What are the best record stores that are still alive?

[Analyst]

I used to spend hours browsing record stores in various cities. The best ones always have knowledgable staff and hard to find well catalogued music. In the last few years, most shops have lost out to online music and shut their doors. May they rest in peace...

My favorite shops:

Ear-X-Tacy - Louisville KY

Vintage Vinyl - St. Louis, MO

DCCD - Washington, DC (RIP)

611 Records - Philly, PA

Plan 9 - Charlottesville, VA

Never been to Amoeba in the Bay Area, but I hear its pretty good. Any others out there?

[mwrenchd]

Good call on Ear-X-tacy. I always drop in there when I'm in town.

In NYC, my faves are..

in the Village:

Other Music - for indie, psych, noise, "out", decent electro section.

Generation Records - punk, metal, hardcore

Bleeker Bobs - kinda touristy, but worth a visit. a bit of an institution.

For jazz and avant-garde, definitely checkout Downtown Music Gallery in the E. Vill / Bowery.

If you're a vinyl nerd, aside from Bleeker Bob's and the bi-annual WMFU record fair, Brooklyn is a safe bet. Academy Records and Junk in Williamsburg. For smelly, basement record spelunking, The Thing, in Greenpoint.

There also is a newer place in Clinton Hill called Dope Jams that carries mostly soul, r&b, funk, hip-hop, etc. I've heard good things but haven't been yet.

For more mainstream "indie" or rock/pop without going to a corporate chain, one of the Kim's locations is fine.

[stadsvandringar]

For California pretty much the only decent game left in town is Amoeba. They've got locations in hollywood, san francisco and berkeley. Good stuff too. Too bad they killed all the smaller independent stores in LA.

[poly800rock]

repo records bryn mawr PA. RIP. i spent so much money and so many hours there.

I'd say that they probably shaped my entire scope of music.

in your ear providence RI. RIP. spent a lot of college money there.

other music boston MA. RIP. loved the gems in this place, the NYC one just isn't the same

now that i wrote my list, it's pretty depressing that my 3 favorite record stores in the world have closed their doors.

[Kasper]

the place DJ Shadow visits in Scratch (it's called rare records i think?) in one of those places i always wanted to visit.

not really a store, but there's this area in Shibuya with like 50 or so record stores, that place is just insane...

[wEstSidE]

plan 9 is cool, but they rebranded a store in my area and that's bs man.

[Icarus]

Boston:

Twisted Village

Providence:

Armageddon Shop

[wEstSidE]

princeton, nj - princeton record exchange, only shit worth going to.

st marks, ny - everyshop.

[tweeds]

not one of the greats, but i remember in Bangkok i stopped by this store at Siam Square and they had awesome prices (if not necessarily the best of selections) and a very friendly, knowledgeable elderly lady running the place. i picked up some bill evans, michael brecker and miles there.

also, a more upmarket store at one of the malls (the same one with propaganda) had one of the best mixes of pricing + selection that i've come across of jazz and classical music. plenty of CDs that i'd never seen before in person on the shelf, and a well thought-out list of classical works.

[poly800rock]

Boston:

Twisted Village

Providence:

Armageddon Shop

always thought fast forward and then contrast were always better than armageddon...

[sean_]

new york - mondo kims was pretty awesome

toronto - rotate this

hon. mention - eds record world, used to be my favourite store until they closed it down last year while i was fucking away at school

[DaBestSpoona]

Is The Sound Library still around in the east village?

That place gets my vote.

[Tisswat]

http://www.juno.co.uk/

[Analyst]

not one of the greats, but i remember in Bangkok i stopped by this store at Siam Square and they had awesome prices (if not necessarily the best of selections) and a very friendly, knowledgeable elderly lady running the place. i picked up some bill evans, michael brecker and miles there.

also, a more upmarket store at one of the malls (the same one with propaganda) had one of the best mixes of pricing + selection that i've come across of jazz and classical music. plenty of CDs that i'd never seen before in person on the shelf, and a well thought-out list of classical works.

I know that exact shop! Good selections for finding CD's like the Shins. Playground in Thong Lor or Manga at Central World have a lot of music, but discs are like 1200bt. Way too expensive....

[tweeds]

^ the funny thing is, i couldn't find it when i went back 2 days after that! walked the whole siam square and i swear it disappeared into thin air. if you've got the address for future reference that would be great.

i think the way i asked for a further discount off her prices was a little shameless, but what was i to do, it was bangkok...haha.

[Analyst]

^ the funny thing is, i couldn't find it when i went back 2 days after that! walked the whole siam square and i swear it disappeared into thin air. if you've got the address for future reference that would be great.

i think the way i asked for a further discount off her prices was a little shameless, but what was i to do, it was bangkok...haha.

Tweeds...the place is called Do-Re-Mi and its directly below the Siam Square BTS stop right next to the bookazine....

[tweeds]

Analyst, when did you last visit? when i went she was at one of the rear sois, she did mention that she moved from her old location by the main road.

if i do go back to bangkok one of these days, i'll be sure to drop you a line.

[Analyst]

Yeah, its been a while since I've been there...let me know if you make it here...good times in Bangkok...

Where are you anyway?

[tweeds]

3 hours' flight away, in singapore.

[emaze]

NYC:

A1 records

Vinyl Mania

Rebel Rebel

Rockit Scientist

Discorama

R.I.P.

Eightball Records

Sonic Groove