Favorite Chain Store

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You know, where you don't have to deal with those squinty clerks who don't know your favorite album and generally just seem to have a stick up their asses. These chain-store people have something different. They're generally cheerful and smiley and unencumbered with a specialty or opinion since it's all "units" - might as well be swiss chard they're selling for all they know or care. But certainly there must be differences between HMV, Virgin, Tower, Turtles... I mean they're all DISTINCT BRANDS innit? Who is best?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Someone said it in the record shop guy thread, but I actually really like Borders, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Virgin and HMV both SUCK.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I have found the most variety in the Tower stores followed by HMV. In Toronto on Yonge they have a really nice Tower Records. Though most of the stuff I have purchased lately has been on EBay....

― mal2478 (mal2478), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the selection at the Union Square Virgin is really good. They're a bit pricey, but 9 times out of 10 I find what I've come in to get.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Starbucks.

(joking.)

― hstencil, Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the selection at the Union Square Virgin is really good. They're a bit pricey, but 9 times out of 10 I find what I've come in to get.

Sadly, "what I've come in to get" is all too often in the import section. I never understand why albums that routinely get referred to as "classics" (e.g., a lot of '70s Britpunk titles) aren't even in print on these shores. If American labels are so afraid of losing money, why do they keep throwing million-dollar deals at dead-end electroclash acts?

But this rant has nothing to do with chain stores. Ahem ahem HOORAY FOR VIRGIN'S WELL-STOCKED IMPORT SECTION.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

In the UK HMV sales generally kick ass. Already planning my assault on the Jan one (tip - buy a chart CD now from them and you get a booklet with £100 worth of vouchers to be used in the New Year. Which you can still use on sale items. This year I reckon I saved nearly £50 using these vouchers).

And the Virgin on Oxford St seems to get worse and worse every year (range AND price).

When I'm in the States I generally head for Tower - it seems much cheaper relatively than the UK Tower.

― James Ball (James Ball), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I sometimes go to Tower because it's closer to my work than the good indie store (Plan 9). The selection isn't good, but they have at least one knowledgeable person who stocks the "indie" listening post. Yesterday I went in and the Liars/Oneida split was there for me to listen to. Bonus!
Barnes & Noble/Borders etc. always seem incredibly overpriced, esp. for DVDs.

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 15:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Does half.com count?

― original bgm, Wednesday, 11 December 2002 15:57 (twenty-two years ago)

But Nick A I thought the whole point of chain stores is that nobody knows anything so nobody hassles you and you don't have to pretend to recognize anyone. Once you hook up with the indie dude it's all over, you might as well just start attending the Tower Christmas parties!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

But that's the beauty of it...Plan 9 lets you listen to anything, new or used, but you have to ask the record store dude to let you listen to it. But if something good is on listening post at Tower, I can listen to it without any human contact. I have no interest in "hooking up" with indie dude, with or without sexual connotations. I'm not sure which of the several indie/punk lookin' dudes/ladies at Tower is my guardian angel, and I have no interest in knowing.

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

But that's the beauty of it...Plan 9 lets you listen to anything, new or used, but you have to ask the record store dude to let you listen to it, and you usually get their commentary on your choice. But if something good is on listening post at Tower, I can listen to it without any human contact. I have no interest in "hooking up" with indie dude, with or without sexual connotations. I'm not sure which of the several indie/punk lookin' dudes/ladies at Tower is my guardian angel, and I have no interest in knowing.

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Please delete first one. I added a phrase - can you spot it?

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

In Brighton, Borders is definitely best for World Music. And folk, jazz, blues. They have loads of it. And they have other things you don't necessarily expect. I wonder if they have a catalogue less spcifically UK centric?

In London I go to Tower where the assistants ARE really smiley and helpful. (Although I think I saw a couple of them almost fighting down in the Electronica department a couple of weeks ago.)

― phil jones (interstar), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"fighting down"?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"fighting down"? ...it's in a basement Tracer Hand !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

the oxford st. virgin has less and less cds every year and more and more games and movies. total dud. but i'll always have a soft spot for the HMV just a few blocks down the road.

― kate, Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

HOORAY FOR VIRGIN'S WELL-STOCKED IMPORT SECTION.

I second this. In Chicago, I'd say the Virgin is miles ahead of Tower, Coconut's and other chains, and probably better than most of the other shops in town, too. Hell, even the new vinyl section there is as good if not better than many non-specialist indie stores.

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I spent 90% of my life living absolutely nowhere near an HMV but with a Virgin Megastore nearby (the same in two completely different parts of the country). I still don't get HMV. And I hate their funny little barcode price labels.

― Graham (graham), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

who is easiest to steal from?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Newbury Comics hands down for me.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

in The Garage? i'm giving an inital "no" vote to Tower since my roomie's brother got busted trying to get away with more than 20 discs... they threw him in the drunk tank overnight and he ended up talking to Scott Weiland!! true!!!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll second Newbury Comics, but if you're not in the NE US you're shit out of luck on that count. They just need to start carrying used vinyl and I'd be *SET*. They're the only decent store closer than twenty-five minutes away from me.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, scott pl.: Has the Chicago Virgin import section improved massively lately? I remember it comparing unfavorably to Tower's. But maybe that's just because I'm always looking for obscure Brazilian shit that everyone else has already copped downtown, whereas the weird location of the Tower store keeps it better-stocked for my occasional visits.

― Matt C., Wednesday, 11 December 2002 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I still don't get HMV. And I hate their funny little barcode price labels.

(Virgin are currently introducing the same kind of stickers for their back-catalogue stuff in a "HMV do it - so we'll copy them!" kind of way. See also the Buy One Get One Free DVD campaign)

― jamesmichaelward (jamesmichaelward), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 23:22 (twenty-two years ago)

JB Hi Fi

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 12 December 2002 00:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I just went to the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. On one hand, it was hell on earth.

On the other, I bought an Enon CD. So they sort of cancelled each other out.

― David Allen, Thursday, 12 December 2002 01:13 (twenty-two years ago)

The FYE at the giganto mall right down the street here just implemented a new listening option. You pick any CD off the shelves and scan in the barcode, put on the headphones and it starts playing samples from the CD. Sometimes for certain odd ones they don't have any samples but for others they have almost the entire album right there in the database. Most of the time the sample fades in in the middle and lasts for about a minute, but the ability to listen to nearly anything in the store without bothering a clerk, having a set limit, etc. makes it simply AWESOME.

Also, the staff have never been anything but helpful, even if they don't know squat. I've so rarely been in the presence of truly knowledgeable shop staff (even at Amoeba in SF) that I no longer consider it important.

Prices, however, are another matter.

Record & Tape Traders, a Baltimore/MD area chain, are also pretty quality from everything I've seen. I wish I could get out there more often.

― Tom Millar (Millar), Thursday, 12 December 2002 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

SecondSpin out in my neck of the woods. They've turned into a superior Moby Disc over time, in that all sorts of good stuff turns up used pretty constantly. Rockage.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 12 December 2002 04:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I worked in the cafe at Borders a few summers ago, and I like their CD section. Getting 33% off my purchases didn't hurt, I'm sure, but it's nice to be able to get a decent-tasting cup of French roast, walk 30 or 40 feet across comfy carpet, and browse through a fairly decent selection of this and that.

― Clarke B., Thursday, 12 December 2002 05:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Mine are FOPP (1/2 the stock costs a fiver!) and Andy's, because they don't just stock things they think will sell! I'll be honest, I do go to Virgin & HMV in Oxford St when I visit London, as I can usually get odd stuff I can't find any where else (the Cowsills & Razorcuts comps. last week - in & out the shop in 2 minutes!).

― Jez (Jez), Thursday, 12 December 2002 10:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I woz in Virgin in Ox. St on Saturday, spending vouchers and it is abominable now. Absolutely shit. High prices and no choice.

HMV, as James Ball said, is ace because of the sales.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 12 December 2002 11:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, I likewise have a lifelong soft spot for HMV. I suppose Rough Trade might sort of count as a chain store, and they're fine if you're not in a hurry, but if you are, then it involves too much fiddling through too many different categories/sections, not all of which are very well-defined. If I've heard or read about something that I want, then I can now ring the relevant press office for a copy (hah!) but if not (you know, it's so good I need to have it NOW!), then it's odds on that HMV at Oxf Circ will usually have a copy or two in stock, even at inflated import prices. Certainly didn't see the Steinski mix CD anywhere else. And they have a Northern Soul section! :-)

I like Borders as well, but I wish they would install in the central London branches the headphones/scan any CD and you can listen to it option that they have in Oxford and Kingston. Always useful for records you're not quite sure about.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 12 December 2002 11:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Borders is lovely for atmosphere and making you feel like you're not wasting all your money on music by letting you waste it on books too. But HMV is better on price thanks to its sales/deals. It also generally has the widest range of new singles.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 12 December 2002 11:36 (twenty-two years ago)

at tower you can only get credit when you return a CD within 14 days; hmv gives you yr dough back no matter how bitchy they try to be about it... it's your policy dickhead what are you looking at?!

hmv got so rinsed way back when! i knew someone who'd made £600 in vouchers off em

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 12 December 2002 20:37 (twenty-two years ago)

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