BELMONT RECORD SHOP

[Tom Coss]

Belmont Record Shop Hartford, Connecticut


In 1972, yours truly, Tom Coss was a student at H.C. Wilcox Technical
School in Meriden, CT. majoring in Electronics. One of my favorite radio
shows at the time was a daily Polka show, hosted by popular DJ Stan
"Cousin Ozzie" Ozimek and broadcast over WRYM 840 AM Radio. Also during
this time, I studied Radio and TV at The Connecticut School of
Broadcasting in Hartford, CT. Every saturday, immediately after class, I
would trek the one mile distance from Main Street to The Belmont Record
Shop. Belmont was phenomenal, with something for everyone in their huge,
varied inventory. Chief among the store personnel was a very pleassant
gentleman, Steve Manta, a living, breathing musical source book! A DJ
himself, he was invalauble regarding record queries. This definitely
worked for me, since many of the Polka albums I wanted were unavailable
elsewhere. In June of 1979 Belmont moved from Hartford to suburban
Vernon, CT. The new Vernon location lacked the vast selection of
Hartford; it also didnt have Steve Manta. Belmont Record Shop is but a
memory. A Walgreens Pharmacy currently occupies the spot at the corner
of Washington and Park in Hartford and the Vernon store is also history.
I lament the loss, as another great piece of the past went the way of
dinosaurs. My longtime friend, Garth Ahearn of Meriden, CT. provided
info about Belmont and Mr. Manta. Between Belmont and the record section
at the former G. Fox Department Store in Hartford, CT. on Main Street,
Garth and I indulged ourselves! Now those were the Good Old Days for
sure! From, TOM COSS of Meriden, CT.

[to.dav...@gmail.com]

Dear Tom,

I too was a frequent customer of Belmont. It was an amazing store, they had everything. Many was the day I discovered releases of my favorite groups I had never heard of; imports and rarities. Most of the important albums of my life were bought at Belmont. A few I remember are:

John Coltrane, Concert in Japan
Incredible String Band, Liquid Acrobat as Regards The Air
Bhagavan Das, Ah
Donovan, Gift from a Flower to a Garden
George Harrison, Concert for Bangladesh

I appreciate the digital revolution and I participate in it on many levels, but the time of the independent record store is sorely missed.

David Evans of Los Angeles
(Formerly of Manchester/Hartford/Farmington)

[gerard...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 5:04:29 AM UTC-4, Tom Coss wrote:
> Belmont Record Shop Hartford, Connecticut
>

> Hi Tom, I used to work there in the early 70's, mostly because I lived near by and would hang out there all the time, so they finally hired me. Don't know if you remember Roger Berube, he would always be at the register, knew where every album was, if I hadn't misplaced it. LOL Good times.

Thanks for the post.

[paul....@uconn.edu]

My brother Mike worked at Belmont. He and Roger were great friends. I was just a kid and not as into music as my brother Mike, but he dragged me along on a couple of runs to New York to work in a warehouse shuffling old records. My brother is gone, now, so I think is Roger, Remember the Sound room, right next door?

[Kenneth Paderewski]

TOM do you remember the Meriden band SURPRISE featuring Ken Nessing, Nick Stargu, Kenny Stabach, Ralph Colazzo, and John Manguel - G FOX record depth., Belmont Record Shop, Marble Pillar Restaurant, Honiss Oyster House, and SURPRISE - those really were the good old days in Connecticut.♡♡♡