Record Stores - Let's Go Back in Time

I regret that I didn't find out about Record Store Day until AFTER it happened. It would of been the perfect opportunity to show off this cool photo of "The Record Pit" in Greenpoint and reminisce about my favorite Brooklyn Record store that has been gone for a few years. Everyday should be record store day so I'm doin' it anyway!

Does anybody remember Don's Music on Amity Street near Court Street? The Village Voice named it "Best Record Store named after it's memorable owner" in the year 2000. I wrote the following AFTER I read that blurb. It's all pretty true, Don's Music was more than about music! It was one of the last businesses with any character in the area. It was difficult to go in there without ending up gabbing for at least an hour. Many times I didn't go FOR THAT REASON!!! I know it's bad! I was a loyal customer and many of my albums and CD's were purchased there, he always knocked a couple dollars off if you bought in bulk, WHO does THAT anymore?! His dollar bins were not all junk either. My best find was "Sounds of the Zodiac", an amazing album with a psychedelic go-go song for each sign of the zodiac. The songs all have a sinister edge, which makes it awesome. Anyway Don became a good friend, one of those "friends for life" types. Once I was invited to his annual Christmas party, I was "in". The man liked to throw down a party with D.J's and everythang. He moved out of that spot which later became a high priced bootery (now gone) due to a rent increase and also to follow a woman to the west coast. He is still out there, he opened another Don's Music, and I’ve heard it's almost a replica of his funky shop on Amity Street. If you remember Don, say hello to him on his MySpace site and if you are in Los Angeles, take a trip to the Eagle Rock area and pretend it's record store day. He's taken the store to the next level, having block parties, art shows and he is DJing like crazy all over L.A. Always with a gift for words, he has told me that L.A is like a "prison with palm trees". It's beautiful and too cheap to leave. It's sad that a born and raised NYC boy can't afford to come back, which, he would like to, or at least that is what he says. Currently the old store sits vacant, waiting for the next boutique to move in and fail.

Anyway, It's sad that there are so few record stores left. "Holy Cow" in Park Slope was pretty good and later "Something Else" gave it a good go but alas it's also gone. Growing up, I liked "Venus Records" when it was on Eighth Street, when they moved to St. Marks they weren't as good anymore. Freebeing on 2nd Avenue near St. Marks was pretty good too, now that's going waaaaaaaaaay back!