kriss Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Most of us have had them. Today I was out in the suburbs (last day of corporate baking demos finally!) and I found a small record shop called Kiss The Sky (the name should have tipped me off to what I would find inside). Walking in, I made my way to the used LP's where I found beat up Pink Floyd and other random dad rock records priced at 25+. Mentally grumbling to myself over that, I made my way to the 45's and began searching. I found 5 singles including an original Red Bird label Shangri-Las, a split single between Blue Cheer and The Blue Magoos, an old radio copy (scrawled on the front of the sleeve) of a Mute pressed Depeche Mode and a random Go Go's single. None of them were priced (many of the ones I saw as I searched were) so I assumed that any unmarked had a base price. Taking them up to the counter, the proprietor (a man in his early 50's easily) began to take each record out of the sleeve and inspect each like he was a diamond cutter. After finishing with each one, he would hand them off to his friend sitting beside him who would repeat the process over again. After the two of them had satisfied their inspection of the records, the proprietor pulled out a price guide and began to slowly put price stickers on each one. The Depeche Mode and Go Go's singles were cheap (3 a piece) while he priced the others at $12+ with the Shangri-Las being priced at $20. I bought the $3 singles, listened to him prattle about 'value' and whatever else these kinds of dinosaurs go on about and left. I spent the next hour boiling as I played the scene over in my head - his explanation for the singles not being priced was that the person who usually did the job hadn't been in (must not have been in for months since the majority of the singles were unpriced). Later on, did a search and found that I could get that Shangri-Las single in the same condition for 7 with shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggs1441 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I used to always buy my records at Kops Records on Queen Street in Toronto. One day they tweeted asking who wants Lemuria's album Pebble on vinyl. This is when the album wasn't out yet, so they pre-ordered it and put it on hold for me. When it arrived, they told me to pop by the store whenever to pick it up. I go to pick it up a few days later. I go to the front counter, tell the person that its on hold for me. He tells me that "There all gone. They've all been sold." I didn't get mad or anything, I just picked up a few other records. And tweeted one of the workers the situation. I pop by next week, pick up a few records, when I go to pay, the guy behind the counter starts giving me shit about how I can't make commitments and then bail. I explained to him the situation and he didn't believe me, so I bought the records, got out. That was the last time I shopped there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patron Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I used to always buy my records at Kops Records on Queen Street in Toronto. One day they tweeted asking who wants Lemuria's album Pebble on vinyl. This is when the album wasn't out yet, so they pre-ordered it and put it on hold for me. When it arrived, they told me to pop by the store whenever to pick it up. I go to pick it up a few days later. I go to the front counter, tell the person that its on hold for me. He tells me that "There all gone. They've all been sold." I didn't get mad or anything, I just picked up a few other records. And tweeted one of the workers the situation. I pop by next week, pick up a few records, when I go to pay, the guy behind the counter starts giving me shit about how I can't make commitments and then bail. I explained to him the situation and he didn't believe me, so I bought the records, got out. That was the last time I shopped there. I actually like Kops Records a lot - they do a really good job at stocking local records for what the band sells them for, but I've never heard of them doing this. Maybe they assumed you were rushing down to the store immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggs1441 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I used to always buy my records at Kops Records on Queen Street in Toronto. One day they tweeted asking who wants Lemuria's album Pebble on vinyl. This is when the album wasn't out yet, so they pre-ordered it and put it on hold for me. When it arrived, they told me to pop by the store whenever to pick it up. I go to pick it up a few days later. I go to the front counter, tell the person that its on hold for me. He tells me that "There all gone. They've all been sold." I didn't get mad or anything, I just picked up a few other records. And tweeted one of the workers the situation. I pop by next week, pick up a few records, when I go to pay, the guy behind the counter starts giving me shit about how I can't make commitments and then bail. I explained to him the situation and he didn't believe me, so I bought the records, got out. That was the last time I shopped there. I actually like Kops Records a lot - they do a really good job at stocking local records for what the band sells them for, but I've never heard of them doing this. Maybe they assumed you were rushing down to the store immediately. No. I let them know when they told me to come pick it up and the day I went to get it. They said it was fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexH. Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Once I found a copy of The Hold Steady's Separation Sunday at Fifth Element, but I didn't know it was way out of print so I told myself I'd get it next time I was there. Cut to a few weeks later, I find out what it's worth and the odds of me ever finding another copy for a reasonable price. I stop in on my way home, walk over to the H section, see that it's gone, mutter curses, and head for the door. Total time in the store: about 45 seconds. As I'm about to walk out the door, the guy working there comes out from the back room. I freeze and begin to act super sketchy for some reason. Guy: "Can I help you find something?" Me: ".......uh." I make a speedy exit and walk to the bus stop, cursing my inability to successfully interact with anyone ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Hundred Fifty-Two Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Most of us have had them.Today I was out in the suburbs (last day of corporate baking demos finally!) and I found a small record shop called Kiss The Sky (the name should have tipped me off to what I would find inside). Walking in, I made my way to the used LP's where I found beat up Pink Floyd and other random dad rock records priced at 25+. Mentally grumbling to myself over that, I made my way to the 45's and began searching. I found 5 singles including an original Red Bird label Shangri-Las, a split single between Blue Cheer and The Blue Magoos, an old radio copy (scrawled on the front of the sleeve) of a Mute pressed Depeche Mode and a random Go Go's single. None of them were priced (many of the ones I saw as I searched were) so I assumed that any unmarked had a base price. Taking them up to the counter, the proprietor (a man in his early 50's easily) began to take each record out of the sleeve and inspect each like he was a diamond cutter. After finishing with each one, he would hand them off to his friend sitting beside him who would repeat the process over again. After the two of them had satisfied their inspection of the records, the proprietor pulled out a price guide and began to slowly put price stickers on each one. The Depeche Mode and Go Go's singles were cheap (3 a piece) while he priced the others at $12+ with the Shangri-Las being priced at $20. I bought the $3 singles, listened to him prattle about 'value' and whatever else these kinds of dinosaurs go on about and left. I spent the next hour boiling as I played the scene over in my head - his explanation for the singles not being priced was that the person who usually did the job hadn't been in (must not have been in for months since the majority of the singles were unpriced). Later on, did a search and found that I could get that Shangri-Las single in the same condition for 7 with shipping. What suburb, and were there any punk/hardcore records to speak of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriss Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 http://www.yelp.com/biz/kiss-the-sky-geneva It's in Geneva - they had a shit ton of RSD stuff left over and of course all of it was over priced from anywhere else I've seen it. I didn't look through the LP's because I was so disgusted by seeing all of the normal beat up stuff you could find anywhere being priced as if they were mint and imported. Out of the 45's, it was mainly older stuff with a random $15 Coheed single thrown in here and there - I'm not sure how far Palatine is from Geneva, but if the distance is any more than 10 minutes, it wouldn't be worth yr time. At one point, the dude asked what I was planning to do with the records. He also called them 'collectables' continuously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Hundred Fifty-Two Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Yeah I think I'll pass. Looking at about 45 mins. Sounds like it sucks. The only stores I really hit up are in Milwaukee. Exclusive, Bullseye, and Rushmor. I find something worth buying every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seamoney Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I was in Kiss the Sky back at the beginning of September. I found When Broken Is Easily Fixed, Full Collapse, War All the Time, and The Artist in the Ambulance. The price stickers there come off really easily... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriss Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 they didn't do the whole price guide thing? Dude had Gemm pulled up on his computer - if you don't mind saying, how much did you end up getting away with all of those records for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefwahoo Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Wow, on what planet does someone charge $20 for a Shangri-Las single? Unless it was as mint as they come. And they never are. PM me which one it was and if I have it, I'll send it to you for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar71888 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I went to some record store in West Palm Beach. None of the records had prices. I found some HWM records and took them to the counter and the guy was basically like "umm....15 for this one...20 for this, wait this is a double....30. and 25 for this one...I've looked these up. That's about what they sell for on ebay" i looked at him and said "you are full of shit. these records are around $8 on No Idea's website". ended up just buying a used Men at Work record for $3 and dipped out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benchwarmer Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I was just in a store, and everything was 20% off. I grabbed Rollins Band "Life Time." I get to the register and the owner couldn't figure out how to take 20% off, so I had to do it for him. Good times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youspinmeround Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Vegas has a similiar place They dont price anything and then try and rip you off and then haggle Would never go back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicondevil Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Don't shop at / support places that don't price. They will all be gone in another couple years anyway Maybe, but I used to always go to Bagatelle in Long Beach, CA and they would always have many boxes of unpriced records on the floor. This was because they just got so much stuff in all the time they couldn't keep up. The owner wasn't a dick though and I pulled some rare Blue Note records that he priced way under "market". My friend pulled original Misfits 45's for $10 a pop. This still keeps me up at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriss Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Wow, on what planet does someone charge $20 for a Shangri-Las single? Unless it was as mint as they come. And they never are. PM me which one it was and if I have it, I'll send it to you for nothing. Admittedly, it was a really clean copy but I did some searching online and NM to M Shangri-Las singles NEVER go for that much. Not even close. hahah. I've got most of their stuff in LP form but I'd like to have all of their 45's because in my mind, they were a group who were built ideally for the singles format. I'll shoot you a PM. What drove me nuts about the interaction with the guy came in the fact that he clearly wasn't interested in the listening part - at one point he asked what I was gonna do with them since they were 'collectables'. "Oh I don't know jag, I have a facility with climate controlled temps and calibrated shelving where they'll spend the rest of their days". Geez... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
element101 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I went to some record store in West Palm Beach. None of the records had prices. I found some HWM records and took them to the counter and the guy was basically like "umm....15 for this one...20 for this, wait this is a double....30. and 25 for this one...I've looked these up. That's about what they sell for on ebay" i looked at him and said "you are full of shit. these records are around $8 on No Idea's website". ended up just buying a used Men at Work record for $3 and dipped out Pretty sure I went to the same store once. Walked out with 1 record. Place was a mess, dude opened shop late, looked and smelled like he slept there, records were in horrible condition and super expensive, no prices and just a wreck in every way. No idea how he keeps that place open. Its really sad, when I went there records were piled up everywhere on the floor. I knocked a bunch of crap down just trying to get to the back of the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattisr1984 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Don't shop at / support places that don't price. They will all be gone in another couple years anyway what he said. i also refuse to pay inflated prices on used records. if you're gonna ask ebay prices, take the goddamn record off the wall and put it on ebay already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriss Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 So far as I can tell, they don't have en eBay or even an online store (couldn't even find a website other than their Yelp page). Funny thing: I mentioned Discogs in relations to the 7" I wanted and he goes "what's Discogs?" For the man on the street, I get that, but you're a record store owner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewfrank Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Most of us have had them.Today I was out in the suburbs (last day of corporate baking demos finally!) and I found a small record shop called Kiss The Sky (the name should have tipped me off to what I would find inside). Walking in, I made my way to the used LP's where I found beat up Pink Floyd and other random dad rock records priced at 25+. Mentally grumbling to myself over that, I made my way to the 45's and began searching. I found 5 singles including an original Red Bird label Shangri-Las, a split single between Blue Cheer and The Blue Magoos, an old radio copy (scrawled on the front of the sleeve) of a Mute pressed Depeche Mode and a random Go Go's single. None of them were priced (many of the ones I saw as I searched were) so I assumed that any unmarked had a base price. Taking them up to the counter, the proprietor (a man in his early 50's easily) began to take each record out of the sleeve and inspect each like he was a diamond cutter. After finishing with each one, he would hand them off to his friend sitting beside him who would repeat the process over again. After the two of them had satisfied their inspection of the records, the proprietor pulled out a price guide and began to slowly put price stickers on each one. The Depeche Mode and Go Go's singles were cheap (3 a piece) while he priced the others at $12+ with the Shangri-Las being priced at $20. I bought the $3 singles, listened to him prattle about 'value' and whatever else these kinds of dinosaurs go on about and left. I spent the next hour boiling as I played the scene over in my head - his explanation for the singles not being priced was that the person who usually did the job hadn't been in (must not have been in for months since the majority of the singles were unpriced). Later on, did a search and found that I could get that Shangri-Las single in the same condition for 7 with shipping. Dude! 30 mins from my house.. I grew up about 3 mins from that store. Steve and Mike (old dinosaurs) are nice guys but overcharge big time. I was in KTS 2 or 3 days ago and was digging through boxes of records that were underneath their used bins (all of which are unpriced). I found Sleater-Kinney "Dig Me Out" and Elliott Smith "Either/Or"... dude wanted $15 for "Dig Me Out" and $12 for "Either/Or".. ridiculous considering they had a new copy for $14 (of Either/Or). I try to support them, but the way they price items is royally fucked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hickey Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I was just in a store, and everything was 20% off. I grabbed Rollins Band "Life Time." I get to the register and the owner couldn't figure out how to take 20% off, so I had to do it for him. Good times. What store was this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknroll76 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 All this talk about the Shangri-Las has me stoked! I didn't think anyone else on here cared about them. I really need to boost up my collection of their records...and yes, I believe they are best suited for the 45 format. Kind of like Johnny Cash or The Turtles. I went to Bagatelle in Long Beach and the guy seemed stuck up...I know, that's usually a given, but he was giving off that vibe more than most do. I mentioned I was looking for punk and he doesn't even say anything, just rummages through some of his many stacks and hands me a stack of about 20 LPs. Nothing great at all. I dream about finding og Misfits for $10 each...hell, $50 each would still be a dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknroll76 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Oh yeah, speaking of Red Bird Records...I'm looking for a copy of "The Hideaway" 45 by The Young Generation if anyone has it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriss Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 ^ Jeff, I've always loved 60's girl groups and had always heard Leader of The Pack but sorta dismissed it because of how often I heard it. A few years ago, Mellie brought home one of their full lengths and I really loved it. It proved to be a gateway towards collecting the Romulan pressed Girls In The Garage series of compilations as well as stuff like The Shaggs and then the modern day girl groups and lo fi bands like Frankie Rose and The Outs, Pens, Super Wild Horses, etc. That stuff is so great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethingvinyl Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I've bought a lot of stuff in New Orleans over the past 6 years that I've lived here. I went to record stores before that but I was always living in smaller towns and those places never had anything I wanted or could afford. We're lucky here. We now have four stores that are great places to find different kinds of things. If you're ever here, these are my favorite in order: Euclid (in the Bywater community, and I work there one day a week, so....Big inventory, little pricey) Skully'z (in the gay section of Bourbon St., nicest owners, always have good used records and they get new things all the time) Domino Sound (in the Marigny, most reasonably priced records anywhere in the state, lots of punk) Louisiana Music Factory (Pricier because it's in the French Quarter but they have a massive inventory and lots of local stuff) The WORST = Jim Russell's Records! This shop is on Magazine Street (uptown) and it's terrible. Lots of stuff, disorganized, and nothing is in good condition. The place has been in business 30 years but since the owner's daughter has taken over, it's gone downhill. It's like a small warehouse where there are just things everywhere. Nothing is priced (or only a handful of records are priced). There are signs that say, "Price can change upon checkout without any notice). I've gone in there a couple times just to attempt to dig and I get pissed off with it every time, I've never bought anything. Awful. Not awkward but I've been annoyed by the last place so much I had to tell someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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