Going to Amoeba San Fran and Berkely

Enjoy. That sounds like fun.

Let us know what music you buy.

The store in SF is just a block from my sister's house, I could spend a whole week there just browsing. You're a lucky man. You can find real treasures in their used CD section at great prices.

Amoeba just blows me away every time. They continue to prove that the "Hey Day" is not over for record stores. 10 checkouts open at once. The lines were epic...
MN

I love Amoeba. I live near the LA store.

A small store in SF that I really love is Aquarius records. They have very interesting taste in the new LPs they choose to carry. I really enjoyed my visit there.

http://www.aquariusrecords.org/

quote:

Originally posted by David AC:

A small store in SF that I really love is Aquarius records. They have very interesting taste in the new LPs they choose to carry.

Couldn't agree more - very enjoyable place to visit. Another place to try for a vinyl fix is Mod Lang in East Bay: http://www.modlang.com/. Larger than Aquarius, but with a different selection.

-Mark

John M was kind enough to guide us to Amoeba in SF , what a wonderful sweet shop. He also took us to a smaller shop near by but I can't remember the name.

Not to self ,"must go again"

quote:

Originally posted by Mark R:

quote:

Originally posted by David AC:

A small store in SF that I really love is Aquarius records. They have very interesting taste in the new LPs they choose to carry.

Couldn't agree more - very enjoyable place to visit. Another place to try for a vinyl fix is Mod Lang in East Bay: http://www.modlang.com/. Larger than Aquarius, but with a different selection.

-Mark

Mark -

Love Mod Lang. The couple there couldn't be nicer. He always asks me for my wants list before he is off on whatever buyers market he finds. Have you been up to see Gary at Mill Valley Music? He took over where Village left off when they closed. A bit smaller but Gary is a fantastically friendly shop owner who gives great deals when he can. I typically find vintage vinyl there for 30% less than market. In SF I also go to Grooves right on Market and Octavia? They have a nice selection but high prices.

Big Howard - the other record store we went to in SF was Groove Merchant on Haight. I have come to realize that their prices on a random sample of selections is about 400% higher than market. I paid 40 bucks for something I have subsequently found, in better shape, for 5-8 bucks. So I dont recommend anything other than a windowshopping visit to anyone - unless there is an extreme obsession brewing up.

And I agree that Aquarius has it all, good vibe, great music, reasonable prices, great location (near great coffee and Central American food.)

But volume makes Amoeba the 700 pound gorilla that always beats my wallet into submission. I always walk out of there with something I didn't realize I needed. Growing up on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, we have become friends with one of the two partners that started it all, and I jokingly ask if I can see his daughter's school report card since my regular spending sprees are greatly subsidizing her tuition. He is an incredible guy with a monster personal collection as you can imagine. Very impressive Sun Ra selection an a current obsession with the Free Design and other 60's pop syke vocal groups.

One of these days I will have the courage to go through my collection and add up all the Amoeba price stickers just to see....but I dont regret a single purchase (well maybe a few.) I love to walk into my study after a few days away - it smells just like a record store