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Stax of wax
By adamg on Fri, 12/26/2014 - 10:31pm
Kristie Helms asks:
Question... good place in Boston to browse/purchase vinyl?
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
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Comments
Some answers via Twitter
Dedham
Cheap Thrills.
bob rules
Worked with him when he was the rock buyer at Tower on Newbury. Knows his stuff and a good dude!
Somerville Grooves in Union Square
records
I second Cheap Thrills, Rob has a great shop and is incredibly knowledgable. I also recommend Deep Thoughts, 138 South Street in JP.
Wax
Some already mentioned:
Cheap Thrills: Solid for rock and bootlegs. Owners used to manage the Tower Records on Newbury. I have bought metal (Maiden, Scorpions) and reggae there.
Nuggets: Still there. I was there two weeks ago. Hasn't changed. Has a solid little section of dance/disco/R&B 12"s. Picked up a 12" dance version of "Look of Love" by ABC.
In You Ear - Haven't been in a while, but that place is great. Found a sweet test press in the $1 bin there one time.
Some Not Mentioned thus far:
Tres Gatos in JP: This is a tapas bar with record and book shop in the back. They stock a relatively small but solid selection of new vinyl and some used vinyl as well. You can enjoy a tasty beverage while you browse. They always participate in record store day. They aren't open full retail hours, so check the restaurant hours before you go. http://tresgatosjp.com
Deep Thoughts in JP: This place is great. Lots of eclectic used stuff and new. Last trip I bought some hard to find new reggae presses along with some 15 year old deep house and a Wu Tang Clan 12". Also have bought several 80's 12"s there. Good classic rock selection as well as electronic, noise, etc. http://www.deepthoughtsjp.com
Deep Thoughts has an amazing
Deep Thoughts has an amazing selection of new and bargain bin records! Most of their stock is also on Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/seller/DeepThoughtsJP/profile
WABAC
For 60s, 70s, and such, don't forget Boomerangs...always a good selection in many styles, and for a good cause.
Tres Gatos in JP. Guy in the
Tres Gatos in JP. Guy in the record/book shop snaps up the good stuff when he sees it (also, you can get your grub on).
Cambridge Stores
Stereo Jacks on Mass Ave. between Porter and Harvard has some really cheap records, and maybe some gems, depends what you are looking for.
Cheap-O in Central Square has the best selection around, but isn't that cheap.
Stereo Jack's
in Cambridge.
Stereo Jack's in Porter Square
Stereo Jack's in Porter Square has some great stuff. They also have bins and bins of records for $1, and not just junk either. GOOD records.
Armageddon in Harvard Square
Armageddon in Harvard Square is the best record store in the area if you're looking for hardcore, punk, metal, indie, etc.
Tres Gatos...
... on Centre St. in JP. Not a vast selection but the curatorial virtuosity is worth the trip. The tapas is great too.
Store 54 in Allston at 16
Store 54 in Allston at 16 Harvard Ave is such a unique place. I love it and always find something interesting there. The vintage clothing selection is great, too. It's cash only, FYI.
Weirdo Records in Central Sq and Armageddon in Harvard Sq are my favorites in Cambridge for more experimental, psychedelic, garage and punk stuff. Deep Thoughts in JP rules, too.
Once spring rolls around...
...the monthly MIT flea market has several vendors with boxes and boxes of vinyl - generally LPs and EPs from the 50s through the 90s. And if you're a smart shopper there's some real quality hifi equipment for sale too.
9am - 2 pm, third Sunday of each month April through October, Parking garage and outside lot at Albany and Main Streets (which means you have to find street parking or take the T). $6 to get in, $1 off if you bring a flyer.
Cases of Jazz LPs and Jazz Cassettes
The timing of this thread is just perfect for me. I convinced the wife to clean out one of the rooms in my basement and we came across about 500 Jazz records and an equal amount of cassettes. The records span from the 50s to late 70s, cassettes picked up in the 80s. I have cases of CDs too - maybe another 2000 jazz CDs.
I'm going to sell them all. It seems based on the above Nuggets is the place to go. I hope they have a 'take all of it' policy as I won't want to spend hours with some clerk looking through my collection and giving me $10 for the best 10 records and leaving me with the pile of music to take to the next store.
Wish me luck. If all goes well I'll be at the Eastern Standard with a beer in hand and smile on my face.
All or nothing at all
If it's love, there is no in between
Why begin then cry, for something that might have been
No I'd rather have nothing at all
Wrecka Stow
There are no great record stores anymore.
All shops base their prices on popsike and ebay averages, I dont blame them, but it is hard on the wallet on record collectors and 'dermists.
I still shop heavily and agree with most of the shops above here are my favorites listed in order.
In your Ear (Allston and Harvard Sq,)
Skippy Whites (Roxbury)
Cheapo Records (Cenral Sq.)
Stereo Jacks (Porter Sq.)
Nuggets (Comm Ave)
Planet Records (Hvd Sq.)
Great record stores of yore
"There are no great record stores anymore."
Made me think of some great record stores of yore, from the 70s. (I'm talking about those that sold new records when they were new, not used places):
New England Music City
Discount Records (not as good as New England Music City, but OK)
Soundscope (a little remembered place in Copley Square. It was quite large).
Mother Music (a long forgotten place on Huntington near Northeastern. Technically it was a head shop, not a record store per se, but they had bins of bootleg LPs. More than I had ever seen in one place at the time. It was hippy heaven, man.)
And lets not overlook the excellent record department in the Jordan Marsh annex on Washington Street, before the phrase "Downtown Crossing" was ever coined.
Also, the Harvard and MIT Coops
had big and well-advertised record departments in the 1970s. Back then, the Coop was a general department store and not just a bookstore that also sells Harvard- and MIT- logo clothes.
Harvard Sq LPs in the 70s
In addition to the excellent LP selection at Coop, there was a good Discount Records -- and a huge place almost next door to this -- called something like Minuteman Records (is that right).
Don't forget...
I buy lots of records every month and shop around frequently.
-Newbury Comics carries all new pop/rock vinyl. The Newbury St. store has the biggest selection in Boston, Harvard Square is pretty good. Newbury is also doing colored vinyl re-releases of classic records from pretty much every pop music era. Check their website for a list.
-Cheapo in Central Square Cambridge is a diamond in the rough. They have only used records but a flip through their new arrivals has yielded some gems for me.
-Planet Records is now on Mt. Auburn St. about three blocks outside of the Square and they have only used records most of which are in very good condition but I find their prices on the high side.
-In Your Ear on Comm Ave in Allston is a very good store also for more than just rock, their blues and jazz sections are nice and the store, although cluttered, is well organized. Their Harvard Square location seems to be run off from the other store. When my friend and I go there, we affectionately call it "dumpster diving."
-Store 54 in Allston sells used only and it's incorporated with a vintage clothing store. It's a pretty cool spot and I've found a few very nice records there. The stock there was originally from the closed Looney Tunes that was on Boylston St.
-Armageddon Records on Eliot St. in Harvard Square sells new and used records and is an excellent store for punk, metal and hardcore but they sell indie and classic rock also. They have a small blues and R&B section but a huge selection of 7".
These are the places I shop the most.