Times Square vinyl stores?

[JussiK]

I'm working on an article for a music paper, and cannot recall the names of the 2 main vinyl stores on Times Square, the ones that used to be where that Virgin megastore now stands. One of the places had that famous bald guy who knew every break ever recorded. Disc-O-mat...no, that was on 42nd street, right? Was one of the Times Sq ones Sound Factory?

[needlefingers]

I didn't move to NYC till 1987, so I'm not sure about the record stores except....

...there are still two Disc-O-mat stores in the city. One is in Union Square and basically sells CD's and DVD's. The other is in the village and still has a basement full of vinyl. I don't know if there was one in Times Square/42 Street.

A chain known as Record Explosion closed down a few years back. I never saw a Times Square store, though they may have had one back in the day. They did have large stores and great prices.

There is still Colony Music in Times Square. They sold records years ago.
Here is there website.
Colony Record and Radio Center

Here is an article from April 2008, New York Times that might be of some help.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/ar...1&ref=nyregion


For everybody's information, Virgin in Times Square is closing in January 2009. I think the other store in Union Square will also be shut down.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Needlefingers,

I left NYC in '83, so it's hard to remember...
Was Downstairs Records on 34th & 8th?

Great to know the Village Disc-O-Mat is still open. At $1.49 each, they had the lowest price for 12" singles. Is the basement worth hitting, when I com home to visit this summer?

thanks, in advance...
Stephen L.

[needlefingers]

Downstairs Records had moved to Times Square, but it is now closed. Here is an article about when it was uptown.

Looking for Listening in a City of Music - New York Times

I was in the Village Disc-O-mat about a year ago. It is stacked with boxes and crates of records, sometimes hard to get around. Prices went up, comparble to Bleeker Bob's. And Bleeker Bob always has a couple of boxes of 12 inches for a buck or two. And along 6th Avenue by there, a lot of street sellers with lots of good stuff.

Generation Records (210 Thompson Street) is always a treat and well priced.

J&R Music is closing out their Disco CD area, but they have still been restocking and have some great choices. They also have a vinyl section and someone in the store is selling their original 12 inch collection at $3.99 each. And they are putting out stuff all the time. Also a lot of re-issue funk vinyl as does Virgin Times Square.

And someone on this board suggested a place on East 6 street. I'll look for that post, unless someone knows what I'm talking about.

Get yourself on Iris Records e-mail list for his weekend street fairs.
"Iris Records Of Jersey City" irisrecs@gmail.com

[needlefingers]

For JussiK,

The second NYT article I put up in the last post mentions Music Factory in Times Square. Maybe that was the name you were looking for?

And please note that article has 5 pages and is from 1991. Maybe some info there.
Looking for Listening in a City of Music - New York Times

[DonaldCleveland]

For JussiK,

The second NYT article I put up in the last post mentions Music Factory in Times Square. Maybe that was the name you were looking for?

And please note that article has 5 pages and is from 1991. Maybe some info there.
Looking for Listening in a City of Music - New York Times

It was MUSIC FACTORY. "Breakbeat Lenny", Lenny Roberts ran the joint.
The OTHER store would be COLONY. (At least in terms of size)....

[mdsupreme]

Another store which was located in the Times Square area in the 70's was Rock and Soul Records...

[JussiK]

YES, I knew I could count on you. The 1st one was Rock and Soul and the 2nd one was Music Factory, thanks a lot, people! It was at either of those that they had a wall of new realeses. On that wall, they had hand written descriptions of exceptional titles. I distinctly remember one: "Here Comes That Sound Again - Love De Luxe - This one's one the money check it out!" That's where I bought it from.
Colony was more like further up the street, not really on Times Square, but that store was another good address for sure.

[needlefingers]

Rock and Soul is now at 35th and Seventh Avenue.

In fact, there was an accident in front of the store yesterday involving a DJ.

16 injured by runaway vehicles in Chinatown, Garment District and Harlem

I'm just full of useless knowledge.:icon_mrgreen:

[Vocoder Funk]

YES, I knew I could count on you. The 1st one was Rock and Soul and the 2nd one was Music Factory, thanks a lot, people! It was at either of those that they had a wall of new realeses. On that wall, they had hand written descriptions of exceptional titles. I distinctly remember one: "Here Comes That Sound Again - Love De Luxe - This one's one the money check it out!" That's where I bought it from.
Colony was more like further up the street, not really on Times Square, but that store was another good address for sure.

Pretty sure that was Music Factory as well. Walter Gibbons worked there for a while too btw, but after he more or less quit DJ'ing.

[KoolChris]

Rock and Soul is now at 35th and Seventh Avenue.

In fact, there was an accident in front of the store yesterday involving a DJ.

16 injured by runaway vehicles in Chinatown, Garment District and Harlem

I'm just full of useless knowledge.:icon_mrgreen:

I sure feel sorry for Felix "Goofy" Morales...:icon_lol::icon_lol: