tokimedo Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 at the end of the day, id much rather have travis than....lets just say, for example, RJ. at least travis get shit done. and to the dude thats too "punk rock" for the rest of us, youre s0 punk br0, were n0t w0rthy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinyljunkie Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 but you can't really resist change, as much as it lacks romance or integrity. someone needs to grab the bull by the horns and give kids a reason to go to record stores again. what does this even mean? i dont think that its possible to give kids a reason to go to record stores. Records SHOULD be that reason that kids are going. But by definition, something rare and limited, is not going to be prevalent. So if the majority are only looking for something rare and limited, they probably wont find it down the street at the local store for 6 bucks. The whole "game" has changed now, and unfortunately, brick and mortar stores cannot compete with online distros, corporate backing or straight out corporate stores, "exclusive" pressings, and limited pressings. much of what kids want dont even make it into indie stores. its true that there can still be niche stores that survive, and are OK with not competing, or ever getting "big", and content with just getting by in their little corner. but then you end up with this problem, which is the greater audience complaining that they are more aggressively going after the hyped things that are "in" for the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 +1 for Titus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 i got modest mouse - good news... for $11 (including shipping) from hot topic. yeah! fuck them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suchashorttime Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 but you can't really resist change, as much as it lacks romance or integrity. someone needs to grab the bull by the horns and give kids a reason to go to record stores again. what does this even mean? i dont think that its possible to give kids a reason to go to record stores. Records SHOULD be that reason that kids are going. But by definition, something rare and limited, is not going to be prevalent. So if the majority are only looking for something rare and limited, they probably wont find it down the street at the local store for 6 bucks. The whole "game" has changed now, and unfortunately, brick and mortar stores cannot compete with online distros, corporate backing or straight out corporate stores, "exclusive" pressings, and limited pressings. much of what kids want dont even make it into indie stores. its true that there can still be niche stores that survive, and are OK with not competing, or ever getting "big", and content with just getting by in their little corner. but then you end up with this problem, which is the greater audience complaining that they are more aggressively going after the hyped things that are "in" for the moment. that is essentially what i meant. the game has changed, and things probably won't go back to the way they were. but i think record stores, in general, are a bit resistant to considering other ways to bring kids in to buy records. like i was saying about the record store nearest me not being really friendly, i think kids would go more often if there were more of a sense of community and inclusion. elitist record store workers are the worst. i wasn't presenting any new argument, just expressing my sadness in the way the record store has gone. i would love to have that store that is romanticized about, talking to people about new music, having a dude who works there open up a record and throw it on so you can sample it. i don't know. buying the vast majority of my records online is lonely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 i got modest mouse - good news... for $11 (including shipping) from hot topic. yeah! fuck them! You used a coupon...congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 No, I didn't.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinyljunkie Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 but i think record stores, in general, are a bit resistant to considering other ways to bring kids in to buy records. like i was saying about the record store nearest me not being really friendly, i think kids would go more often if there were more of a sense of community and inclusion. elitist record store workers are the worst. buying the vast majority of my records online is lonely. but thats where the vicious circle lies (this circle must be broken!! haha). see from the record store point of view, i cant afford to change out my inventory for one kid who comes in and gives me his wants. or worse, in anticipation of MAYBE that one kid coming in to buy stuff. so the kid never comes in to buy stuff, and theres no need for me to buy different stuff for him. I cant tell you how many times ive been burned by people in real life and on messageboards telling me that if i got XXXX record in they would totally buy it, so i get some in, and not a single one ever sells. some record stores just go with what works. They could risk alienating the customers they DO have by spending money and efforts changing things up for what could just end up as hype. i say this from experience i will never make special orders for kids who are in the store for the first time. or even the 2nd time. or who came in because of a show. unless they wanna pay up front. i agree though, i dont see it changing until the whole thing changes. the more specific and rare wants people have, the harder it is for any place to provide them to satisfy the customer. even with hot topic i see this, people complaining their hot topic "never has anything good", and then wondering why there is no vinyl at the local shop. its pointless to have 100 things in your store, when people really only want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforkevin777 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The two shops we have here just don't carry anything that's my particular taste in music. Tek Records, the much smaller of the two, has said they'll order stuff for me and my cousin (though, the one time I did get him to order something, every time we went there for two months, he'd be randomly closed), but they also have had a few things I really like. And if I've talked to him about a certain band or something, if I'm looking at one of their records, he'll be like "Yeah man, you can knock $2 off that if you want it". I love that place. He gives out free 7"s if you buy stuff, too. That's where I bought my first record. It's just too damn hard to find them open. And, I can't drive, so I have to plan my adventures. But Central Square is a lot bigger, and everyone there is like "we got this cool band coming in. They're so cool man. No one know them. You'd prolly like them. Cuz no one knows them. Here, have a Ukelelie." >.> And their selection of non-classic records is actually smaller than Tek, I think. I only like going there because they do RSD releases, and it's a really pretty place. I feel more like I'm shopping at a corporate place than a small local store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suchashorttime Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 but i think record stores, in general, are a bit resistant to considering other ways to bring kids in to buy records. like i was saying about the record store nearest me not being really friendly, i think kids would go more often if there were more of a sense of community and inclusion. elitist record store workers are the worst. buying the vast majority of my records online is lonely. but thats where the vicious circle lies (this circle must be broken!! haha). see from the record store point of view, i cant afford to change out my inventory for one kid who comes in and gives me his wants. or worse, in anticipation of MAYBE that one kid coming in to buy stuff. so the kid never comes in to buy stuff, and theres no need for me to buy different stuff for him. I cant tell you how many times ive been burned by people in real life and on messageboards telling me that if i got XXXX record in they would totally buy it, so i get some in, and not a single one ever sells. some record stores just go with what works. They could risk alienating the customers they DO have by spending money and efforts changing things up for what could just end up as hype. i say this from experience i will never make special orders for kids who are in the store for the first time. or even the 2nd time. or who came in because of a show. unless they wanna pay up front. i agree though, i dont see it changing until the whole thing changes. the more specific and rare wants people have, the harder it is for any place to provide them to satisfy the customer. even with hot topic i see this, people complaining their hot topic "never has anything good", and then wondering why there is no vinyl at the local shop. its pointless to have 100 things in your store, when people really only want one. I totally understand that. And I agree that this is where the cycle needs to break. But there are other things you can do to promote physical shoppers in your store. I mean, why not partner with a label or two and some other stores across the country to commit to a Store-Only color or variant of a release? If it were a color /100, 25 stores could commit to 5 copies each, to start. See how it works, expand it if it works well. I just think there are a lot of ways to, and i HATE HATE HATE to say this, make hanging out at record stores cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinyljunkie Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 well, store only variants can be great......but thats not really up to the stores then. Ive definitely tried to contact labels and bands about doing something like that, but nothing has ever worked out. Most indie mom and pop stores cant do what places like hot topic or interpunk do.....pay for a pressing of 1500 for an exclusive color. nor would the majority of indie stores be able to sell that many. even with how many stores hot topic has, they still have many records not sell and go on clearance. They can absorb the loss much better than if an indie store had 100 copies left over unsold. also, once again, i can only speak from local experience, but ive tried everything to get people to "hang out" in a record store here. I have couches set up. ive had tables of zines out. people can pick anything out they want to play and listen to. and in the 2 years ive been open ive had exactly TWO people come in to hang out. sure some stay and chat for a few, but only two people have ever came in to sit on the couch and do some art and hang with a friend or whatever. and this week so far ive had 6x as many local people order online and pay to have it shipped to them as i have had local people who have came into the store and shopped in person. i do really like the store only color in theory (though i see it causing big issues with employees, etc just holding it to ebay or whatever, since nowadays its more about the investment value of the record moreso than the music on it). but that takes a collaboration between bands and labels and stores. which doesnt exist. some stores have been able to do one or two, but its difficult to do that widespread on larger releases that are in more demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suchashorttime Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 yea, i hear you on that. i know i've bought from you a couple times, but we're states away. you have good stock, i'd be psyched to save you the hassle and myself the shipping to come in and get the records. it sounds like a rad store. i do hope for the revival of the record store. i miss them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 i do really like the store only color in theory (though i see it causing big issues with employees, etc just holding it to ebay or whatever, since nowadays its more about the investment value of the record moreso than the music on it). This is definitely the lamest part of the whole thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 it would be way easier to actually hang out in my local used store if it wasnt the size of my bedroom. one of my best friends works there, and its a struggle to have a conversation with him in there if theres anyone else in the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I really have to stop taking Amoeba for granted. It's definitely one of the most comprehensive stores in all of California and probably the country as well. Well worth a 20-30 minute drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tylerrr Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 I really have to stop taking Amoeba for granted. It's definitely one of the most comprehensive stores in all of California and probably the country as well. Well worth a 20-30 minute drive. I love Amoeba! The closest one to me is in LA, about 2 hours away from Vegas. I try to plan trips out there every few months with my girlfriend and just spend most of the day down town and the drive back at night. I just want to buy records, man... And I'll go wherever I can to get them. Travis is a rad dude, doing rad things. I hadn't shopped at HT for years until he started getting some of my favorites from the old days in. For that bit of nostalgia, I thank him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbacktosquare Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Is he really the reason why vinyl at HT exists? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 when i was in san fran i wanted to hit amoeba real bad, but the rest of my crew wasnt down. laaaame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 when i was in san fran i wanted to hit amoeba real bad, but the rest of my crew wasnt down. laaaame. Here's a slice of what you missed out on: I went to school in SF for a few years and made a point for weekly Amoeba visits. Found so much cool shit there, including my Maps & Atlases "Trees, Swallows, Houses" picture disc. Got to get to the one in Hollywood more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforkevin777 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 when i was in san fran i wanted to hit amoeba real bad, but the rest of my crew wasnt down. laaaame. Here's a slice of what you missed out on: I went to school in SF for a few years and made a point for weekly Amoeba visits. Found so much cool shit there, including my Maps & Atlases "Trees, Swallows, Houses" picture disc. Got to get to the one in Hollywood more often. Holy shit. I thought Central Square was big. Just what's in that picture is bigger than both my local stores combined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjb2k1 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 i went to amoeba in SF a few years back and the people i was with had to yell at me to get me to leave. best store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 i went to amoeba in SF a few years back and the people i was with had to yell at me to get me to leave. best store. This is why I always fly solo...that, and I don't want to have to fight someone I know if they grab something I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Holy shit. I thought Central Square was big. Just what's in that picture is bigger than both my local stores combined. Most of what's pictured is actually CDs. the main rock vinyl section is immediately to the left of the picture, a bunch of huge isles filled with LPs.. The really funny thing is the Hollywood store is technically bigger. i went to amoeba in SF a few years back and the people i was with had to yell at me to get me to leave. best store. ^^this.. every time I went, no matter who I went with, everyone was always ready to go before me. Is he really the reason why vinyl at HT exists? I as well would like to know this and also echo the sentiment that Travis is an all around awesome dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jramone76 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 The whole "game" has changed now, and unfortunately, brick and mortar stores cannot compete with online distros, corporate backing or straight out corporate stores, "exclusive" pressings, and limited pressings. much of what kids want don't even make it into indie stores. its true that there can still be niche stores that survive, and are OK with not competing, or ever getting "big", and content with just getting by in their little corner. but then you end up with this problem, which is the greater audience complaining that they are more aggressively going after the hyped things that are "in" for the moment. Very Very True. I remember when you could buy a Fat Wreck release at the local record store and you might get a colored version. (Maybe they still do that, probably not). They should repress Guns N Wankers on color and only send them to distros/indie stores! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.