get good inside deals from his pals there.

A great tragedy of my life that he did not live to go through SACD and DVD-A and BD which would have been a blast. I didn't even realize they were a record store. I did inherit a bunch of MOFIs from and other things from his collection. Stuff I suspected he got deals on there. But I mainly knew them as a mail order and equipment place.

My friend who was quite the ladies man said the the R of J&R was Mrs. J&R ( I think R= Rachelle) was a gorgeous woman and he sent me somekind of article with a picture.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/heathe...n-to-real-estate-development/?sh=656d53492fe4
When he sent the picture it was like 40 years ago so she was REALLY gorgeous.
EDIT: Thinking of this era and the article or photograph or whatever it was my pal sent me. He not only said she was gorgeous, but he also did mention that she was brilliant. I think he may have said she was smarter than her husband. Like at our house.