Independents Put Own Spin on Record Sales

There is nothing slick, corporate or mainstream about the independent record stores that dot the North County landscape. Rather, these not-at-the-mall stores specialize in the ragged, the offbeat and the rare.

Looking for an album by moody English rockers the Smiths? Or a ‘70s classic by the ever-upbeat Partridge Family? Not only does Off the Record in Encinitas stock Smiths albums, but a recent trip to the store found not one but two Partridge Family albums, including a used copy of the coveted “Partridge Family Christmas Card” LP for $10.

Off the Record is a thriving example of an alternative record outlet. It’s a hole in the wall, with a low ceiling, posters for wallpaper, long bins of used albums and industry magazines scattered around the floor.

Although some independent stores are better for jazz, some for classical music and others for rock or blues, the independents offer more than just a wealth of unusual albums--they provide customers with some of the personality and lore of the music business. And they don’t hesitate to offer a combination of new and used material, their stacks re-energized when customers trade in old music for new.

The independents tend to survive the onslaught of chain stores because customers can still find things in them they can’t find anywhere else. And store owners often exude genuine enthusiasm for music as well as perseverance in helping customers find what they want--no matter how eccentric.

“You’ll find that the store owners really love their jobs,” said Gary Goldstein, owner of Gary’s Record Paradise in Escondido. “The fun part is almost every day people trade stuff in. I just had someone trade in a collection of French import big-band albums. That’s part of the fun; you never know what people are going to trade in.”

Increasingly, what is being traded in are compact discs.

The growing stock of used CDs has helped revitalize the independent record store business. For one, unlike albums, sound quality on used CDs is basically the same as on new ones. And, when arranged efficiently, CDs also don’t take up as much space as albums. Some stores specialize in this new genre of old music.

Off the Record (515 1st St., 943-0041), is in the middle of a stretch of Highway 101 that could be dubbed the Mile of Records. Three independent record shops line the road--in addition to Off the Record, there’s Lou’s Records and Sound Asylum. Although all are oriented toward rock ‘n’ roll, especially modern rock, they each have distinctive personalities.

Off the Record is a dark, cluttered, monument to recorded music. It is the type of place only a collector could love, and rummaging through the out-of-print albums and used CDs can reveal nuggets of musical gold.

Recently, a poster from the modern group Nirvana--featuring a naked baby in a pool of water facing a fishhook baited with a dollar bill--announced to all the world that this is a rock ‘n’ roll store, first and foremost. Although it doesn’t sell tickets to most concerts as Lou’s does, it does sell tickets to many of the progressive rock and Belly Up Tavern shows.

Inside, the store features an extensive out-of-print album section, emphasizing rock. A copy of “Meet the Beatles” was priced recently at $20. Huge posters of groups such as the Cure, priced at $10 each, decorated the walls. And, besides rows of new CDs, the store has at least a dozen bins of alphabetized used albums, mostly ‘70s and ‘80s rock ‘n’ roll, of varied quality.

But Off the Record has far more than just retrograde rock albums. Sections of used albums are devoted to reggae, rap, jazz, folk and country artists. As with most of these shops, it pays to explore, even to look behind and under the shelves. Off the Record has all sorts of things in odd places, including a box of used LPs sitting forlornly on the floor, awaiting the passerby who has been searching for Belgian folk music.

For some fans, though, the best part of the store undoubtedly will be the used CD collection. Off the Record has 20 boxes of used CDs, ranging from Elvis Presley to New Order, priced from $6 to $9.

Lou’s is the granddaddy of the Mile of Records. It has bounced from Cardiff, where Russell started in 1980, to downtown Encinitas to it’s current spot along Highway 101 in Leucadia (434 N. Highway 101; 753-1382). With each move, the store has increased in size.

The Leucadia location boasts 4,000 square feet in two neighboring buildings. One is devoted to new releases, while the other features used albums and CDs.

Lou Russell, the “Lou” of Lou’s Records, said that the used CD market is indeed hot. “They comprise maybe 50% to 60% of our used sales.”

Although Lou’s is generally considered a haven for the black-leather-and-spiked-hair set, it also has an extensive used jazz album collection.

“I’m finding that good, traditional, used, jazz vinyl lasts a very short time in the bin,” Russell said. “Miles Davis, John Coltrane. . . . It just flies out of here.”

New Age enthusiasts, blues groupies and even classical fans can find obscure new and used titles at Lou’s. But imports and modern rock titles are still his forte, and many consider Lou’s rock selection to be one of the best in the county.

With the last move, space became Lou’s big advantage. He now stocks about 15,000 new titles, competitive with many of the chain stores, and there is none of the cramped atmosphere of his old store.

Lou’s old downtown space was taken over by Curtis Wibe’s new Sound Asylum (590 1st St., 944-3596). Wibe is targeting many of Lou’s old hard-core rock ‘n’ roll customers, as a poster for Bad Brains dramatically illustrates.

Open since October, the depth of Sound Asylum’s selection is not close to that of the other store’s, but the collection of new modern imports is already impressive, featuring the likes of Corrosion of Conformity, Primal Screen and other groups that aren’t quite the stuff of American Bandstand.

Sound Asylum’s used LPs, neatly organized, have the usual array of ‘70s retreads, with some surprises. No Partridge Family selections were there on a recent visit, but there were plenty of inexpensive used LPs, from Prince to the Plasmatics. A small crate half-full of “collectible vinyl” included a live Stone Roses album and a copy of the Rolling Stones’ “Miss You.”

Cassette fans will find a wide selection at Sound Asylum, which also stocks T-shirts, posters and other music paraphernalia. The used CD bins are sparse compared to Lou’s and Off the Record, but do contain some gems. Recently there was a two-disc set of blues master Robert Johnson’s collected works, priced at $14.

Best of all, Wibe promises that the store will become more than just a “hard-core store.” He said it will stock reggae, jazz, world beat and other styles.

Gary’s Record Paradise in Escondido (113 S. Broadway; 741-8778) already has a collection with a wide variety of styles. Gary’s has been in business for 14 years and was a collector’s haven in the style of Lou’s before there ever was a Lou’s. It is one of the few record stores on Earth where one minute 91X-style rock will be playing on the stereo and jazzman Chick Corea the next.

Gary’s selection is equally eclectic. In addition to selling T-shirts, posters, comics and a vast array of used LPs from ‘70s rockers, extensive sections are devoted to used country and blues albums. A recent visit also revealed a large selection of used classical albums, including a box set of Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the Royal Philharmonic’s version of Handel’s “Messiah” for $19.95.

At this point, Gary’s used CD selection is somewhat disappointing. He specializes in old 45s, blues and greatest-hits anthologies, which should please many collectors, especially ones looking for a clean recording of “Herman and the Hermits Greatest Hits.”

Four-year-old CD Connection in Vista (1621E S. Melrose Ave.; 598-1688) features only compact discs, particularly used CDs, that sell for $7.99 to $8.99, a fairly typical price range.

CD Connection is not large--only about 1,000 square feet--but co-owner Ken White said he still has room to stock about 2,000 used CDs representing all musical styles, in addition to 2,000 new CDs. The store also provides customers with in-store headphones to listen to the used CDs.

In Fallbrook, Backstage Records and Tapes (113 S. Mission Ave.; 728-0922) is the local version of Lou’s or Gary’s. Although it is small, the 7-year-old store has a decent selection of a wide variety of musical styles, including about 100 used CDs. There is also a surprising selection of jazz.

More importantly, as they are at many of these stores, the folks at Backstage are more than willing to order something not in stock.

“If we don’t have it, we can get it here in two days,” said manager Mike Hernandez. Most of the shops have a similar policy.

“The little stores cater to people much better,” said Patrizia Passanisi, manager of Mad Platter in Vista (1817B W. Vista Way, 945-3456).

Mad Platter, a 3-year-old family-owned business, is small and doesn’t stock much classical and jazz, but it has a tidy selection of alternative music, rock and even a little rap.

Mad Platter also stocks a healthy selection of cassettes, as does Vista Records and Tapes (906 S. Santa Fe Ave.; 941-0131), another small Vista store. Although small, its collection of used cassettes is impressive. Most are marked in the $4 range.

Some hard-core collectors, especially those interested in jazz and classical music, will probably be disappointed in some of these stores. Even the independents find it difficult to stock comprehensive collections.

For music specialties, it often pays to look to specialty shops. For example, Ocean Song Gallery (1440 Camino del Mar, Del Mar; 755-7664) is stocked with clothes, art and jewelry from South America, and it also features an extensive collection of cassettes from South American and New Age artists. Rainbow Country (1002 N. Highway 101, Encinitas; 943-8006) is a tiny store in Encinitas spotlighting reggae paraphernalia, and it also always stocks a few reggae albums.

Classical music fans might try Round Sound West (724-3366), a mail order operation based in Oceanside that specializes in classical music. Though the store doesn’t service street shoppers, for $10 a year owner Ed Durbeck issues six catalogues annually detailing his selection of more than 100,000 titles, 80% of which are classical.

These independent operations survive in part because of the owners’ willingness to take the extra step. Most are happy to order selections. And, if they don’t know how to get something, they usually know how to track it down.

In other words, it pays to ask questions. That coveted Partridge Family LP may just be stuck away in a corner, waiting for you.