What are your favorite record stores in the world?
Whenever I travel, I like to seek out record stores to poke around in.
Usually, I am only there for a short time, so I dont have time to explore as much as I'd like, so it is nice to know where to go.
So, today's question is: what are your favorite stores in the world? I am most interested in your favorite USED record stores - sometimes record store lists include a lot of new LPS and CDs - no, we focus on used rock here! And I am interested in your favorite stores. there are plenty of overpriced stores that are no fun to visit, as well as stores with lots of mediocre records to sift through. What makes your favorite stores great?
I'd love to add to my list from the personal experience of readers like you.
Here is a list of my favorite record stores, some pretty tucked away! In future blogs, I'll feature them and talk about what I like about them.
Pittsburgh: Jerry's Records and The Attic
Cleveland: Blue Arrow Records
Amsterdam: Second Life Music
Boston: In Your Ear
New York City: I can't find a store I really love!! Very Frustrating....
Youngstown, Ohio: Underdog Music Mania
London: Sister Ray
Your faves?
Usually, I am only there for a short time, so I dont have time to explore as much as I'd like, so it is nice to know where to go.
So, today's question is: what are your favorite stores in the world? I am most interested in your favorite USED record stores - sometimes record store lists include a lot of new LPS and CDs - no, we focus on used rock here! And I am interested in your favorite stores. there are plenty of overpriced stores that are no fun to visit, as well as stores with lots of mediocre records to sift through. What makes your favorite stores great?
I'd love to add to my list from the personal experience of readers like you.
Here is a list of my favorite record stores, some pretty tucked away! In future blogs, I'll feature them and talk about what I like about them.
Pittsburgh: Jerry's Records and The Attic
Cleveland: Blue Arrow Records
Amsterdam: Second Life Music
Boston: In Your Ear
New York City: I can't find a store I really love!! Very Frustrating....
Youngstown, Ohio: Underdog Music Mania
London: Sister Ray
Your faves?
Posted by Vinyl Record Architect at 8/7/2010 8:59 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: record stores favorite record stores vinyl records
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: record stores favorite record stores vinyl records
I used to go to Amoeba Records a lot when I still lived in LA. http://www.amoeba.com/
Jerry's is still the best though. Never seen the same quantity and selection
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Amoeba Music, but the Haight Street location. Have spent more money than I care to admit there.
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John,
Sounds like I need to get out to San Francisco some day and spend some time at Amoeba. Someone else cited Amoeba, too. Can you tell me what makes the Amoeba stores so great? If you were 'designing' the best record store what would be the components? For me, that would include a vast selection of used disks in good condition, reasonable prices, and having the more obscure - and admittedly pricey albums - avaialable in the store as opposed to only avaialable via auction. I know that the auction route is more profitable and necessary anymore, but there is nothing better than finding the special records in the bins. I don't want a store that looks too slick or new and I like to see alot of album covers and posters and things on the walls. Having turntables and headphones available to play and try out records should be a requirement for a used record store - the great ones have turntables, the near greats don't. i also want to be able to talk to the guys behind the counter. I don't mind an 'attitude' but I appreciate conversation! For instance, I really enjoyed my conversations with Fat Dave at In Your Ear in Boston. He introduced me to some great fuzz-toned guitar solos that I never would have heard otherwise. A band called Borealus entered my collection because of him....
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I should be up front with the disclaimer that almost all of my purchases there have been cds, but they do have an exceptional new & used vinyl selection as well.
For one, size matters. The Haight Street location is big. And they’ve used that space to include a tremendously wide array of releases from obscure/independent labels and genres (and the genres are identified very well) ... particularly foreign releases. This was especially critical 10+ years ago when small labels wouldn’t have websites, or if they did, their websites wouldn’t have track samples/streams. Plus the genres are laid out in sensible fashion ... this last point seems common, but you’d be surprised how helpful a thought-through layout really is.
They have knowledgeable staff who genuinely care about music. Yeah, you have to “earn” their attention many times, but when you have it they won’t walk away until you want them to. Great place to “take a chance” on recommended albums you don’t know (plus they have a lot of low-price label compilations).
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Joe's Record Paradise in Silver Spring, MD. They've been in business for over 35 years.
People from all over travel to comb through the stacks of vinyl that they have. It's also super close to Washington D.C.
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Dear Scott,
Thanks for the information.
I will definitely check out Joe's Record Paradise on my next drive to DC. Great name! Record Paradise...what could be better?
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