Visiting Canada and US

Posted by: David Ng on 31 July 2002

Hi all,

I will be in Canada end Aug. I was hoping to make this trip a vinyl buying trip. May also make a detour to the US for vinyl before heading home. Can anybody advise me on:

Where to get vinyl in Canada?
Which state should I visit in US for vinyl?

I am not looking for expensive collector's stuff. I just want to have lots of vinyl to play, Music taste includes rock, jazz, funk, blues etc.

All suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

david
Posted on: 31 July 2002 by Dan M
Not sure which are the 'best' states, but I can tell you that there are some great used record stores in the Bay Area (CA) and Denver (CO). Amoeba in Berkeley has lots of new/used vinyl, and Wax Trax/Twist & Shout/Black & Read in Denver are worth checking out. Not sure if I would make either the sole purpose of a visit though, but if you are in the area...
-Dan
Posted on: 01 August 2002 by David Ng
I was thinking of visiting CA because I heard they still have a lot of used records stores there. My worry is that I may not be able to locate them.
Posted on: 01 August 2002 by Keith Mattox
quote:
Originally posted by d marsh:
Not sure which are the 'best' states, but I can tell you that there are some great used record stores in the Bay Area (CA) and Denver (CO). Amoeba in Berkeley has lots of new/used vinyl, and Wax Trax/Twist & Shout/Black & Read in Denver are worth checking out. Not sure if I would make either the sole purpose of a visit though, but if you are in the area...
-Dan
Amoeba still rules the roost, and they now have an even bigger store on the first block of Haight Street in San Francisco.

Also recommended are Vinyl Solution in San Mateo and the Streetlight Records' San Jose store.

Rasputin Records is mentioned often but I've found their vinyl selection to be rather disappointing.

Cheers

Keith.
Posted on: 01 August 2002 by Mike Sae
Or are you cruising the continent like those ladies from To Wong Foo... Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar?
Posted on: 01 August 2002 by Dan M
quote:
David Ng: I was thinking of visiting CA because I heard they still have a lot of used records stores there. My worry is that I may not be able to locate them.


David,
Getting to Amoeba is easy from downtown San Francisco. Take BART (subway) over to downtown Berkeley, and walk up to Telegraph Ave. (near UC campus). Rasputins is nearby also, but I found there selection on the junky side. Wherever you go in the US, check out the yellow pages for Goodwill or Salvation Army stores - sometimes you can get a real score of records for 50 cents each.
-Dan
Posted on: 02 August 2002 by David Ng
Thanks guys.

The truth is, I have not visited US and Canada before, so I do not have any preference. Wherever there are cheap vinyl, I will go. But time does not allow me to visit too many places.

I am definitely visiting Canada first (which part, I have yet to find out) for official biz, then I'm free to seek out the vinyl.

Heard from a friend that Houston is a real vinyl heaven, any views?

david
Posted on: 02 August 2002 by Rob Doorack
quote:
Heard from a friend that Houston is a real vinyl heaven, any views?


That's a new one on me, I've never heard Houston described that way. Perhaps your friend meant Boston? The Boston area - especially the adjoining town of Cambridge, home of Harvard University - has a number of great record stores. This is a frequent topic on Vinyl Asylum, do a search there on the name of any city of interest and you'll find lots of information on the used record stores.