Lou’s Finds Its Groove With Loyal Record Lovers

The early-’70s invasion of San Diego by the major record-store chains seemed, at the time, to portend the demise of the independent, neighborhood shop. Though local, privately owned vinyl emporia usually boasted more knowledgeable sales clerks and more personalized service (and, frequently, lower prices), one by one they disappeared, unable to compete with the huge advertising budgets, image-saturation campaigns and warehouse-size inventories of the Tower, Wherehouse and Licorice Pizza chains.

In time, the increasing cost of albums spawned the proliferation of mom-and-pop stores specializing in “used records”--second-hand albums usually purchased from individuals and resold at prices far below those for virgin releases. By the end of the decade, the particular demands of punk, new-wave, and reggae fans had provided new incentive for sole-proprietorship record stores (as would the compact-disc revolution of the mid-’80s).

In recent years, the expansion of such local “indie” enterprises as Off the Record (three stores), Music Trader (two stores), and Trade Roots Reggae (two stores) can be viewed as the ironic upshot of consumers’ rebellion against the sterile, convenience-store atmosphere, impersonal service and best-seller mentality found at most supermarket-style chain stores. The current litmus of the strength of this trend toward privatization is the relocation of the popular, Encinitas-based Lou’s Records to larger quarters.

Original owners Lou Russell and Bruce Slechter opened the first Lou’s Records in a 380-square-foot space in Cardiff in February, 1980. Slechter moved to San Francisco a year later, leaving Russell to go it alone with a modest inventory that combined new and used merchandise. In August, 1982, Lou’s moved to larger (1,000 square feet) quarters at 590 First St. in Encinitas, where it remained for almost a decade.

To some extent, the popularity of Lou’s can be attributed to the territorial loyalty of the North Coast citizenry. But there are other reasons for the store’s success.

“We have a pretty comprehensive inventory, including a large selection of imports and hard-to-find items,” said Russell earlier this week. “Plus, we have competitive prices, and a knowledgeable sales staff. It’s a lot of things, really.”

Lou’s reputation with serious record collectors and CD hounds extends well beyond county lines. Although it is not a major part of their business, the store has taken mail orders from as far away as Michigan, Florida and Ohio.

“Mostly, that happens when someone has been vacationing here and they drop into Lou’s and take one of our cards,” Russell said. “Then, when they return to their hometown and can’t find something in their local stores, they call us.”

Defying the recession-fueled caution common among even the most successful small businesses, Russell last week moved Lou’s to a new Encinitas address at 434 North Highway 101. The new Lou’s has a combined space of 4,000 square feet divided into two buildings--one housing new products and offices, the other for used products, storage, shipping and receiving. A parking lot runs around and between the two buildings, which feature such new amenities (for Lou’s) as air conditioning, carpeting and what Russell calls “elbow room.”

“It’s a much bigger store, and a much bigger headache,” Russell said, laughing.

The new-product side opened Thursday; the “used” side should be open by end of this week. The official grand opening will be in three or four weeks.

Chalk up another victory for the little guy.

PLAYBACK: Out and about last Friday night: A diverse program of traditional Scandinavian music played to a full house at Choice’s restaurant, up on the Torrey Pines mesa. In various combinations, local musicians Annie Grace (fiddle, accordion, citra), Jonathan Parker (Swedish bagpipes, cittern), Paul Severtson (fiddle, hardingfele ), and Paul Johnson (fiddle, spelpipa ) both performed and informed as they prefaced the folk pieces with historical, frequently picaresque anecdotes. The foursome lost not a single listener to attrition, despite the concert’s three-hour duration (hey, the nights are long up North). Watch this column for future appearances. . . .

Performer-songwriter Don Dunn demonstrated appreciable skills as an entertainer during his gig at Ireland’s Own in Encinitas. He was in splendid voice and good humor, and his set of originals and covers held the pub crowd’s attention well past midnight. Dunn’s there through the month. . . .

Buddy Blue and the Jacks were joined by guitarist Mike Keneally for the band’s show at the Spirit. Though Blue has drawn bigger crowds at Bodie’s and the Belly Up Tavern, he received four encores from the enthusiastic Spirit mob. Afterward, Blue--who has had his run-ins with club owners in the past--described the engagement as “probably the most fun San Diego gig I’ve had all year. And I was treated very well, too.”

GRACE NOTES: Melissa Manchester will perform an outdoor concert Thursday at the Oceanside Pier Plaza Bandshell. Tickets ($10) can be purchased at the following Oceanside locations: Civic Center Recreation Department (300 North Hill St.), Marty’s Valley Inn Restaurant, American Travel and the Senior Citizen center. . . .

And speaking of Choice’s, the people at San Diego Folk Heritage will present a local double-bill of acoustic performer-songwriter Deborah Liv Johnson and Bongo Bob Goldsand at the spa-cuisine restaurant (10820 North Torrey Pines Road) on Friday. For reservations or information, call 436-4030. . . .

Two upcoming shows at the Starlight Bowl go on sale at all TicketMaster outlets this Saturday: Lynyrd Skynyrd on Oct. 22; and Huey Lewis and the News in an afternoon (3 p.m.) show Oct. 27.

CRITIC’S CHOICE: CRASH TEST DUMMIES HIT HIGH SPEED

Mix an alternative-rock looseness and vigor with the angst -darkened puckishness of Richard Thompson and you have Crash Test Dummies. The Winnipeg quintet takes the neo-acoustic thing for a spin in the Celtic wilderness and emerges with a spirited sound alternately driven by mandolin, fiddle and accordion. The band’s current album, “The Ghosts That Haunt Me,” is aptly named. Give it a listen and the band an ear when they perform Thursday at the Bacchanal on a bill with Far Cry.

Blues Traveler, the band whose 1990 debut album drew raves for its blend of blues, jazz, funk, and blotter-acid rock ‘n’ roll, has struck hard with the follow-up, “Travelers and Thieves.” The beautiful, Sherwood Forest-ish artwork that adorns the release might be a clue: The foursome of vocalist-harmonica virtuoso John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, bassist Bobby Sheehan and drummer Brendan Hill has pulled a “Jethro Tull” by following a jazz-bluesy first effort with a more complex sound that applies brass-knuckle rhythms to a profusion of disparate influences.

Those who like their musical adventure hammered home by a rock-solid punch could do worse than check out the New York-based Blues Traveler when they play the Belly Up Tavern on Thursday. Widespread Panic opens.