[djgustashaw]

Within the past year, both of my main sources of music have gone under: the incredibly cheap alldirect.com for online purchases, and Tower for when I wanted to go to a B&M store. Finding a replacement for online purchases didn't take too long, as I just use amazon these days. There's also other places such as deepdiscountcd.com, fetchadisc.com, and yourmusic.com, but each one lacks something in either selection or shipping rates IMO.

However, finding a replacement for Tower has been much more difficult. Are there any music store chains remaining? There's a few indie stores I need to check out here in Atlanta, but I have no idea what to expect in terms of selection. Are we all really doomed to buy our music from Best Buy, Wal-Mart, or Target if we want to get it in person? Ugh.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Between downloading/file-sharing and internet sites like amazon, the consumers (us) pretty much have done away with the need for B&M chain stores for CDs.

NYC will not be the same for me without Tower. Over the years, when not near Tower and desperate to buy a CD, I have gotten a lot of discs from Borders (and occasionally Barnes & NOble). Some Borders actually have a decent inventory (but not as good as Tower in it's prime). If you sign up for a Borders member's card, you get emailed discount coupons fairly regularly, plus they run sales often. It ain't Tower, but for a quick fix, it'll do.

 

[mbhaub]

I deeply loathe the way the record world is devolving. I fondly remember going to large record stores, some with booths where you could listen to a record before buying.
Then came CDs. Wonderful -- especially outlets like Tower which built separate "classical" wings. Now those are gone.
Classical listeners enjoy the browsing: it's what made Tower in NY, San Francisco, and Hollywood such special trips. For all their good intentions, Borders, Barnes and Noble, Sam Goody's, Wherehouse just don't come close to the depth of material that a good Tower had. Browsing online just isn't the same. I love the sheer amount of material available today, but I long for the days of the small, local record stores. They will never be back.

.
The only good B/M store left is not really a record store, but a closeout store that sells classical for bargain basement prices, and that's Berkshire Record Outlet, in Lee, MA. But they don't have regular hours and if you don't know what you're looking for, good luck!

 

[vcoheda]

Tower (online).

 

[Sleestack]

Amoeba, which was better than Tower anyway, and Amazon.com.

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleestack /img/forum/go_quote.gif Amoeba, which was better than Tower anyway, and Amazon.com.

X2 or Streetlight.


Yeah, its sad but eventually music will be all online and people will laugh that we actually went to a store and bought a piece of material that had music on it....

and I'll still be buying records from second hand stores....

 

[Ingo]

I admired Tower's selection, but I hardly ever shopped there. Their CDs were much too expensive. The only time I would buy CDs there was when they had some rare indie label CD that I couldn't find anywhere else. Here in Phoenix there is a pretty good record shop called ZIA Record Exchange. They actually have a bunch of locations in the Phoenix area and also have one in Tucson and Las Vegas. Anyhow, they're still doing good business.

 

[mbhaub]

ZIA, yes. And we in the Phoenix area also are blessed with Bookmans which trades in lps, cds, as well as books, dvds, etc. Great place to rummage. And locations in Phoenix, Mesa, Tucson, Flagstaff.

 

[citywithoutmetal]

honestly, I'm missing alldirect.com more than tower records..I loved that site.
Whenever I had a bit of cash in my pocket i'd visit tower and buy 2-3 cds..I only did it about 4 times this year before the closing sales. I'm going to buy even more of my cds online, possibly all of them in 07.

 

[Kasp3r]

you should check out allofmp3.com

 

[asmox]

The End Records
Relapse Records
The Laser's Edge
Sonic Cathedral
Amazon.com

Enough music to last me five lifetimes.

 

[warMen]

I get mine at borders. Some of them are expensive... if they don't have it, I'll order it to the store. I think I'm going to start ordering them from Amazon soon, though.

Sometimes I get them from a local music store. It's ok.

 

[mtkversion]

through the head-fi music/video for sale forum ... lots of good cds for great prices.

i just got a cd for $4 shipped ... cheaper than most other places.

 

[EFN]

Yeah, I loved Tower for the rich inventory. Got my hard to get The Clash's London Calling there.

Well it will have to be either eBay or amazon now.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleestack /img/forum/go_quote.gif Amoeba, which was better than Tower anyway....

x3

Also, if you're near LAX in Los Angeles, check out Soundsations in Westchester. They're at 8701 La Tijera Blvd., Westchester, CA 90045. 310-641-8877. Great little place- great staff, great selection.