Thoughts on indie music stores

[Patrick M]

I just posted this message to the King's X newsgroup and thought some people here might have opinions on supporting indie stores, where they fit in the scheme of things, and so forth. The thread was about people having trouble finding the just-released Jelly Jam CD, with members of King's X, Dream Theater, and the Dixie Dregs.

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The closest reasonable-size city to me is Lexington. I do my best to support an independent music store over there. I've always bought more from the independent stores in Lexington, but two of them folded within the last 3 years or so.

This has been my experience with the surviving store since the other two hung it up:

They don't carry Poundhound (video or CD). The only copy of Supershine I ever saw there was used. When I lived in Dayton, I went in there looking for Ice Cycles. The owner wasn't familiar with Platypus, and told me it wasn't something they would normally carry, but I could special order it. I passed.

In the meantime, they took out the database of stuff they had in stock that customer could access, and replaced it with allmusic.com. Thanks, but I can see all that stuff at home. It still doesn't tell me what's in the store.

They carry vinyl, but they don't carry Sundazed titles, several of which I would buy if they were available.

I asked the owner if they carry SACD or DVD-A. They had only ever carried a Bjork title. I asked the standard question: do you intend to carry it? No, but I could special order it. I passed.

The day Manic Moonlight came out, I went out of my way to go the indie store to buy it. Guess what? Not in stock. Asked the owner about it. Nope, we didn't get it in this order. I don't remember, but I was probably offered the option to special order it. I went to Best Buy, it was there, I bought it.

Today, I called the indie store to see if they had Jelly Jam. No, and the owner obviously had never heard of them. I was told, "Hundreds of new releases come out every week -- we can't stock all of them, no store can." Then I asked the standard question: do you intend to carry it? No, but I could special order it.

I went to Lexington tonight. Best Buy, no. Circuit City, no. Disc Jockey, yes, two copies. I bought one of them.

Shouldn't indie stores be filling the niche markets like prog rock, vinyl, and stuff the majors won't carry? In all my years of buying music, I've special ordered ONE CD. It took months and months to come in, and while I was waiting, I bought it from a mail order place. I don't like special ordering -- I don't know how much it's going to cost, and I don't know if or when it's coming in. It also means an extra phone call or trip to a store. In this case, that store is an hour away.

Maybe I'm being too finicky, but I want to be able to go into a store on the day of release and buy the new release, without special orders and hassling with the owner. If one store doesn't have it, I'll go somewhere else. If no one has it, I'll either wait or buy it online.

What do you folks do? What kind of luck do you have with indie stores?

[indy mike]

Yo Patrick - that's sad that a college town doesn't have a decent record store! How close are you to Cincinnati? Everybody's Records on Montgomery Road has loads of alternative/punk/local secenesters, but also does the new vinyl thing for broader tastes pretty well (useta be lotsa boots there, too), and Phil's Records main store across the Ohio River in Kentucky is a champeen of Americana/Roots rock (and always had the latest Bear Fambly and ACE RAB imports - I miss being able to waltz in and NOT have to ask for those labels via special order)... Lotsa used vinyl there, some new stuff, too - good luck!

[Dan]

I don't think I have had a hard time finding a new release in a long time. The indie stores here in Buffalo, NY are pretty good. Many of them really cater to the specific niches they serve.

Of course it kind of helps a bit if you can build some sort of relationship with the owner/manager. And on the flip side I think it is also wise for the owner/managers of this type of store to really take an interest in what is available as far as new releases, and to take the time to find out what customers want.

It's a plus going to a good store. The guy at one store can give me a review of just about any new release, he's that into it.

[Dan]

I must add that I also wait for a few new titles to go on sale and do a bulk order at CD Universe. That also works.

[Patrick M]

All three stores that were in operation were close to U.K.

I'm about two hours from Cinci at the moment. I've been to Phil's Records, but not since '99 or so. I think there's one right by the Outback in Florence, right? And another on Mall Road?

Montgomery is also good for stereo stores and, I've been told, ribs. Dayton has Gem City Records, which is pretty good, and Dingleberry's (another one of those in Yellow Springs, too).

This is venturing OT, but Lexington sucks for music, period. Wrocklage -- closed. JDIs -- closed. Lexington City Brewery -- closed. Now Lynagh's, where Adrian Belew and Mike Keneally have both played since November, will likely be closing this July when their lease runs out.

King's X just played Lexington for the first time ever. The guy who wrote an article about them in the paper didn't (AFAICT) even go to the show. It was 10 lousy bucks to get in.

Anyway, getting back on topic -- am I being too picky in that I expect the indies to cater to the niche markets and provide better customer service than the chains?

[indy mike]

Hey, you want the Phil's in Alexandria - main store where Phil generally is around! Ribs - Montgomery Inn has lip smackin' good uns!!! Visit Cincy, get lotsa music and pig out - no wonder I lost a ton of weight since I moved away!!! :D