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Best record shops in Canada

ouweeouwee 50 Posts
edited May 2012 in Strut Central
Hi

Planning a trip to Canada. I would appreciate If anyone could point me best local recordshops. Planning to visit
Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and possible Vancouver too.

many thanks
jts

  Comments

  • dj_cityboydj_cityboy 1,460 Posts
    might wanna check this yo!

    http://www.soulstrut.com/index.php/City_Guide/
  • $ugar $weatz$ugar $weatz 39 Posts
    There are a number of sweet little record stores all over the city. Look in the East End for hidden gems. There is a place called Ric's at Carlaw and Queen that is my personal favourite. Then all you do is walk East on Queen to find 3 more spots. You could go to Pandemonium Books in the very West End of "Downtown" and check out their selection and then work your way back to the downtown core. PM me if you want a guided tour!
  • vintageinfantsvintageinfants 4,537 Posts
    $ugar $weatz said:
    There are a number of sweet little record stores all over the city. Look in the East End for hidden gems. There is a place called Ric's at Carlaw and Queen that is my personal favourite. Then all you do is walk East on Queen to find 3 more spots. You could go to Pandemonium Books in the very West End of "Downtown" and check out their selection and then work your way back to the downtown core. PM me if you want a guided tour!

    you failed to mention this being Toronto. maybe why everyone in this country hates us.

    in my experience the best places to actually dig up any heat is outside of the major cities in the goodwills and dusty town shops that have gone untouched by the grubby hands of Le Diggeur. i dont think there are any actual record STORES worth planning any kind of day trip around in a metropolitan area.... but my suggestion to you is to just keep an eye open and be ready to pull the trigger when you see it.
  • DubiousDubious 1,865 Posts
    no werries, goes without sayin there's no wax on the east coast
  • parallaxparallax no-style-having mf'er 1,266 Posts
    vintageinfants said:
    $ugar $weatz said:
    There are a number of sweet little record stores all over the city. Look in the East End for hidden gems. There is a place called Ric's at Carlaw and Queen that is my personal favourite. Then all you do is walk East on Queen to find 3 more spots. You could go to Pandemonium Books in the very West End of "Downtown" and check out their selection and then work your way back to the downtown core. PM me if you want a guided tour!

    you failed to mention this being Toronto. maybe why everyone in this country hates us.

    in my experience the best places to actually dig up any heat is outside of the major cities in the goodwills and dusty town shops that have gone untouched by the grubby hands of Le Diggeur. i dont think there are any actual record STORES worth planning any kind of day trip around in a metropolitan area.... but my suggestion to you is to just keep an eye open and be ready to pull the trigger when you see it.

    Mostly true, however Cosmos West has some heat. Have a dig, and if you don't like what you see, talk to Aki and ask what else he has. He'll slide back the curtain in the back to a big shelf of treats. He showed me Machine on All Platinum, Carlos Franzetti, Newban, some library, etc. Bring cash for a discount. You won't get any steals because he knows his shit, but if there's a grail you must have, he might have it.

    Kindly,
    parallax
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    parallax said:
    vintageinfants said:
    $ugar $weatz said:
    There are a number of sweet little record stores all over the city. Look in the East End for hidden gems. There is a place called Ric's at Carlaw and Queen that is my personal favourite. Then all you do is walk East on Queen to find 3 more spots. You could go to Pandemonium Books in the very West End of "Downtown" and check out their selection and then work your way back to the downtown core. PM me if you want a guided tour!

    you failed to mention this being Toronto. maybe why everyone in this country hates us.

    in my experience the best places to actually dig up any heat is outside of the major cities in the goodwills and dusty town shops that have gone untouched by the grubby hands of Le Diggeur. i dont think there are any actual record STORES worth planning any kind of day trip around in a metropolitan area.... but my suggestion to you is to just keep an eye open and be ready to pull the trigger when you see it.
    e Machine on All Platinum, Carlos Franzetti, Newban, some library, etc. Bring cash for a discount. You won't ge

    Mostly true, however Cosmos West has some heat. Have a dig, and if you don't like what you see, talk to Aki and ask what else he has. He'll slide back the curtain in the back to a big shelf of treats. He showed mt any steals because he knows his shit, but if there's a grail you must have, he might have it.

    Kindly,
    parallax

    yes aki is a cool, knowledagble guy who has ridiculous records that will blow your mind (mention you are form out of town and serious and he will let you in the back to see the unpriced secret stash) but his prices tend to be on the extremely high end. so check it out but know going in that anything you walk out with will be at a premium price unless it is some of the banged up (but really cool) stuff he has under the bins...

    toronto literally has dozens of shops but i found most of them to be fairly ho-hum for the stuff i was looking for. i guess the ideal thing is to try and hook up with a private dealer or two becasue i know that there is serious heat at a reasonable price somwhere in that city.

    calgary is pretty good for records (holleur at hollafame for advice) and vancouver is good too but you have to hit up the subburbs (eg. appollo in coquitlam or crazy bob's)

    my sense is that montreal is fairly taped out but pcmr come up with good finds on the regular so maybe holler at him for advice.

    anyhow, what sort of records are you looking for? if you are into singer-songwirter, waxidermy type things then you will probably come up but if you are into jazz and funk your best bet is to hop over to new york for a couple days..
  • ouweeouwee 50 Posts
    thanks for the tips! could use that Machine LP !
  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,899 Posts
    dj_cityboy said:

    Just a note. The location for Cosmos West changed a bit back.

    http://cosmosrecords.ca/locations/cosmos-west/
  • dj_cityboydj_cityboy 1,460 Posts
    Dubious said:
    no werries, goes without sayin there's no wax on the east coast

    really? Taz as been killing it lately and Black Buffalo always has dope shit, Select Sounds might not be the best choice, but i pulled loads of dopeness out of that place as well...

    record fair Saturday....you going?

    i was going to boycott, but my vinyl needs dictates something different...lol
  • HollafameHollafame 844 Posts
    There are no records in the prairies, a fully justified skip ;-)
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