Remembering Record Stores

[dr. simple]

Which Crusaders is that?

It's actually the final Crusaders album, which allmusic.com gives like one or two stars. It's very slick funk, but I bought it because Michael Landau is the guitarist on it, and Steve Lukather is featured on "'Cause We've Ended As Lovers". It's a nice album, but not particularly original.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

For anybody who ever was in a Tower Records, this is a great documentary free on YouTube with minimal advertising interruptions.

I got to shop the Sunset Strip location a couple of times in the early 90's.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Before Google street view, LA artist Ed Ruscha rigged a camera on a car or pickup and drove the length of Sunset Boulevard periodically photographing every building from the 60's thru 2000's.
His 1966 book folded out in a strip 7.5 inches by 25 feet long.
Every Building on the Sunset Strip»Pacific Standard Time at the Getty

The Getty Museum now has a wonderful interactive site where one can view each and every one of these photos.
I went down a rabbit hole of viewing the Tower Records location through the years, and thought maybe some of you folks might appreciate a look.

12 Sunsets: Exploring Ed Ruscha's Archive

As noted in the documentary film above, in 1966 the location was an 8-track sales and installation business.
Complete system installed with four speakers for $ 79.99.

 

[Beefalo]

For anybody who ever was in a Tower Records, this is a great documentary free on YouTube with minimal advertising interruptions.

I got to shop the Sunset Strip location a couple of times in the early 90's.

My little brother worked at the original Tower on Broadway in Sacramento in the late 70's.

 

[AshBuchanan]

The Pink Panther, Carlisle, UK. '87-'03.

 

[jefe1]

I have fond memories of driving with buddies to the Sunset Blvd Tower records store and loading up on new releases
Interspersed with visits to the original Moby Disc store in Van Nuys and loading up on English imports and used promos in their bins......

 

[MidiMagic]

We never had a real record store chain store where I live. The closest we had were WalMart, Ayr-Way, Service Merchandise, HH Gregg, and Circuit City,

 

[gene_stl]

Muntz TV!

 

[The Pink Floyd]

Flipside Records was my go to in suburbs of Chicago. Loved that store.

 

[Beefalo]

The old Pooh Bah records in Pasadena, CA.
Some of the store employees lived in neighboring houses and were always coming in and out of the back door.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

The old Pooh Bah records in Pasadena, CA.
Some of the store employees lived in neighboring houses and were always coming in and out of the back door.

View attachment 75296View attachment 75297

Poo Bah looks pretty darn cool bah. From what you said I imagine it was not just a store but a sub-culture all of its own.

When I moved into my new house & new neighborhood almost 40 years ago I noticed a large residential home had been converted to commercial property like Pooh Bah. The signage read The Record Cabinet or maybe Record Closet. Before I even scouted out the closest grocery store I visited there.

The front door was locked & you had to get buzzed in. Before that an angry Doberman would try to burst through the glass & attack you. Then the dog was put away & I entered.

Inside the whole ground floor, even the kitchen, had folding tables with boxes/crates of nothing but singular titles in them. By that I mean one whole box of nothing but the 1st Boston album. Or a box full of nothing but PF Wish You Were Here. I'm sure that's the way albums were delivered to record store but this was just such an odd retail set up. Not sure if it was legit. At any rate I didn't find anything but mainstream. Nothing to capture my esoteric audiophile interests. So I didn't buy anything & never went back.

 

[Beefalo]

Poo Bah looks pretty darn cool bah. From what you said I imagine it was not just a store but a sub-culture all of its own.

When I moved into my new house & new neighborhood almost 40 years ago I noticed a large residential home had been converted to commercial property like Pooh Bah. The signage read The Record Cabinet or maybe Record Closet. Before I even scouted out the closest grocery store I visited there.

The front door was locked & you had to get buzzed in. Before that an angry Doberman would try to burst through the glass & attack you. Then the dog was put away & I entered.

Inside the whole ground floor, even the kitchen, had folding tables with boxes/crates of nothing but singular titles in them. By that I mean one whole box of nothing but the 1st Boston album. Or a box full of nothing but PF Wish You Were Here. I'm sure that's the way albums were delivered to record store but this was just such an odd retail set up. Not sure if it was legit. At any rate I didn't find anything but mainstream. Nothing to capture my esoteric audiophile interests. So I didn't buy anything & never went back.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

For anybody who ever was in a Tower Records, this is a great documentary free on YouTube with minimal advertising interruptions.

I got to shop the Sunset Strip location a couple of times in the early 90's.

Indeed I second the suggestion to watch this movie. I've seen it a couple of times & just realized with the current resurgence in analog vinyl, this movie is even more relevant today. Do note it was directed by Tom Hank's son, Colin. So Tower Records must have been a big influence on him growing up.

When ever I traveled, business or family, I always made it a point to seek out record stores and stereo shops. No TR where I live but I've been to the locations in San Francisco, Phoenix & Boston more than once. Oh, and my wife is from Chicago. Whenever visiting there the Virgin Mega-Store was a must.

Even tho Tower Records is long gone from the US of A, it is alive & well in Japan:

https://tower.jp/
Google translate works well on their pages.

 

[riknik]

Southern CA. I'm an old guy. Before the giant discounters there was Wallich's Music City, Ken Crane's Magnavox City in Lawndale. (before he got big). Even the May Co. had a good record department. There were independent music stores, sheet music, instruments and a record section. Even Save-On Drugs had a record section and 5 cent a scoop ice cream. I bought my first stereo record at Ken Crane's, a TOP's stereo demo, $1.99. Still have it somewhere. Oh! Don't forget the Columbia Record Club.

 

[barfle]

Southern CA. I'm an old guy. Before the giant discounters there was Wallich's Music City, Ken Crane's Magnavox City in Lawndale. (before he got big). Even the May Co. had a good record department. There were independent music stores, sheet music, instruments and a record section. Even Save-On Drugs had a record section and 5 cent a scoop ice cream. I bought my first stereo record at Ken Crane's, a TOP's stereo demo, $1.99. Still have it somewhere. Oh! Don't forget the Columbia Record Club.

It’s Music City, Hollywood, Lakewood, downtown.

I visited the Buena Park store several times before it disappeared while I was in the Army.

 

[Beefalo]

I was living in the San Francisco bay area 1980-1994. This store always had excellent first pressing promotional vinyl 12" for cheap.
You had to go to the store frequently and thumb through the stacks before someone else grabbed them.

 

[JohnG]

I am old enough to remember King Karol in Flushing Queens, the EJ Korvettes, Alexander’s and even Gertz had a record department.

I did most of my very early record shopping in a small discount store in North Flushing just south of Whitestone called SS Linds. Bought mostly 45s there.

Eventually when I began to work in Manhattan I discovered Tower and J&R Music.

Good times.

 

[GOS]

Most of my 45's as a youngster came from Woolworths

 

[4-earredwonder]

Most of my 45's as a youngster came from Woolworths

We had a Woolworths, too, Gene and they also had a great lunch counter [grilled cheese and dime cokes] but right down the street was a record store called BANDSTAND which specialized in sales of 45's and this very cool Daddy~O Dude with long sideburns and slicked back hair who always wore sunglasses, had pointed black shoes and wore a skinny black tie would constantly spin those discs upon request. I recall they were 99 cents each and once in awhile they'd blow them out 2 for $1.00 ..... Those WERE the Days!

 

[cbmmm3]

We had Crazy Larrys and Believe In Music. Then came Vinyl Solution. About Napster time ( 2000ish ) they were all gone. Now with the resurgence of vinyl we are back to several real good record stores......Corner Record Shop and Vertigo Music. I rarely go there as they dont carry much in the way of CDs. I always enjoy Reckless Records in Chicago when we go down to see the kids.