Hello, kiddies.
Below is a partial list of record shops that gave me many years of pleasure, and caused me to spend what has to be tens of thousands of dollars in the process. These shops are no longer in existence, so I would like to pay a personal tribute by asking all of you to please give just a few moments of silence in their memory…
12″ Dance Records*
An Die Musik
Ferndale Oldies
Metro II
Music Man Oldies
Music Machine
Once Twice Sounds**
Playing By Ear
The ORIGINAL Record And Tape Traders***
Record Theatre
Sound Of Baltimore
Sound Waves
Vinyl Discoveries
*There were two locations, one in Baltimore and one in Washington, DC. I believe the DC location is still in business…
**I must believe in reincarnation, because this store was reborn as Own Guru Records…
***This store eventually sold its soul to the corporate devil, therefore its inclusion in this list is still warranted…
As I compose this, I know that I missed many others whose names currently escape me, but please be certain that your memory will forever live in my heart, and the music that you sold to me will remain a permanent fixture in my record library. If any locals can shed some light as to whether the shops in the list still exist, please leave a comment. I will return to said shop and continue to spend money as I always support the local mom and pop shops.
Happy Vinyl Record Day everyone. Do yourself a favour and play a record today. I for one will be playing records ALL day… Thank you for your time.
Peace and blessings.
Record & Tape Traders is still one of the most successful chains of INDEPENDENT music stores in the country. We have 10 locations is MD and DE, and have not “sold our soul to the corporate devil” by any stretch of the imagination. I’m sorry you were misinformed and feel the way you do.
To Dustin: Please allow me to clarify what I said.
I can vividly recall when R&TT was a small operation in my neighbourhood back in 1981 or 1982 , and the original format of the store was what made it appealing. I still feel that the chain does have a lot to offer as I have made numerous purchases in at least three of your locations over the past several years, but the overall feel of the store is too reminiscent of a corporate chain, especially when it comes to seeking out the obscurities that I want to purchase. The commentary is clearly a matter of personal opinion, and not meant to detract from your business as the opinion of one will NEVER sway the judgement of many.
Hi Vincent – thanks for your comment. I’ll let you know if I get going again. And thanks again for that mix. Does it count as playing vinyl if I play all your old 45s…?
Thanks for the kind words about the store, Vince. Hope to see you and other 45 crate diggers soon!
As one who used to have family in the Baltimore area and shopped there at least 5-6 times a year, one I miss dearly is Records Unlimited. Thousands and thousands of unplayed 45s and LPs, and he carried CDs only grudgingly. He was still around in 1995, but the next time I went to Baltimore after that, about three years later, he was gone. Records Unlimited had two stores, both north of the city. One was in the Putty Hill shopping center on U.S. 1 just north of I-695; the site of his store became a Play It Again Sports or some such. The other was in a strip mall along Route 700 (Martin Ave. I think it’s called) a few miles east of U.S. 40.