The Vinyl Tourist Visits Arizona Featuring Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa

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1. Tracks N Wax
   4741 North Central Ave.
   Phoenix, AZ
   (602) 274-2660
   

   

   This unpretentious store, with the dancing mice painted on the window, is a record collector's dream. Filled almost entirely with vintage vinyl, this is the place to go for just about every category. The store is especially strong in soundtracks, comedy, Jazz, pop vocalists, and older rock. Condition varies, but the price is usually right. I found an original Spike Jones' Dinner Music For People Who Aren't Very Hungry for $10 as well as Sir Douglas Quintet's The Tracker for $6. Very strong in 45's, too.

2. Stinkweeds Record Exchange
   12 W Camelback Road
   Phoenix, AZ 85013
   (602) 248-9461
   

   
   Photo by Kristin C.

   This is what record stores used to look like (well, almost). Stinkweeds is a roomy store with rows of new LP's and 45's as well as CD's and cassettes. With the exception of re-issues of classical and other vintage albums, they appear to stock virtually every new LP and 45 currently in print. Of course, this means their strength is in techno, house, new wave, etc. We picked-up new wax by El Vez, the Trashwomen, and Dick Dale plus a CD of the Shallow Grave soundtrack, featuring Leftfield. Strong selection of used jazz LP's, too. Check-out the Middle Eastern food next door.

3. Bookman's
   1056 South Country Club Drive
   Mesa, AZ
   (480) 835-0505
   

   Imagine a Border's or Barnes & Noble which only stocks used books as well as an excellent selection of used LP's and sheet music. At Bookman's, I found a nice selection of exotica (original pressings of Mystic Mood Orchestra's One Stormy Night, Henry Mancini's Greatest Hits, Arthur Lyman's Taboo, etc.) for about $5 - $10 each. Lots of half-speed remasters for reasonable prices, too. Big, bright, clean. Good picks in all categories.

4. Circles Records & Tapes
   800 N Central Ave
   Phoenix, AZ 85004
   (602) 254-4765
    
   and
    
   Circles Records & Tapes Classical
   808 N Central Ave
   Phoenix, AZ 85004
   (602) 254-2169
   

   I have not personally visited these stores, but an online source writes, "Circles has a large selection of vinyl [and] it's clear from the wall display of platinum and gold awards for record sales that this is no amateur operation. You may have driven past Circles before and taken notice of the redbrick building with the decorative pattern -- the eye-catching store is easy to spot from the street, and once inside, the open layout and clearly marked sections are easy to browse."

5. Rockzone Records
   1721 E. Warner #C-16
   (SW corner of Warner & McClintock in the Bashas' shopping center)
   Mesa, AZ 85284
   (480) 964-6301
   

   

   In January, 2007, Rockzone bought out the entire inventory of Rockaway Records and moved (along with most of Rockaway's staff) to a new location. They have over 10,000 used LPs and every Sunday all vinyl is 15% off and all $1 records sell for 75 cents. Under the previous ownwership, I found bargains in several test and audiophile recordings: M & K's Bottom End LP and an Angel 12-inch 45rpm LP of Stravinsky's Firebird by Giulini and the CSO for $7 each. You may want to bring earplugs--when we were there, the staff was playing a CD of sound effects at over 100db.

6. Memory Lane Out Of Print Records
   1940 East University Drive
   Tempe, AZ 85281
   (480) 968-1512
   (800) 326-5343
   

   
    
   

   Memory Lane is a long, narrow store jammed from floor-to-ceiling with collectable LP's and 45's. The selection is particularly strong in pop and rock records from the 1950's, but prices reflect their collectable status. There's also a large assortment of modern vinyl, but here the prices simply don't make sense--$12 for 70's and 80's rock records that you can find anywhere else for $4? I did pick-up a large group of Pérez Prado 45's that were fairly priced, however.

   Memory Lane Update: Since this review was originally written, I've been able to purchase some fairly obscure material through the mail (out-of-print Mary Black imports, Allen Ginsberg's Ginsberg's Thing on the Douglas label, etc.) at prices that are closer to the high side of fair than my instore experience suggested.

7. Revolver Records
   4214 North 7th Avevenue
   Phoenix, AZ 85013
   (602) 795-4980
   

   

   While I haven't personally visited Revolver Records, their MySpace site mentions that they stock over 12,000 records, including 5000+ that sell for $1. The latter also features a video tour of the store.

8. Prickly Pair Records & CD's
   P.O. Box 16107
   Phoenix, AZ 85011
   (480) 706-3939
   

   

   Prickly Pair's warehouse-sized store is gone and now the pair only deal over the internet. The Pair says, "If it's an old song you are seeking or you're an avid collector we feature a solid choice of 45 RPM and 33 RPM vinyl records, some 78 RPM records, vinyl collector records, jukeboxes, juke box parts and service manuals, supplies, price guides, compact discs and more, all at a fair price."

9. El Mercado, The Great Southwestern Swap Meet
   Southwest corner of 35th Avenue and Buckeye Road
   Phoenix, AZ
   Saturdays and Sundays Only!
   

   

   And now for something completely different... Every weekend, 1,400 vendors, almost all of whom appear to be slightly homesick Mexicans, set up stalls in El Gran Mercado, 40 acres of asphalt in the heart of southwest Phoenix. Most of the stalls feature clothing, hardware, and religious objects, but scattered in between the piñatas are a dozen or so music dealers. The format is 99% CD and cassette, the tunes are 100% Mexican, and the price is a uniform $10 per disc. It's worth the trip just to stroll up and down the aisles and pretend you're south of the border, if only for a few hours. Ever wonder where you could buy a faux leopard-skin jump suit for the señorita in your life, or an automatic transmission for him? This is the place where you can find them side-by-side with the latest tunes on Ciudad México's Top Ciento. Continuous live music and home cooking are also featured.

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