Headshop Record Stores

For some reason I got all misty-minded about these shops. I wondered how many of them are still around?
I bought my first real album in one of these places. It was Hendrix's "Smash Hits" and I bought it at The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis. There were several others. Positively 4th Street near where I grew up. Third Stone Records. Stone Blu records. I can still tell what I got from these places because anything that came from them still reeks of incense (I kid you not!) to this day. I haven't been record shopping in the city for years, but these stores added an ambience that I definity don't get from mail order (let alone my Ipod). I wonder if Sax know if any of those stores are still there?
How about the ones where you all live?

I've been to plenty of head shops in my day...and plenty of records stores, but never saw them combined. Most of the head shops these days sell t-shirts, hemp bags and other environmentally friendly items.

Of course my bedroom during most of the late 80's early 90's could probably qualify as one of those establishments.

SAHB Healer wrote:

......I bought it at The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis.

That could be a cool band name.

The Fetus will never die [locations still open in Duluth and St Cloud, as well. And they are both better than the Franklin store, if ya ask me. Rochester ate dirt a long time ago]. Third Stone and Stone Blu are gone. The Positively 4th Street in your old hood is closed, but their sister store [Know Name Recs] on Crosstown and Portland is still there and exactly the same [just overpriced now]. Maharishi's in DT St Paul is still open, as is the Hideaway in Dinkytown. DT Minne - Sun's and High Times are gone and Sex World took their biz. Hymie's has moved about 8 times in the last 20 years and finally bit it for good a couple months ago. Uptown - I believe Area 420 is still open [was last time I drove by anyway]. Inzane in BP is now a head shop exclusively, as they got rid of all their music media [LAME]. TreeHouse Recs in the Wedge [fka OarFolkJokOpus, fka ...., fka...] still carries. Probably more, but my brain is fried right now....[I'm clean and sober kids. Don't take that literally, unless ya want to].

Oh, and we are down to just 2 Cheapo's [Uptown and Midway]. They consolidated all thier stock from the other stores and built up the St Paul store really nicely. It has a cafe with listening stations and everything. When they burned down about 5 years ago, me and a bud went dumpster diving and found some great stuff [albeit, it all was heavily smoke damaged].

Dump the goat for a w/e and I'll refresh your memory!

Oh yeah, Garage D'Or is also gone. That place used to be stellar!

Know Name Records! That was the smelliest most Incense polluted store ever! Great! I'm glad it's still there.
OreFolkJokePus! I learned Punk Rock there! Man, just about every great record I ever got was from either OreFolk or The Fetus.
Hell, I can't even burn incense any more. I got Asthma now. I'd probably need a gasmask just to go into those places now. Thanks Sax!

When I visited Madison, Wisconsin in the early 90s, a lot of the used record/CD stores did double duty as head shops. Can't remember any of their names though.

Here in Jersey I only remember one such "combination" retailer, and it was a booth in a big indoor flea market rather than an actual store. My friends and I used to hit that flea market at least once a month to buy all of his cool metal stuff when I was in high school. The guy always had the best imports and vinyl bootlegs, as well as a killer selection of underground comic books ("Cherry Poptart," "ZAP," The Freak Brothers, etc.), band shirts (and lots of tie dyes too), and the requisite locked case full of bongs, pipes, bowls, screens, etc. -- with a huge sign on the front of the case saying "These items are for use WITH TOBACCO ONLY." We always got a big laugh out of that. "Yeah, ri-i-i-i-ght!"

When I was growing up, I frequented a head/record shop in Allentown, PA called Fantasmagoria. It was a great place for finding underground and import punk records by bands like Pointed Sticks and Radio Stars.

There were 2 headshops (I believe 1 is still in existance) that I occasionally frequented in my youth, but I don't recall them selling any music. The one place might have had a few homemade demo tapes from the local skate punk bands, but nothing professional. I do remember that the place gained some noteriety (sp?) in the late 80's because members of Cinderella and Britny Fox used to get their stage clothing there. I can still see the big, signed photos on the wall.

Penguin Feather Records & tapes, recrod shop up front. heah shop in the back. They are no longer around - it was located in Vienna, VA and everyone was always trying to close it down. They had big sign in the back next to the bongs, etc saying "these are for tobacco use" LOL!!!!!

The store was mowed down and is now the site of a great New Mexico style mexican place!!!!

SAHB Healer wrote:

OreFolkJokePus!

Thanks for the [sp] - I knew I butchered that. OarFin is still released albums, though. I believe Peter Jesperson took that over after the demise of Twin Tone.

Starship Records in Tulsa (it smells "funny" and always has)
Happy Days Records in OKC (not really a headshop, but I still get that somewhat uncomfortable feeling when I walk in)
Hit Records in Dallas (same feeling as Happy Days)

SAXON1500 wrote:

SAHB Healer wrote:

OreFolkJokePus!

Thanks for the [sp] - I knew I butchered that. OarFin is still released albums, though. I believe Peter Jesperson took that over after the demise of Twin Tone.

I remember Pete Jesperson and Terry Katzman. I don't remember that they had paraphenelia though, but I wasn't into that then anyway. And don't go by my spelling. I have no idea how to spell it.