Music Stores in Houston
Ron Nguyen
classical CDs at a reasonable price? It's a little frustrating when the
only music store close to where I live is Wherehouse/Blockbuster. I
have a lot of cds that I'd like to sell, but I don't want to get ripped
off. Can someone help?
Ron
A. Brain
here; the used selection is pretty good there (Westheimer/Voss location and
Shepherd/Greenbriar location), and it's the only reason to go there unless
you like high prices. Or you can go there and look for stuff that is out of
print or on its way out; since they don't sell much, because of the high
prices, it's actually possible to find it sometimes. The Westheimer/Voss
location has traditionally been "the" place for classical in
Houston. They still have a good selection, but no imports, i.e. out-of
catalogue items that are the main reason to shop stores instead of the
internet. (Teppay,
one of the best sushi bars here, also with high prices, is a few doors away
from
the Voss/Westheimer location--their mostly Japanese customers regularly
patronize the classical dept.)
Record Town in the "Galleria" (are there any major metropolitan areas in the
West or Southwest that do not have a mall with this name?) has a "club" you
can join to save 10% off their high prices (and increasingly limited
selection--the jazz, new age, etc has moved into the formerly classical
enclave and takes up more and more space). This place does have imports and
at least has some mid-priced CDs at mid price, even some budget price CDs at
budget prices.
Borders (Meyerland, Westheimer)--Meyerland not recently visited since this
outfit bought out Planet Music, a great store with huge selection and low
prices, then promptly cut the selection and raised the prices. Borders
Westheimer also has limited selection, even though they have supposedly had
classical "events" such as artist signings; there's a large Japanese
community in this part of the city, but there is still no good classical
store there; (far west, farther than I want to go, even for good sushi).
Not visited: Sam Goody in Rice Village. In this high end area, the prices
are unlikely to be good.
Best Buy, Circuit City--electronics stores with minimal selection but good
prices. You are likely to find only the latest and popular releases, but
the prices are worth it. At Circuit City, you can find "full-price" CDs
for $12.99; Phillips Duo, London/Decca 2 CD sets are the same price, $12.99;
Naxos $4.99 to $5.99. But loud "music" playing makes these places less
than ideal to put it mildly.
Rumor has it that Tower is coming to Westheimer, just inside the Loop.
Borders (ugh) is also coming to Kirby, but will not last; they are building
a huge ugly store in a neighborhood where a large full service bookstore,
arguably the best in Houston, has already cut its hours in response to lost
internet sales.
As far as I know, Wherehouse is the only place that trades in used CDs,
other than Half-Price Books (multiple locations). If you have dozens, rather
than hundreds, why not trade by e-mail, posting in this group--not
necessarily your list, but inviting e-mails directly to view your list? ( I
have seen this done and I don't think it's against any "rules"; e-bay still
seems like a lot of trouble to me, and if you are not careful in your
post, you might be called the idiot of the day by those policing the site.
Actually I enjoy those posts by Mr. Tepper)
Speaking of which, Wherehouse and other mass market stores are featuring
really cheap labels with "top 40" classical and no identification of
performers)
--
A. Brain
Remove "nospam" when replying via email
Ron Nguyen <nguy...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:38B2B723...@hotmail.com...
Joe Salerno
Music when they dropped memberships. When I inquired they said I would get a
credit for purchase in the store, and should have gotten a letter about it
which I did not. Then Border's moved in and PM was gone. About the same time
Media Play moved out of the market. They had all moved in about the same
time and left the same way. Even Best Buy cut out classical CDs. Record Town
in the Galeria moved jazz and new age into the classical room, giving less
space to all.
Wherehouse is about all we've got left. I don't know the guy wit the accent
on Westheimer but he seems knowledgable enough. Joel and David are
knowledgable and help as best they can, Joel has done pretty well ordering
things for mwe. Takes some time but their success rate is pretty good. (Mark
left the store and has since moved to Washington).
To think that once upon a time I could walk into a store and buy things off
the shelf...
--
Joe Salerno-A Battery is Always on Charge!
Video Production & Post Production
PO Box 273405 - Houston TX 77277-3405
http://joe.salerno.com
Fax: 603-415-7616
"Soyara" <Soy...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:8927oh$tgt$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> In article <yzBs4.8088$PA2.7...@bgtnsc06-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
> "A. Brain" <abr...@nospam.att.net> wrote:
> > Borders (Meyerland, Westheimer)--Meyerland not recently visited since
this
> > outfit bought out Planet Music, a great store with huge selection and
low
> > prices, then promptly cut the selection and raised the prices. Borders
> > Westheimer also has limited selection, even though they have supposedly
had
> > classical "events" such as artist signings; there's a large Japanese
> > community in this part of the city, but there is still no good classical
> > store there; (far west, farther than I want to go, even for good
sushi).
> >
>
> The Planet Music classical departments in Meyerland and on Westheimer near
> the Sam Houston Tollway were (and I stress the word "were") first-rate:
> spacious, extensive, quiet. The special marketing surveillance cameras
must
> have caught me visiting these locations too often, for they were soon
closed;
> the first lesson marketing people learn is to discover my likes, then
> ruthlessly obliterate them. After I stopped screaming, Sir Edward Grey's
> words went through my mind: "The lights are going out..."
>
> Internet purchasing may be quick and convenient, but I *like* the
> time-consuming inconvenience of a good browse.
>
> --
> Greg Hlatky
> www.borzoi.net/soyara
>
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
>
James M. Cate
Ron Nguyen wrote:
> I'm looking for a good music store in Houston, TX where I can buy/sell
> classical CDs at a reasonable price? It's a little frustrating when the
> only music store close to where I live is Wherehouse/Blockbuster. I
> have a lot of cds that I'd like to sell, but I don't want to get ripped
> off. Can someone help?
> Ron
________________________________________
Ron,
What classical CD's do you want to sell?
Jim
Soyara
JTHANSFORD
>Music when they dropped memberships.
Ah, yes. I spent many weekends in the Westheimer Planet store. I still wear
my "charter Star Club member" T-shirt with pride!
Joe Hansford
A. Brain
running a semi-permanent "sale" whereby one gets $3 off each CD (or CD set)
if you buy three or more. That makes full price CDs 14.99 and mid-price
9.99. That's not that good compared to internet prices such as Tower, but
it's much better than we are used to here. And of course they would move
more "product" if they recognized that $3 off per cd in sets makes sense
too.
Still not a great selection, and weird organization. Vocal works, with some
exceptions, are segregated by artist only at the Westheimer location, so if
you want to see, for example, Schubert Lieder, you have to go to
Fischer-Dieskau or whatever--the Schubert section does not have vocal works.
Choral works, with some exceptions again, are in another section by
composer.
They seem to have some imports now, contrary to what I said before.
Oh, and while we are lamenting the demise of Planet Music, let's not forget
the "Groove", a high end hi-fi shop at Westheimer and Kirby. This
innovative store had a small selection of CDs, but they were carefully
selected to represent a wide repertoire, but only the best recordings, and
at bargain prices. What a great idea! Of course that requires someone with
brains, and as it turned out, it did not work. Somebody should do this in
NYC.
--
A. Brain
Remove "nospam" when replying via email
Joe Salerno <jo...@salerno.com> wrote in message
news:OX1t4.805$Xr4....@news.swbell.net...
> Brings back too many memories. I had just renewed my membership in Planet
Joe Salerno
all the way back to the 60s when Home Entertainment (now only gear) sold LPs
under the name Disc Records, or Discount Records. They were on Bissonnet as
I recall before they moved into the Kirby store and changed to HEI.
Wherehouse & Record Town have limited space for classical I'm afraid. At
least you don't have to pay for shipping there (but you do pay sales tax).
Hey, I've got an idea, let's pass a law and make the sale of all classical
music recordings sales tax exempt!!!
--
Joe Salerno-A Battery is Always on Charge!
Video Production & Post Production
PO Box 273405 - Houston TX 77277-3405
http://joe.salerno.com
Fax: 603-415-7616
"A. Brain" <abr...@nospam.att.net> wrote in message
news:Rdmu4.9767$YG.7...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
A. Brain
bookstore that can't compete with Amazon. And while you are at it, why not
exempt the first $150 or so of clothing purchases (Connecticut exempts the
first $75, to allow poor families to buy clothers for the kids.)
Don't expect Governor Bush to propose these--he doesn't care much for
books--or for poor people. He wants tax cuts for the rich and welfare for
the rich.
At one of those appearances he makes in schools talking about the
importance of reading, a pupil asked what books had been important to him as
a child. He couldn't name one. And he fought attempts to liberalize, i.e.
expand eligibility for, health insurance for the poor children of Texas.
--
A. Brain
Remove "nospam" when replying via email
Joe Salerno <jo...@salerno.com> wrote in message
news:VlFu4.1417$sR2....@news.swbell.net...
Matthew B. Tepper
>
> "A. Brain" wrote:
>
> > Don't expect Governor Bush to propose these--he doesn't care much
> > for books--or for poor people. He wants tax cuts for the rich and
> > welfare for the rich.
> >
> > At one of those appearances he makes in schools talking about the
> > importance of reading, a pupil asked what books had been important
> > to him as a child. He couldn't name one.
>
> be successful in life. Right or not, way to encourage those tykes!
> Just shoot for a C, kids!! You'll do fine!
Also, don't worry about people sullying your reputation by saying bad
things about you in a book. If you have enough money in your slushfund,
you can toss a little money at some editor at St. Martin's Press and get
(most of) the press run pulped and burned!
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page -- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
My main music page --- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/berlioz.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion
"Compassionate Conservatism?" * "Tight Slacks?" * "Jumbo Shrimp?"
David Standifer
> Don't expect Governor Bush to propose these--he doesn't care much for
> books--or for poor people. He wants tax cuts for the rich and welfare for
> the rich.
>
> At one of those appearances he makes in schools talking about the
> importance of reading, a pupil asked what books had been important to him as
> a child. He couldn't name one.
And he expressed his view that if you can make a C in school, you can be
successful in life. Right or not, way to encourage those tykes! Just shoot for
a C, kids!! You'll do fine!
David Standifer
Sacqueboutier
> Yes I had forgotten the groove and Joe the salesman there. Heck I remember
> all the way back to the 60s when Home Entertainment (now only gear) sold LPs
> under the name Disc Records, or Discount Records. They were on Bissonnet as
> I recall before they moved into the Kirby store and changed to HEI.
>
Is Cactus Records defunct?
--
Don Patterson
* DCP Music Printing
* Professional Computer Music Typeset
* Music Arrangements
* don...@dclink.com
* Trombonist
* "The President's Own"
* United States Marine Band
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Matthew B. Tepper
>
> Joe Salerno wrote:
>
> > Yes I had forgotten the groove and Joe the salesman there. Heck I
> > remember all the way back to the 60s when Home Entertainment (now
> > only gear) sold LPs under the name Disc Records, or Discount
> > Records. They were on Bissonnet as I recall before they moved into
> > the Kirby store and changed to HEI.
>
I think there have been extended arguments over whether they are to
remain in business or be taken over by "Steel Needle Records."
A. Brain
Is Cactus Records defunct?
>
> --
>
>
>
No, Cactus is alive, but only sells rock, new age, etc. and rents videos.
Despite their inner loop location, close to one of the better bookstores,
they have only a small classical section. Crossover and a handful of Yo-Yo
Ma, three tenors, et al. Well, maybe more than just that, but not very
much. Sometimes you might find stuff that is rare at places like this, but
I looked at almost their entire selection a few months ago and saw mostly
CC, Domingo, and very mainstream selections. A lot of "new age" stuff down
there--the store is also adjacent to the Whole Foods Market.
Small "independent" stores used to be all over the place, with good
selections of classical. When I moved to Austin in 1976, there was an
outstanding place called the "Inner Sanctum" on 24th St. And a half dozen
other places, including the University Coop. Cactus in Houston was like
this until around 1983.
JTHANSFORD
>selections of classical.
I was in Allgood Records around Christmas time for the first time in years. It
is an idependent shop on W.Gray and Shepherd. It had a decent classical
selection but was in disarray due to Christmas albums being out and I think
they are planning to relocate to a nearby location. The owner was friendly and
it had the "little shop" feel. I want to go back later to check their
selection more closely.
Joe Hansford
JTHANSFORD
Sorry--that should be All
Records.
Joe Hansford
Sacqueboutier
Tony Dvorak wrote:
> In article <38BF1A14...@dclink.com>,
> don...@dclink.com wrote:
> > Joe Salerno wrote:
> >
> > > Yes I had forgotten the groove and Joe the salesman there. Heck I remember
> > > all the way back to the 60s when Home Entertainment (now only gear) sold LPs
> > > under the name Disc Records, or Discount Records. They were on Bissonnet as
> > > I recall before they moved into the Kirby store and changed to HEI.
> > >
> >
> > Is Cactus Records defunct?
>
> Ugh. Cactus is nothing now, certainly with regard to classical music;
> it's presently mostly a video store. Long gone are the days when it
> used to be one of the best places in Houston to buy classical LPs.
A pity. I remember in high school (1970s), it was a real treat to go there. They
had the largest classical selection in Houston...before Sound Warehouse or whatever
it's called these days.
Tony Dvorak
> > all the way back to the 60s when Home Entertainment (now only gear) sold LPs
> > under the name Disc Records, or Discount Records. They were on Bissonnet as
> > I recall before they moved into the Kirby store and changed to HEI.
> >
>
Ugh. Cactus is nothing now, certainly with regard to classical music;
it's presently mostly a video store. Long gone are the days when it
used to be one of the best places in Houston to buy classical LPs.
Tony D.