The story of Texas' last classical CD store

[greg]

Very cool. Will keep in mind, since I still want to drive up to Houston sometime, haven't visited still.

As for Tokyo, yeah, CD stores are still thriving, I bought a few rock/metals CDs in one shop, but noticed OSTs seem to be the most prevalent. And stuff in general seems to be either the same price or cheaper than average elsewhere, one thing I really like about used items in Japan in general is that they are always in better condition than stuff here. Also there is a guitar store in Shinjuku that I wanna go back to, it was great. But yeah, you find so many CD stores there only because pretty much everything has a market there. Physical CD collecting just isn't as common any more.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Very cool. Will keep in mind, since I still want to drive up to Houston sometime, haven't visited still.

As for Tokyo, yeah, CD stores are still thriving, I bought a few rock/metals CDs in one shop, but noticed OSTs seem to be the most prevalent. And stuff in general seems to be either the same price or cheaper than average elsewhere, one thing I really like about used items in Japan in general is that they are always in better condition than stuff here. Also there is a guitar store in Shinjuku that I wanna go back to, it was great. But yeah, you find so many CD stores there only because pretty much everything has a market there. Physical CD collecting just isn't as common any more.

Good to hear that CD stores are still doing well there.  By the way, pardon my ingnorance, but what does OST stand for?

PD

[Mirror Image]

Good to hear that CD stores are still doing well there.  By the way, pardon my ingnorance, but what does OST stand for?

PD

OST = Original soundtrack

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Thanks.

PD

[classicalgeek]

Academy Records seems like a good store:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/academy-records-and-cds-new-york?osq=classical+music+store

I've bought some pretty rare CDs from them via their online stores at Amazon, eBay and Discogs.

I went to Academy Records about ten years ago on a business trip to NYC and had a fine experience. Bought some hard-to-find CDs, though I remember their specialty being LPs as much as anything.

I was at UW, Seattle in 1995/96 and remember Silver Platters; it was quite nice and they had some kind of their own bonus point system. However, this was too far outside for an exchange student lacking a car, so I usually went to Tower records, either downton or University district (the latter had the disadvantage that often horrible music blasted through the store because the classical section was not properly separate but still decent selection).

I also vaguely recall a great store in Vancouver from two day/weekend trips there, probably it was Sikora's. With the exchange rates and typical prices US and Canada were a paradise for European CD buyers because it was far cheaper, especially full priced discs (that were also frequently on sale).

The 1990s were probably the golden age of book/music stores with Borders and others having these cafeterias built in etc.

Silver Platters now has three locations, but they had seven or eight at their peak, if I recall correctly. Now the majority of their clientele appears to be the under-30 crowd who are into collecting LPs. There are some hidden gems in their used classical discs, but you have to weed through a *lot* of "Three Tenors", "Chant", Andrea Bocelli(!), "Classical Music for Relaxation", etc. - in other words, "classical" music for people who aren't into classical music....

I'm not sure if I ever went to the U-District Tower Records, strangely, though I was aware of the store. I do have fond memories of the one off Mercer Street north of downtown. They had a sales clerk who knew his classical music, and he and I had several engaging conversations. And I remember their final liquidation sale, getting boatloads of CDs at 50-75% off - all kinds of curiosities (lots of CPO discs, I think); of course, I foolishly sold them off along with the rest of my collection a couple years later... 

I made fewer purchases at Sikora's, though they were no less noteworthy. I remember finding the complete Milhaud String Quartets on Cybelia (they must have been used) on four or five discs, for a very reasonable price! Of course, I sold those too... oh well...