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About Us

 Our Story     -     Inventory     -     Packaging and Shipping

Our Story

I was raised on records.  If my dad was home the stereo was on and the soundtrack of my life starred Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Al Hirt, Woody Herman and countless other legends and bit players via Show Tunes, legendary live performances and wonderfully orchestrated studio albums.  I didn't so much love it as lived it.

My dad loved his music but drew a rigid line at The Beatles and virtually all that came after.  I tried many times to convince him of the virtue of the songwriting abilities of Lennon\McCartney and the musicianship of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Elton John but he wouldn't have it.  The turntable wasn't mine unless he was absent.

I've been the master of my turntable for many years now and my dad is no longer with us, at least physically, but his love of music has passed through me and my sister and on through our tribe with at least the same passion intact.  Unlike my experience with my father, in fact because of it, I've been determined to be open to music that didn't get forever linked to some youthful rite of passage - first love, first breakup, building a family and a home.  I learn new things from my nieces and nephews and now their children about genres that didn't exist back in the day but still serve the same basic function of music - to stir passion and emotion in a generation, to eventually evoke memories sweet and bitter.  I love that.

Like everyone else I truly appreciated the digital revolution that made music so easily omnipresent.  My albums became CDs, my CDs yielded to Ipod then streaming.  Ever more convenient, ever more private.  But over time i started to miss the social, ritual aspects of the world of vinyl.  The selection of an album, the act of placing it on the turntable, the focus that yielded.  Music as a guest rather than a background accompaniment.  

One day not too long ago my wife and I made a rare visit to a mall and happened on a closing of what was once one of the retail music giants.  The deal was too good, the absence too heartfelt.  I purchased a ton of albums, ones my father would have bought, ones my children, nieces and nephews would have bought, ones their children would have bought.  I bought a turntable and speakers.  It only took the ride home to doubt my sanity.  But their were no returns.  

I muddled through vague memories of stereo setup until i accidentally succeeded.  Then a decision.  What to play, what to play as my first taste of vinyl in over twenty years.  I looked through my treasure trove and my fingers remembered how to riffle through music of generations.  My mind remembered how to make a decision for the moment, for the mood and i selected The White Album.  The needle dropped, my anxiety melted amidst a warmth and detail that the digital world sacrificed for excellent convenience.  

That's our story.  We want to make it yours.

Our Inventory

We find our inventory everywhere.  Distributors. tag sales, thrift shops, flea markets, online, offline - everywhere.  We don't seek specific genres, we seek music that we think someone will love.  We focus on vinyl but recognize that much of the world is understandably in the digital camp so CDs are part of what we seek.  

In all cases we conduct a comprehensive review and grading process for all used inventory.  Unless otherwise noted the process followed is the Goldmine Grading Process (see the standards described below).  We can't possible listen to every item but the Goldmine process is based upon visual standards.  In some cases, where we can not be sure of the quality of the record we do listen to it.  In those cases the fact that the product has been play tested will be noted in the description.  We try hard to not oversell their condition, rather to highlight their blemishes so our customers can make informed decisions.  We believe there are happy homes for Acceptable graded products as well as for Mint condition products but we want no unhappy surprises so we strive for accuracy and promised quality in what we deliver.

Goldmine Standards (according to Goldmine Magazine)

Other Considerations

Most dealers give a separate grade to the record and it's sleeve or cover. In an ad, a record's grade is listed first, followed by that of the sleeve or the cover. 

Packaging and Shipping

It's beyond disappointing to open your new shipment and find shattered vinyl or jewel cases.  For you and for us.  We believe that part of quality differentiation is the quality of the product delivered.  As a result we take great care (and extra cost) in packing our product so they reach you in the same condition as they left us.  

We also ship as soon as we possibly can and strive to exceed but at least not fall short of expected delivery dates.

We charge a flat rate of $4.00 for shipping using Media Mail where possible (all Vinyl and CDs). We don't cover our shipping and handling costs entirely through this policy but it does allow us to fulfill our desire to eliminate disappointments when you get your package of goodies while making sure that you don't incur a large shipping cost when purchasing multiple items.  Other calculated options are available to you at checkout should you want to expedite your order.