Dimple Records: Another Chain Bites The Dust

[4-earredwonder]

Yup, you're right of course about the locations. This discussion just brings up so many great memories of those times. One thing I wish I'd gotten a hold of were those great looking Tower calendars (the long ones), remember those?

He who HESITATES is LOST, PUPSTER:

 

[key_wiz]

Yup, you're right of course about the locations. This discussion just brings up so many great memories of those times. One thing I wish I'd gotten a hold of were those great looking Tower calendars (the long ones), remember those?

Lol. Of course! I didn’t keep any either. I worked for the chain for 10 years. First in Las Vegas and then at Sunrise. I also was on the team that went around opening up new stores in various locations. Fun times and the best “real” job I ever had. I learned a lot from them that I took later to running my own businesses.

When I was a kid in Nor Cal, going to Watt store and the one in Chico were amazing to me. When I was in college in Sac going to the Broadway store on a Saturday night and then going to see Rocky Horror across the street was a ritual for a few months there. I even enjoyed going to the little store on K St

Do you live in Sac? Is Russ’s new store in the old Broadway location still there? What did he call it? “Revival Records” or some such? Went there a couple of times but it almost made me more sad than anything.

And what was the name of that great used record store on J St? They must still be there..no?

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Yes, living in the burbs.
It was R5 records and it didn’t last long, sold to Dimple! I know what you mean about R5, just a shadow of the Tower stores. That job for Tower sounds like a dream job. The store on J was “The Beat”, a great store also, but sadly they closed down as well maybe 5-6 years ago. I even remember buying the Beatles’ Love DVD there and was thrilled to get it.

 

[The56Kid]

We are lucky in Pittsburgh to still have several good media retailers. If you have one, shop it. Don't worry that Amazon is fiddy cent cheaper or you will be reading one of these articles about your store too.

Which ones are still alive in the Pittsburgh area, markshan?

 

[markshan]

Which ones are still alive in the Pittsburgh area, markshan?

We have a chain called The Exchange, and really good one offs Jerrys Records, The Attic, Eides and lots of other, smaller shops. We have enough that a local alt paper was recently able to do a "ten coolest record shops" article. I'm betting not a lot of cities can still say that.

https://www.nextpittsburgh.com/features/the-coolest-record-shops-in-pittsburgh/

 

[The56Kid]

We have a chain called The Exchange, and really good one offs Jerrys Records, The Attic, Eides and lots of other, smaller shops. We have enough that a local alt paper was recently able to do a "ten coolest record shops" article. I'm betting not a lot of cities can still say that.

https://www.nextpittsburgh.com/features/the-coolest-record-shops-in-pittsburgh/

Very cool. I’m not far from Pittsburgh so I’ll have to visit a few of them next time I’m in town.

 

[markshan]

Very cool. I’m not far from Pittsburgh so I’ll have to visit a few of them next time I’m in town.

They mentioned Music in your Ear as an aside, but if you are an audiophile you may want to visit. They are the only retailer in the country to stock at least one copy of every MFSL release (or so they claim). They definitely focus on the hoidy toidy releases.

 

[atrocity]

I even enjoyed going to the little store on K St

Before that was Tower's downtown location, it was The Sound Peddler. They got a massive shipment of old reels in the summer of 1974 (or maybe that was just when I learned about it) and were selling them for 75 cents each or two for a dollar. I was in the process of turning 15 (please don't do the math) and used a 35 cent all day Regional Transit pass to go down there and paw through the boxes every time I got a few spare dollars. I still have every one of them and even just digitized Dr. John's "Babylon" after he died. One nice thing about being old is that the deficiencies of 3-3/4IPS pre-recordeds are no longer so obvious...

And what was the name of that great used record store on J St? They must still be there..no?

I'm guessing that you're thinking of the place that was just called Records. The owner died several years back and the family continued the store. It moved out to Broadway into what had previously been Tower Video, but shut down in the last few years due I believe (but am not 100% certain) to landlord issues. The last time I was in there, someone was at the counter asking about the quad "Bridge Over Troubled Water" he had in his hand. I had to rudely jump in and explain why it was worth it even if he couldn't decode it.

 

[atrocity]

Any other Sacramentans remember The Record Exchange? It was on the K Street Mall down on the Cathedral end. I don't think it was there very long, but that's where I first learned about bootlegs. They had an amazing selection. Single discs were $2.97, doubles $5.52. I never learned if they went away because they just didn't make enough money or if they got in trouble for openly putting Beatles bootlegs in the front window display.

 

[christcomesalive]

I guess Portland is lucky. We have Music Millennium, Everyday Music (two in Portland) and a few other record stores. There's even an FYE still at Vancouver Mall (!!)

We have over 15 full size and boutique record stores in the Portland area.

 

[Strilo]

We have over 15 full size and boutique record stores in the Portland area.

Wow really? I just listed the ones I could think of. I know we have Jackpot Records too...