PUBLISHED: 03-09-09

A gentleman’s opinion

Fueling a vinyl addiction

I’m a fiscally responsible guy. I don’t spend too much money on unnecessary things, and I’m not in debt.

When I walk into a record store, however, I throw my frugality out the window.

I couldn’t say how many times I’ve walked into a record store saying, “OK, I can only spend $20,” and leave after spending $50. It’s terrible. And every time, I have to justify it by saying, “Well, if I use coupons at the store this weekend, everything will balance out.” That’s never the case.

Luckily, almost every record store that I love in this city is a pretty far commute from my Uptown apartment, so the temptation isn’t too overwhelming. Still, if I’m ever in close radius to those stores, I have to stop in and start dropping cash.

Perhaps the biggest problem of all is my eclecticism. Recently, I purchased a blues, free-jazz and German electronic record all in one trip. It’s a rare occasion when I walk into a store and simply can’t find anything worth spending money on.

To end up like me, spending unnecessary amounts of money on great albums, here are a few stores worth checking out.

Dusty Groove America, 1120 N. Ashland Ave.: Dusty Groove is a national treasure. It’s one of the leading jazz and soul music stores in the country with an excellent online ordering service. This place has everything from Allen Ginsberg’s poetry readings to Erykah Badu’s neo-soul and Bob Dorough’s Schoolhouse Rock soundtracks. It’s an excellent place to judge an album by its cover, and the prices are very reasonable.

Laurie’s Planet of Sound, 4639 N. Lincoln Ave.: I’ve discovered the recipe for a pleasant day: Spend $5.50 for a matinee show at the Davis Theater in Lincoln Square and then run over to Laurie’s and buy Roxy Music’s self-titled debut on vinyl. That certainly did it for me. This store is excellent. They sell books, CDs, vinyl, DVDs and plenty of odds and ends.

Kstarke Records, 1109 N. Western Ave.: The shop is run by and named after Kevin Starke, one of the nicest shop owners in the city. He typically prices even the rarest albums under $20. Once, I asked him why he had the price so low on a rare album, and he said that he just wanted to make a customer happy when they found it.

Hyde Park Records, 1377 E. 53rd St.: It’s a fantastic place to find old Chicago Chess Records by legends like Chuck Berry or Muddy Waters.  Also, since they have a great jazz and soul section, their rock selection is typically pretty cheap. I’ve found records by Elvis Costello, The Band and Patti Smith for under $5.

Second Hand Tunes, 800 Dempster St., Evanston, Ill.: Located off of the Dempster Purple Line stop, it’s nearly impossible to leave Second Hand Tunes without buying something. They have a fantastic selection.

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