THE MUSIC STORES

Discount Records
 *Classical specialty/major chain store
  Don't let the name fool ya, even with recent price reductions and specials, 
  this place still ain't that cheap -- I've heard OSU music students get a 20% 
  discount though.  Main stream chain trying to be campus cool.  And it's about
  the only place to buy classical near campus. - Joel

Goldmine Records
 *Vinyl RULES! at Blake Avenue and High Street
  I like how most of the record stores are still called "record stores" even 
  though a lot don't even carry records anymore.  Goldmine carries nothing but.
  Only vinyl -- well, a couple cassettes and CDs straggling about, but the CDs 
  are so few they just keep them under the cash register in a small glass case.
  Otherwise, it's just vinyl, vinyl, vinyl. Fairly well categorized ("Sports 
  and Miscellaneous" is my favouriate section, though I don't like sports), but
  about 1/3 of the store is unorganized bins of 50 cent records and it's fun 
  just to hunt through them to see what you can find. Always very reasonable 
  prices for everything; I don't know how the guy keeps this place open. Not a 
  great selection of alternative styles, but a cool place anyway. - Mark G. 
 
Johnny Go's House-O-Music
 *Alternative rock focus
  Yep, Johnny Go, a.k.a. the one, the only (I hope), John "Other Paper music 
  critic" Petric.  There's not a huge selection, but still a lot of good stuff 
  -- rock and alternative CDs with a bit of jazz, blues and local on the side. 
  Decent prices on most everything, so it's a favorite place ta buy.  - Joel

Magnolia Thunderpussy
 *Everything with even a wee bit o' vinyl, 11th Avenue and High Street
  My favourite place for new stuff. Big place with a very healthy section of 
  alternative stuff (industrial, punk, hardcore, techno, etc.), plus a wide 
  selection of the major-label stuff and a lot of used things too. As a bonus, 
  they carry a good number of zines, books, and videos. Well-equipped, 
  reasonable prices, especially if you go there on Tuesdays (Tuesdays are 
  discount days for all the stores except for Used Kids).  Half the people who 
  work there are in bands, so you know it's cool, right? - Mark G. 
  
 *Import/hardcore specialties, but whadda I know
  We have some great record stores around campus.  This is just one of 'em.  
  Mag's has a lot of local stuff and cheap/used CDs.  There's also a sizable 
  hardcore/metal and Import sections.  And yer greeted by a lot of alternative 
  music/lifestyle magazines at the door. - Joel

Singing Dogs Records
 *Kinda more mainstream stuff, Chittenden Avenue and High Street
  I used to like Dogs a bit more, but they've sort of gentrified themselves in 
  recent years. They have these bright purple lights in the window at night 
  that make them look like a car with an oversized stereo.  Even still, they 
  have a decent selection of things, and even some vinyl. It's also the place 
  you have to go for tickets for Newport shows. Go there on Tuesdays for 
  discount day. - Mark G.

 *Jazz specialty
  They got a pretty big jazz section at the Dog .. and some cool window 
  displays (if they'd only lose those purple fluorescent lights ...). SD used 
  to be a good place to find (shhh) bootlegs and special releases, but I ain't 
  looked recently.  There are a lot of used CDs under the counter and OK 
  cheap vinyl and local sections. - Joel 

Streetside Records
 *Midwest record store chain
  I don't think I've ever actually bought anything here.  It's three levels of 
  more mainstream stuff (alternative, classical, folk, jazz, Celtic ...).  Not 
  much local/regional music.  Basically a small but hip chain store. - Joel

Used Kids Records
 *Used CDs, tapes, and no more records
  Ahhh, this is what I'd expect of a record store: a little hole in the ground 
  place, show fliers and stickers completely covering the walls and ceiling, 
  and CDs, records, and tapes completely filling every crack of the place. 
  Good prices; used CDs are either $7 or $9 (and they have ample bins of $5, 
  $3, and $1 CDs too); a bit of vinyl left over for 50 cents a crack, and 
  tapes for only a buck or two. When my Toronto friends visit they make for a 
  beeline over here and buy out the place. They used to have a Schoolkids 
  Records above them; I trust they were related, but the Schoolkids went under.
  I don't know if there's some connection to the Schoolkids in Ann Arbor and 
  Athens (Ohio). - Mark G. 

 *Used and local specialty
  Having a large number of local stuff means they have a lot of 7 inchers and 
  some other local vinyl.  Used Kids has a lot of, ya guessed, used CDs too.
  One of my preferred places to shop used. - Joel

World Records
 *Technoville USA, Upstairs between McDonald's and Used Kids
  When World Records opened I thought it had a bit of promise, but now that 
  it's been open for a while its motivations are pretty clear. I'm not saying 
  that they're a bunch of poseurs or something; not at all... what I'm saying 
  is that they seemed to be interested in many styles, genres, and parts of 
  alternative music, but now it seems like they've just jumped on the 
  TechnoCyberRave bandwagon and want to just live off that. I gotta give them 
  credit, though: they have six listening booths there, and theirs were the 
  first on campus, so they get cool points. - Mark G. 

 *Techno specialty
  Kinda looks and acts like a chain, but focuses on techno.  Lots of techno/
  rave stuff (music, flyers, clothes, posters).  The listening booths are a 
  nice way to listen before ya buy (somewhere else fer less ... shhh). - Joel


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