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What Makes a Good Used CD Store?
I think what makes a good used CD store is the amount of young hipsters living in the area. I spent Saturday in Seattle and visited a few good used CD stores. What makes a bad used CD store is when the arrogant narcissistic clerks are so masturbatory obsessive with the music that they are playing it that they crank it over the intercom system so loud that you can not listen to music that you are sampling with headphones.
The presence of college students to a used CD store is a good thing because they will keep it well stocked with new and creative tunes. They will also sell the cool stuff they had in high school go get beer and food money and the selection of the store benefits. Homeless crack heads bring down a good CD store because they are known to steal empty cases and music and then attempt to sell their stolen wares back to the same damn store they stole it from. At least that is what one of the used CD store clerks told me on Capitol Hill in Seattle.
I am going to go out on a limb and say that a good used CD store is a cooler way of getting music than downloading it over the Internet. You get to hunt and sift through a more eccentric selection and it is still cheaper to buy used CDs than to go to the various online places. While used CD stores are 100% legal the artists does not get any part of the used transaction but the good news is neither do the RIAA scumbags.
There is a zen appeal to it that is only comparable to finding ironic and kitschy fashion statements at Goodwill. I get almost no mainstream exposure to the world of music because I do not read any music magazines, listen to the radio or watch MTV. So I have no problem discovering new music on my own and it is a joy to be free of the pressures of having to be cool and current. Then again no one in high school could understand that I liked the band Hammerbox. (BTW the Bio linked here is wrong they were a Gen X band not a Gen Y band)
P.S. enough freaking links for you? I try to use Hypertext to it's full effect.
Jake at September 29, 2003 
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Comments
wait, so which used cd stores did you checkout on capitol hill? i used to like playback (back when it was cd exchange) and now that, what, at least two stores (wherehouse and cellophane square) merged into one gigantic everyday music, i gotta say, i love the everyday music selection. that place has more obscure singles than ebay, it seems. i've gone in with some singles that i'm like, hell yah, these are rare, they gotta buy em for lots fo money... and then they're like, "sorry, we already have the sonic youth disappearer single." damn. at least i can buy cool shit there too. and you're totally right -- buying used cds is way more fun... especially going through the just-in bins.
Posted by: jason at September 29, 2003 11:55 AM
Lower Queen Anne is my favorite place to go for music but like most places it really is a crap shoot on what you will find.
Posted by: Jake at September 29, 2003 12:22 PM
We have a wonderful independent store called ear-x-tasy and it has an amazing used and new cd selection! You are looking so cute with your trendy retro beer!
Posted by: rah at September 29, 2003 7:04 PM
JEEBUS! PUT DOWN THE PBR JAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: pete at September 29, 2003 8:29 PM
what makes a good used cd store? when the cds are really big. and black. and... vinyl..
Posted by: WiL at November 10, 2004 11:07 AM
Hey there..........I'm looking into opening a used Cd shop here in CHICAGO. We have TONS already, But many seen to fall into the "BAD" file. I'm lookin' for someone who may have done something like this . Need some advice !!
email me MJHUBBARD2@hotmail.com
Thanx MIKE
Posted by: mike at April 14, 2005 2:56 PM
Take some classes in running a small buisness I guess.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at April 15, 2005 9:02 AM
