4 The (Used) Record is a TTEOAN post for crate diggers. I rank stores in areas I've shopped based on 8 categories explained below. I encourage all crate diggers to add on and let me know how the stores shape up in your areas. You can leave a comment, or email me directly at [email protected].
...Ranking System....
Selection: I prefer late 60’s-early 80’s soul, funk, jazz, reggae/dub and Prog Rock/Kraut Rock. Golden era hip hop, Neo-Soul, Soulful House and House Classics. A good used record store will have these genres in my opinion.
Pricing: Self-explanatory. If it’s priced relatively nice. Most used LPs in the store should be $5 or less for a general commonly available LP (Earth Wind & Fire, Elton John). $5-$10, for a lesser know, but still relatively common LP (Parilament, James Brown), and $10-$15 for lesser known and less common LPs (LeRoy Hutson, Leon Thomas, Rastus).
Organization: How, or if the genres are separated, whether or not they’re alphabetized, and if the bins are at waist level or below the waist level (usually the place where the cheap records or genres less sought by the store’s clientele are kept).
Listening Stations: Being able to listen to used records in the store on a store provided turntable, preferably, not having to give up a DNA swab in order to use it (some stores make you give ID to use the needle…).
Accessibility: Good parking, storefront (not inside a larger mall), easy to move around inside, hours (Open early, close late, open on Sundays)
Pricing: Self-explanatory. If it’s priced relatively nice. Most used LPs in the store should be $5 or less for a general commonly available LP (Earth Wind & Fire, Elton John). $5-$10, for a lesser know, but still relatively common LP (Parilament, James Brown), and $10-$15 for lesser known and less common LPs (LeRoy Hutson, Leon Thomas, Rastus).
Organization: How, or if the genres are separated, whether or not they’re alphabetized, and if the bins are at waist level or below the waist level (usually the place where the cheap records or genres less sought by the store’s clientele are kept).
Listening Stations: Being able to listen to used records in the store on a store provided turntable, preferably, not having to give up a DNA swab in order to use it (some stores make you give ID to use the needle…).
Accessibility: Good parking, storefront (not inside a larger mall), easy to move around inside, hours (Open early, close late, open on Sundays)
Accessories: Good stores have things like stylus cleaners, disc washer brushes and fluids, record sleeves, jackets, outer plastic sleeves, needles, record bags, 45 inserts, and record boxes.
Discounts: Good stores have promotional sales, discounted or clearance records, cheap or value bins/$1 bins.
Staff: good stores have staff that know about the music you’re interested in. They can make suggestions of other stuff to check out.
Those are the 8 categories, and every store listed gets 1 point for having that characteristic or nothing if they don’t. 8 is the maximum score.
Discounts: Good stores have promotional sales, discounted or clearance records, cheap or value bins/$1 bins.
Staff: good stores have staff that know about the music you’re interested in. They can make suggestions of other stuff to check out.
Those are the 8 categories, and every store listed gets 1 point for having that characteristic or nothing if they don’t. 8 is the maximum score.
I went to muscle shoals/the Huntsville Alabama region a couple of weekends ago. I needed to see the Fame Recording studios, was going to write a post about all of the great music that was recorded there from I’ll Take You There by the Staple Singers, to Aretha Franklin’s RESPECT. The latter being of upmost importance, as her health had been rapidly depleting. I didn’t know if I’d have a chance to see the place she recorded and found her secular sound before she went back home.
I made it though, & the visit was the business! I really enjoyed the drive there, and I found a small gem of a record store that I had never heard of. This wasn’t my first time to the Shoals area, I had went previously in 2014. I shopped at Pegasus Records and copped some nice joints there. Father’s Children LP for $5.00 & a Luther Ingram LP $4.00.
However, this go around, the corporate monolithic structure that gobbles up all the independent businesses that stand in their paths on the road to total retail domination, had swallowed up Pegasus, so shopping there was a no go. Plus, it was a Sunday and close to 4:00PM by the time I got done at Fame.
Only thing left was Nu Way Vinyl, but it was closed too because there not open on Sundays. This left Blank Coffee Comics Records. I decided to go there, I had about 40 minutes to shop. When I arrived, I noticed some food trucks in the square across the street from the store, some sparse merchandise and a live band. Mad folks were just chilling, dancing, eating, and shopping on the square.
I walked into the store, which is down the street from the University of North Alabama campus. It’s a converted house, Brownstone style. Downstairs you have a long narrow hallway when you walk in. Two rooms are adjacent to one another making the hallway appear to be a lower case ‘t’. These rooms had a small table and promotional mags and fliers. Go up a little further and there’s a small Kitchenette to the left where the owner makes pressed coffee and other drinks.
This was a major bonus because every record store I’ve ever been in never allowed drinks, or food. This one at least allowed drinks... I was like, I see you Baby Paul, I see you. On the other side of this Kitchenette was the serving counter for customers. There was a big soft chair, old school video game, a little three seat table, and bar chairs where you could parlay and drink ya beverage.
The store opens up after this point as one big room towards the right, and takes on a ‘p’ shape with records on the outskirts of the walls, graphic novels, 45s and in the center are the comics. The store has a slim, but very nice selection of wax of used wax. If you don't have it in your collection already, they have it. It also has some new LPs, and everything they have is non-fluff. To date, for pricing and selection, this is the best store I’ve been to in a long time. Not to mention, the owner let me shop late, they stayed open until 7PM with the event going on across the street. I copped some 45s, LPs a 45 Disk-GO-Case holder ($5) (Carolina Blue) and found that Black Rock reissue for under $15 sealed. Peep their ranking below, and if you’re ever in the North Alabama region, drop in on Blank Coffee Comics Records.
Blank Coffee Comics & Records receives a 8 out of 8 from me. They would’ve gotten a 7 out of 8 because they don’t have a listening station, but the owner was so cool that he deserves a bonus point on his own. I have no complaints with the selection and pricing in this store. Although, slim on first appearance with the volume of selection selection, everything they have is a banger. I got an Elvin Jones Blue Note LP, Rahsaan Roland Kirk Left & Right, Richard Pryor Super N, a SEALED David Porter (74 release-all of which averaged around $7 each), and a host of other notable 'bargain bin' joints that I have songs from on the YouTube videos below ($1 ea)...
The organization was sound, no mixed genres, and alphabetized nicely for the most part. It was mad roomy too. I could spread and shop without feeling like the walls were closing in. It’s very accessible, right on the square, and you can parallel park out front or go around back and park.
The store stocks mad accessories, like 45 inserts and vinyl sleeves. It also had discounts, like $0.99 45s, and for 10 or more their half price. They also had $1-$3 bargain bin records. I went through these too and found some heat. Staff here is the high-point. Dude gets 2 points for his knowledge of vinyl, & all around down to earth customer interaction. Preciate it!
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