Around the corner on Euclid is a SECOND record store called Criminal Records. This one is a bit more glossy and full of indie rock, kitch, dunnys and the like - but the fact that TWO record stores are thriving within a block of each other is really gratifying. I noticed 180 gram re-issues of vinyl I bought 25 years ago (DEVO baby!) for 17.99 and up. Of course, since I have the original sleeve and inserts mine is cooler - the one advantage of being old I suppose.
Little 5 Points has changed little in the last decade or two. Eat Your Vegetables is gone, Throb is gone, but those are the only two businesses that seem to have really disappeared. Junkman's Daughter is still selling stuff for very cute girls and the package store seems to have the same two broke down winos in the parking lot. Abba Dabba's is still rocking the Doc Martens and other specialty shoe labels, and seems to have grown. I used to visit Atlanta a lot in the 80s and early 90s, and its nice to see that, while some thaings have changed, most of the best stuff is still around.
Definitely awesome. When I lived in Atlanta from 1977-1982, hardly a weekend went by that I wasn't there. I spent far too many hours and far too much money digging through the record bins. Wax 'n' Facts was also the home to DB Records (as in Danny Beard) which put out the first B-52's single, Brains single, Pylon, the Pool Q's, the Fans, Kevin Dunn, Method Actors among others. Great label.
ReplyDeleteSorry that Throb is gone, but last time we were in Atlanta, Stefan's was still around. Better than La France. Back in the day, he and Abby were friends.
Another oldie that is long gone from L5P is Berman Gallery. One of the early galleries to carry modern folk art including the likes of Howard Finster, Mose Tolliver, and R.A. Miller.
And, a couple blocks south of L5P was the Wrecking Bar. Jim, you would have loved it for all the architectural artifacts. I believe it has been gone for a little while now.
I visited WB a few times - it was amazing. Its closed, and the building is under renovation at the present time.
ReplyDeleteNot familiar with Berman, must have been before my time of serious collecting.