| East 14th Street | ||
| Virgin Megastore | 52 East 14th Street | 9 a.m-1 a.m. |
| 212-598-4666 | On the corner of East 14th Street and 4th Avenue | every day of the year |
| Easy now, I know you didn't expect to be reading about one of the giant global record chains at this site but hear me out. I'm not suggesting that you actually buy anything here, but the store can be useful to you. Take a walk through the rows and rows of listening racks and if you see something interesting put on the headphones and punch "play." Cooper Temple Clause, Ratatat, the new Roots album? Find out what they sound like for free here. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Academy LP Store | 77 East 10th Street | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Mo-Th |
| 212-780-9166 | Between 3rd Avenue and 4th Avenue | 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Fr-Sa |
| 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Sun | ||
| Academy's an all-used all-vinyl store. Its clean and nicely organized. An essential stop for record guys--rock, soul, jazz, hip hop, etc. Stop by if you can fit it in. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Sound Library | 214 Avenue A | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. |
| 212-598-9302 | Between 14th Street and 13th Street | every day |
| Sound library is almost all used records with a huge hip hop section and a substantial jazz section. Lots of listening stations and lots to look through. Kind of a straight-sounding name for such a cool place. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| East 7th Street and Area | ||
| A-1 Records | 439 East 6th Avenue | 1 p.m.- 9 p.m. |
| 212-473-2870 | Between 1st Avenue and Avenue A | every day |
| Great all-record store. Well-organized and categorized with lots of interesting sub-genres recognized. Nice clerk tried to help me find an rare old Ute e.p. I've been after for years. Very worthy. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Turntable Lab | 120 West 7th Street | 1 p.m.- 9 p.m. Mon-Fri |
| 212-677-0675 | Between 1st Avenue and Avenue A | noon - 8 p.m. Sat-Sun |
| One-stop shopping for hip hop/scratch djs. Turntables, mixers, videos, records, magazines, etc. Primarily records, as far as music, with lots interesting add-ons ("Buy the new DJ Shadow C.D. and get a free remix C.D.") that you won't get at other stores. While I'm sure the dudes who work here recognize wanks like Jay-Z and 50 Cent they're definitely more into Aesop Rock, The X-ecutioners, and the Anticon record label. Must see. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| St Marks Place and Area | ||
| St. Marx Music | 23 3rd Avenue | 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Su-Wed |
| 212-254-9500 | Between St Marks Place and 9th Street | 10 a.m.-4 a.m. Th-Sat |
| In 2006 St Marx Music expanded to two locations. The store on East 10th is their main and nicest/cleanest/most organized location. While the other location in the basement of another record store, Norman's Sound and Vision (67 Cooper Square), is much rattier its also packed with good stuff and definately worth a dig. Both stores have lots of CDs, LPs, DVDs, and VHS video (including lots of music DVDs and VHS). Both of these stores are also part of my standard record store rounds...these are two of the good ones. For more info on the second location see the Norman's Sound and Vision web site. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Chickpea (Food!) | 23 3rd Avenue | 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Su-Wed |
| 212-254-9500 | Between St Marks Place and 9th Street | 10 a.m.-4 a.m. Th-Sat |
| Chickpea used to be St Marks Pizza, and its name was the result of contest run by the location's owners. (The winner received $2,500.) Its a pita/falafel/hummus place with fabulous, fresh, and (most important to me) inexpensive food. The basic falafel is served on a fresh-baked pita and is just $3.20. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Norman’s Sound and Vision | 67 Cooper Square | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun-Th |
| 212-473-6599 | On 3rd Avenue between St. Marks Place and East 7th Avenue | 12 p.m.-12:00 a.m. Fr-Sat |
| Norman's is a large rough around the edges new and used CD store. I haven't bought much there but they do have a decent markdown bin (promo of the new Bad Plus release for $2.99) and a lot of new and used CDs of every genre. In addition, they are just a few steps off of record row on St. Marks Place. In the basement of Norman's is another, more low key, branch of St. Marx Music. Everything they deemed not worthy of their main store (just a few blocks away) is here. A healthy amount of CDs, LPs, and videos stuffed in small space with plenty of marked-down budget stuff. The more you dig the more you'll find. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Mondo Kim's Music and Video | 6 St Marks Place | 9 a.m.-midnight |
| 212-598-9985 | Between 2nd Avenue and Third Avenue | every day |
| You're going to be spending some time here. Two well-organized floors of new and used CDs, new and used DVDs and VHS videos, music and movie-related books, and all kinds of other stuff. I love the way things are categorized by genre. You're sure to come across things at Kim's that you won't see elsewhere. You could put together a sweet Wilco starter kit here--the book, the movie, and their full catalog of CDs plus all of the side projects (from current and former members). | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Sounds | 16 St Marks Place | Open at noon Wed-Sun |
| 212-677-2727 | Between 2nd Avenue and Third Avenue | |
| This is primarily a rock, punk, and indie rock CD store. If you're on the hunt for things in these areas this is a great place to spend some time. Give the 88 cent boxes a dig, too. I found the Fiery Furnaces CD there a week after it came out. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Rocket Scientist | 33 St Marks Place | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Sn-Th |
| 212-242-0066 | Between 2nd Avenue and Third Avenue | 12 p.m.-10 p.m. F-Sat |
| Down the street, but on the same block, from the other three great St Marks stores Rocket Scientist is well worth the two minutes of walking you'll need to do. Though the guy working was going on and on about UK hard rock heavyweight Status Quo (last time I was there) this is your standard great, rough-around-the-edges indie music store. They also pull crates of budget CDs out front when the weather is nice. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Lower Avenue A | ||
| Etherea | 66 Avenue A | 12 p.m.-10 p.m. Sn-Th |
| 212-358-1126 | Between 3rd Street and 4th Street | 12 p.m.-11 p.m. Fr-St |
| Friendly, low-key, and often touted as the best used compact disc store in the city Etherea is an easy sell to indie music lovers. Lots of used and new CDs and records. I'm a sucker for well-organized stores with the stock split up in many different genres and sub-genres. You'll always hear something interesting playing and they have the best free poster stack I've ever seen. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Good Records | 179 East 3rd Street | 12 p.m.-9 p.m Mon-Th |
| 212-529-2081 | Between Avenue A and Avenue B | 12 p.m.-10 p.m. Fr-Sun |
| Small place that's nice and clean but I get the same hit that Turntable Lab, Sound Library, and Fat Beats levels me with...that this is a hip hop DJ store. Given that the owner is the kind of nice guy we all pull for, and while the stock is mostly vinyl, on top of the hip hop and break beat stuff there is jazz, latin, reggae, and other kinds of music here. If you're in the area drop in. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| CBGB's (Landmark!) | 315 Bowery | 12 p.m.-7 p.m. gallery |
| 212-677-0455 | Between 1st Street and 2nd Street | and giftshop--every day |
| Though the shows are now mostly aspiring punk/rock bands you've never heard of CB's has a rich history of helping foster the New York No-Wave/Punk scene of the late-70's (Richard Hell, the Ramones, Television, Blondie, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, etc.) as well as being one of the city's premier indie rock clubs for the last 30 years. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Jammyland / Hospital Productions | 60 East 3rd Street | 12 p.m.-7 p.m. |
| 212-614-0185 / 212-614-9652 | Between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue | every day |
|
Jammyland:
Small, packed reggae-only store that's heavily into dub. When I was there the guy working was extolling the virtues of his all-time favorite, dub kingpin Lee Scratch Perry. CDs, vinyl, 45s, and some great T-shirts. Hospital Productions: In the back of the store there's a hole in the floor that you use to climb eight steps down to Dominick Fernow's Hospital Productions store. This is the real deal, the true "underground" here--stocked with home-packaged CD-Rs, cassettes, CDs, singles, and LPs. Though you can buy a record etched into a coke mirror and a CD packaged in a zip lock bag chock full of some Swiss guy's dump (no, really) this place is so clean you could assemble microchips in this sterile music-packed dungeon. While I'm guessing much of the music denies categorization the terms noise rock or outsider music probably help but it seems much of the music falls somewhere in the experimental/free-form end of the black metal pool. If you're really curious you can back order issues of Arthur magazine at the mag's web site (http://www.arthurmag.com) and read Byron Coley & Thurston Moore's column, which Fernow's also involved in. You can also check out the Hospital Productions web site (see below). I defy you to find another record store on the planet where Sunn and Napalm Death are too commercial while bands like Crib Death, Ash Pool, and Filthy Turd are the chart toppers. |
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| * | ************************* | * |
| Downtown Music Gallery | 342 Bowery | 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday |
| 212-473-0043 | Between 2nd Street and 3rd Street | 12 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday |
| A great store that not many people know about. They concentrate on experimental/jazz-type stuff and if you're going to go to Other Music head over to Bowery, take a right and walk a couple blocks to check out this place. They do a great newsletter, cool in-stores, and deserve your support. CDs and vinyl. Yeah, they love Zorn here. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Houston/Downtown of Houston | ||
| Bereket Turkish Kebab House (Food!) | 187 East Houston Street | 24 hours |
| 212-475-7700 | Corner of Houston and Orchard Street | every day |
| Possibly the best low-priced 24-hour joint in the city. Fried eggplant or stuffed grape leaves in a pita with the works for just $3. Try the bizarre yogurt drink for $1...just be aware it tastes like plain yogurt. Lots and lots of other tasty treats, too. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Burkina World Famous Hip Hop Shop | 176 East Houston | 10 p.m.-8 p.m. Sun-Th |
| 212-460-9348 | Between 3rd Street and 4th Street | 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Fri-Sat |
| Small space jam-packed with hip hop music, clothing, video, mix tapes, etc. A little pricey for me, with no used stock, but this is an absolutely essential stop for hip hop heads. Don't bank on these hours. I couldn't get the person working to give me a definitive straight answer on when they're normally open. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| New York City Hardcore Tattoo (Landmark!) | 127 Stanton Street | 1 p.m.-11 p.m. |
| 212-979-0350 | Between Norfolk Street and Essex Street | every day |
| So I go by NYHC Tattoo to take some pictures and the guy working is wearing sunglasses with one round red lense and one square green lense. What the hell? From what I could garner this is one of (the only?) places remaining from the glory days of the time when killer ultrahard hardcore punks like Agnostic Front, da CroMags, Murphy's Law, The Beastie Boys, Ratcage Records (the store and label), and (my personal favorite) Cause For Alarm roamed the immediate area. Look, if you're going to get a tattoo get it here. Two blocks from where I work. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| La Conquita (Food!) | 236 Lafayette Street | 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon-Sat |
| 212-226-9835 | Between Prince Street and Spring Street | |
| Get a wonderfully filling and greasy pile of rice and beans for just $6. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Rocks in Your Head | 157 Prince Street | 10 p.m.-8 p.m. Sun-Thurs |
| 212-475-6729 | Between Thompson Street and West Broadway | 10 p.m.-9 p.m. Fri-Sat |
| It's rough. Its a little messy. Its a splendid place to do some digging. Racks and racks of used cds and records. A decent mark-down section and all kinds of videos and books you won't come across anywhere else. Spend some time and buy a shirt. Don't be afraid to utilize the owner/operator--he's a knowledgable and friendly guy. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| h272 - The DJ Honda store | 272 Lafayette Street | 10:30 p.m.-8 p.m. M-F |
| 212-324-1333 | Between Prince Street and East Houston Street | 11:30 p.m.-8 p.m. St-Sn |
| If you're looking to buy 50 different hats (no kidding) with the DJ Honda "h" on them this is the place. Primarily a hip hop joint there all kinds of mix discs, clothing, and music here. Sometimes on Saturdays they have live scratch djs. If you're looking for gear, when your done here, head down the block and check Triple 5 Soul, Brooklyn Industries, and the Supreme Pop Shop. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Yellow Rat Bastard (Landmark!) | 478 Broadway | 10 a.m.-8 p.m |
| 212-625-8989 | Between Broome Street and Grand Street | every day |
| Actually I just figured you'd want to tell everyone you know that you went to a store called Yellow Rat Bastard. Being four blocks below Houston this is a bit of a hike (even for someone who digs walking the city streets as much as me) but they have the largest collection of $25-$40 hipster tee-shirts you'll find anywhere. This is one place where you might hear someone say "that is so last week" without a trace of irony. Three connected stores and I swear I was the only person in the entire complex until I picked up a book called "Lapdancer" and was instantly surrounded by 10 new customers. Worth a walk-through. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| East 4th Street | ||
| Tower Records | 692 Broadway | 9 a.m.-midnight |
| 212-505-1500 | Between Thompson Street and West Broadway | every day |
| Since Tower is right next to the the magnificent Other Music take advantage of their rows and rows of free listening racks. Decent rack of (albeit mostly big, glossy, corporate) magazines to peruse. If you hear something you like go buy it next door. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Other Music | 15 East 4th Street | 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Mon-Fri |
| 212-477-8150 | Between Lafayette Street and Broadway | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Sat |
| 12 p.m.-7 p.m. Sun | ||
| While the competition is quite rugged this would be my pick for the top dog of new and used independent music stores in New York City. Outstanding selection of new and used cds, top-notch staff, records, magazines, t-shirts, and a kick-ass markdown bin. You could spend all day here. Mid-80s D.C. hardcore fans should ask if Bert Queiroz (formerly of Youth Brigade and Second Wind) is working. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| West Greenwich Village | ||
| House of Oldies Records | 35 Carmine Street | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tu-Sa |
| 212-243-0500 | Between Bleecker Street and Bedford Street | |
| Small space packed primarily with old rock and soul, Elvis, Beatles, Who, and the "largest collection of Rolling Stones records in New York City." Really quite an interesting place. Not open on Sunday and Monday. "No CDs. Records only." | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Vinyl Mania Records | 60 Carmine Street | 11 p.m.-8 p.m. Mon-Wed |
| 212-924-7223 | Between 7th Avenue South and Buford Street | 11 p.m.-10 p.m. Th-Sat |
| While it appears there is an abundance of house music singles here this is an interesting store that's worth including as part of your tour. Lots of CDs, lots of records. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Bleecker Street Records and CDs | 239 Bleecker Street | 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun-Th |
| 212-255-7899 | Between Carmine Street and Leroy Street | 11 p.m.-1 a.m. Fri-Sat |
| Huge main floor packed with new and used CDs of all genres and huge basement packed with used records of all genres. You never know what you might find here. Spend some time flipping through the massive selection before indulging yourself at one of great bakeries on Bleecker. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Rebel Rebel | 319 Bleecker Street | 12 a.m.-8 p.m. Su-We |
| 212-989-0770 | Between Groves Street and Christopher Street | 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Th-Sat |
| Another place that pulls racks of discount CDs outside when it gets warm. Lots more cheap CDs inside, too. Sort of your typical used CD/LP store with an indie bent but there's something inviting and friendly about this place. While I'm pretty sure its not the wall of Madonna magazine covers being inside Rebel Rebel makes you want to hang around for a while. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Discorama | 186 West 4th Street | 10:30am-10:30pm Mo-Th |
| 212-206-8417 | Between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue | 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. F-Sa |
| 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun | ||
| This is part of a chain, and there is a lot of junk here, but you can get most new releases (behind the counter) for $9.99 or $10.99. I got the new Beasties for $10.99 the day it came out. Go ahead and take a look around but the aisles are extremely narrow at Discorama and the racks are packed with lots of crap. Digger beware. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Fat Beats | 406 6th Avenue | 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Mon-Sat |
| 212-673-3883 | Between 8th Street and 9th Street | 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Sun |
| No one will deny the authenticity of this house of hip hop. The freshest 12-inchers, the baddest break records, and the hottest old school disks line the walls of this West Village institution. The store has recently added a rack of used records, and more CDs. There are also mix tapes, videos, tee-shirts, magazines, and there's often a live DJ practicing his scratches. Head upstairs and check it out. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Gray's Papaya (Food!) | 402 6th Avenue | 24 hours a day |
| 212-260-3532 | Corner of 6th Avenue and West 8th Street | every day |
| Best dog in the city. For $2.75 you get two dogs (try 'em with onions, mustard, and kraut)and a papaya drink. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Subterranean Records and CDs | 5 Cornelia Street | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. |
| 212-463-8900 | Between Bleecker Street and West 4th Street | every day |
| To be honest this one just barely made the cut. Kind of a mess but worth a look. You may be surprised and find something interesting. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Blue Note (Landmark!) | 131 West 3rd Street | 6 p.m.-11:30 p.m. (Giftshop) |
| 212-475-8592 | Between 6th Avenue and MacDougal Street | every day |
| Club opens 6 p.m. | ||
| One of the world's foremost jazz clubs. Where legends where made. Some great souvenirs in the gift shop. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Bleecker Bobs Records | 118 West 3rd Street | 12 p.m.-1 a.m. Sun-Thu |
| 212-475-9677 | Between 6th Avenue and MacDougal Street | 12 p.m.-3 a.m. Fri-Sat |
| This is where Kramer tried to sell his crummy records in that one episode of Seinfeld. Lots of punk, hardcore, and heavy metal here. Jeez, they were cranking the first Exodus album ("Bonded by Blood", 1985, Combat Records) the last time I was in there. First rate if you like the hard stuff. Only store I noticed with an "emo" section. Cool posters and shirts, and a markdown bin (99 cents) that gets better every time I stop by. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Generation Records | 210 Thompson Street | 11a.m.-10p.m. Sun-Thu |
| 212-254-1100 | Between Bleecker Street and West 3rd Street | 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Fri-Sat |
| Here it is. The punk and metal superstore. A place so big there is a map just for the t-shirt area of the store. Two spacious floors of records, CDs, movies, t-shirts, and all kinds of other stuff. Maybe the only store in the city where you can get every Blast! CD. I could go on and on about this one but take my word for it you do not want to take a pass on Generation. Many people tell me this is the only store in the city they regularly go to. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Village Vanguard (Landmark!) | 178 7th Avenue South | Club/giftshop doors |
| 212-255-4037 | Between 11th Street and Penny Street | open at 8 p.m. nightly |
| The other world-renowned West Village jazz club. Most shows cost 30 bucks but, hey, you can spend some time in the room where Coltrane made history. Small giftshop inside | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Between 14th Street and 70th Street | ||
| Academy Records and CDs | 12 West 18th Street | 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Mo-Sa |
| 212-242-3000 | Between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun |
| Don't let the name scare you off. If the crowd of people that's always packed in there is any indication this is a great store. You walk in and you're instantly met by stacks and stacks of cheap CDs ($0.99-$3.99). With a little effort you'll probably find something you need. Every musical genre is represented in this joint. Tons of interesting low-priced DVDs, VHS movies, and CDs and its just a few blocks from Union Square. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Jazz Record Center | 236 West 26th Street, #804 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Mo-Fr |
| 212-675-4480 | Between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue | Open Sat after Labor Day |
| Be aware that you need to go into the building at 236 and take the elevator to the 8th floor. If you like jazz this fantastic place is an essential visit. In addition to the many records and CDs (most are $10) there are bookshelves of jazz, all kinds of cool low-cost Blue Note posters, and lots of wild memorabilia (like that Far Side cartoon with the young Dizzy Gillespie). Add the knowledgable proprietor and music playing and you have a wonderful record store experience. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Curry in a Hurry (Food!) | 119 Lexington Avenue | 11 a.m.-midnight |
| 212-683-0900 | Corner of Lexington Avenue and 28th Street | every day |
| Low-cost ($7 for the size large vegetarian platter, a buck for each vegetable samosa) tasty Indian food that may be a little out of your way but is worth the effort. Located in an area of the city known as "Curry Hill" if Curry in a Hurry doesn't look good to you there are a lot of other place like the Curry Leaf to try. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| White Castle (Food!) | 525 8th Avenue | 24 hours |
| unlisted (?!) phone | Between 35th Street and 36th Street | every day |
| Star of yet another movie--this one called "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle," (though, in reality, Kumar didn't eat one bite of a White Castle)--who hasn't heard of White Castle? Open all night long you've got to surrender to the guilty pleasure of these amazing tiny burgers at least once. Just remember that when you order those 10 (mini) cheesburgers you have to make a special request for pickles. One tip: don't make direct eye contact with the actual meat patty. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Future Legend | 796 9th Avenue | 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m Mon-Sa |
| 212-707-8180 | Between 52nd Street and 53rd Street | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday |
| This is your indie source in Hell's Kitchen. How often do you see rack cards for Lambchop, Uncle Tupelo, Prefuse 73, The Books, etc.? Lots of vinyl, lots of CDs, and everything is clean and nicely organized. Person working is usually nice and helpful and will (see above) pose for pictures. I usually find at least one interesting thing at the right price when I make the effort to visit or am in the neighborhood. They also have $10 tee-shirts and an okay $1 bin. There's a decent kitchy record culture Thai/American diner down the block called "Vynl" (9th Ave at 54th Street)--with a half-dozen bathrooms dedicated to different pop music icons (Elvis bathroom, Cher bathroom, etc.) and some interesting toys and memorabilia (I seem to recall a box of "Biz Markie Flakes"(!?)). | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Vanderbilt YMCA (Accomodations!) | 224 East 47th Street | 24 hours |
| 212-756-9600 | Between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue | every day |
| This is an okay place to stay if you can't get in at the Hotel Riverside Studios (my first choice by a long ways). Room rates start at $65 a night. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| 70th Street to 82nd Street | ||
| Hotel Riverside Studios (Accomodations!) | 340 West 71st Street | 24 hours |
| 212-873-5999 | Dead ends on the west side of West End Avenue | every day |
| For so many reasons this is the place where I recommend you stay. While the hotel does have some eccentricities (I had to go through seven doors each time to get to the stairs that led to my room) and the bathrooms are shared, there are all kinds of advantages to staying here:
1. The air conditioning works great. (Most YMCA rooms don't have air conditioning.) 2. Everything is clean and everything works. 3. This is a safe, quiet neighborhood. 4. Food and beer is close by 24 hours a day. There is a giant Gristedes Mega(grocery)store at 2109 Broadway--between 73 Street and 74th Street, and a Gray's Papaya (yum!) hot dog stand at 2090 Broadway--on the corner of Broadway and 71st Street. 5. It's just $50 a day for a single and $70 a day for two people. 6. You're also close to Zabar's and NYCD. Keep reading. |
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| * | ************************* | * |
| Zabar's (Landmark/Food!) | 2245 Broadway | 8a.m.-7:30p.m. Mo-Sa |
| 212-787-2000 | Corner of 80th Street and Broadway | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday |
| New Yorkers have come to love and trust Zabar's quality food for over 70 years. While a little expensive the cheese, the bakery, the deli, the sandwiches, it's all fabulous. At the very least try a potato mushroom knish. H and H Bagels (many say the best bagel in New York City) is just right across 80th. Try an everything and a hot blueberry (each in its own bag cuz you don't want the flavors mixing). | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| NYCD | 173 West 81st Street | 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun-Th |
| 212-724-4466 | Between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fr-Sat |
| One of my favorite compact disc stores in the city. I always seem to find something here--the Avengers, Ozamatli, Ratatat. Nice selection with a slammin' discount ($1.99 and $5.99 racks) section. The guys working here--Tony and Sal--are always deep in some music-related discussion ("...sure Stevie Nicks is gorgeous but Christie McVie was the voice of Fleetwood Mac.") They are probably discussing the merits/weaknesses of this web site right now. Step down into one of the few reasons to go past 80th Street. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Brooklyn | ||
| To get to Brooklyn you take the "Brooklyn Bound" (the other direction heads toward, and ends at, 8th Avenue...still in Manhattan) L train from anywhere along 14th Street in Manhattan. On the subway map the L train route is colored gray. You'll probably want to catch it at Union Square (by the Virgin MegaStore) or 6th Avenue. You'll get off at "Bedford Avenue," which will be the third or fouth stop. Its also the first stop after 1st Avenue. From the Bedford Street stop you could walk to any of these places except for Beat Street. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Oasis (Food!) | 161 North 7th Street | 11 a.m.-3 a.m. |
| 718-218-7607 | Between Bedford Avenue and Driggs Avenue | every day |
| Get off the "L" train at the Bedford stop and you'll find Oasis right at the top of the stairs. While I've never been to the Middle East I'm told that their claim of "Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine" does hold some truth. The best part of the whole deal is their low prices starting with a $3 falafel sandwich. All kinds of great stuff including outstanding humus. I've never gotten anything there that didn't make my mouth water. How can you beat that combo? | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Earwax | 218 Bedford Avenue | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Mo-Th |
| 718-387-1929 | On the corner of Bedford and North 5th | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri-Sat |
| More than one critic will tell you this is the best record/CD store in Brooklyn. Earwax has that indie rock/electro feel of Other Music in Manhattan. You'll find lots of new and used CDs of the usual indie genres. There are also some records, singles, and a small bin of marked-down promos. | ||
| * | ************************* | * |
| Passout Records | 131 Grand Street | 12 p.m.-10 p.m. |
| No Phone. | Between Berry Street and Bedford Avenue | every day |
| Man oh man, this place is hipster heaven with all of the paintings and framed photographs and just the overall approach of things. I mean, c'mon, look at that sign. Don't get me wrong, Passout has serious potential, but at this point the records and CDs are just another part of the decor. Teengenerate, Bad Brains, pre-70s "punk." In a neighborhood with four other stores manned by dudes who truly love music and love records if you don't swing from the heels you're gonna spend the duration as the Kansas City Royals of the 'hood. Let's step it up, guys. Bring the noise. | ||
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| Academy Records | 96 North 6th Street | 12 p.m-8 p.m. |
| 718-218-8200 | Between Wythe Avenue and Berry Street | every day |
| Our local chain (two stores in Manhattan) with the educational name spreads to Brooklyn. All used records all the time. Even if you aren't a big vinyl buyer if you have any interest in used records at all you're going to find a trip to the rows and rows of LPs at Academy worthwhile. More of an emphasis on indie-type stuff than any all-vinyl store I've ever seen, and you don't get that crowded feel that you get in most Manhattan stores. | ||
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| Sound Fix | 110 Bedford Avenue | 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Mo-Th |
| 718-388-8090 | On the corner of Bedford and North 11th | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Sunday |
| This is the new kid on the block and these guys are gonna give Earwax a run for their money. Very similar to Earwax (big focus on used/new indie rock and electro) but this place is a little bit roomier and nicer, with more records. Interesting and mysterious things seem to be going on in the backroom and the guys working are always talkative, helpful, and friendly. In addition I found a number of cool hard-to-find things here (including a collaboration between Negativeland, Coldcut and Steinski). | ||
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| Russ Pizza (Food!) | 745 Manhattan Avenue | 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. |
| 718-383-9463 | Between Meserole Avenue and Norman Avenue | every day |
| People will tell you that you get a better slice at Anna Maria's (just a couple of stores down from the L train station on Bedford) but I prefer the less oily more flavorful slice at Russ (no apostraphe) Pizza. A cheese slice is $2 and if you're extra hungry you can get a whole pie the size of a manhole cover for $11.
While most of the Brooklyn places mentioned here are in the Williamsburg (or "Billyburg") neighborhood of Brooklyn Russ Pizza and Eat Records are both in the Greenpoint neighborhood which is next to Williamsburg. If you make it to Sound Fix you can make it to Greenpoint. Walking out the door of Sound Fix take a left and walk straight for about 10 minutes and you will see when you hit Manhattan Avenue, which is the main street in Greenpoint. At Manhattan take a left and walk two blocks to Russ Pizza. |
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| Eat Records | 124 Meserole Avenue | 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Mo-Fri |
| no phone | Between Leonard Street and Eckford Street | 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Sa-Sun |
| This is a cool little neighborhood joint that really deserves your support. Tons of records (many of them 10 for a buck) and lots of used CDs, too. Also some singles and local music and they occasionally have live music there as well. I find something interesting almost every time I make the trek to this store. My last find was a promo box of the complete Miles Davis "In a Silent Way" sessions for just $19! Cool place.
Eat Records is real close to Russ Pizza in Greenpoint. Step outside of Russ after your slice and take a left. At the next intersection (Meserole Avenue) take a right and go a block to Eat. The sign above the shop door says "Joe's" and has a drawing of a record. |
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| Greenpoint YMCA (Accomodations!) | 99 Meserole Avenue | 24 hours |
| 718-389-3700 | Between Lorimer Street and Manhattan Avenue | every day |
| If you can't or don't want to stay in the city you might want to consider the Greenpoint YMCA. It's just $40 for a single and $50 for a double, and the Y is located across from the NYPD. How much safer could you be? The only downside is that there's no air conditioning, which could be a killer in the summer.
The Y is just around the corner from Russ Pizza...step outside of Russ after your slice and take a left. At the next intersection (Meserole Avenue) take another left. The YMCA is right there. I still, however, recommend the Hotel Riverside Studios in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. |
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| Beat Street | 494 Fulton Street | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. |
| 718-624-6400 | Between Hoyt and Ein Streets | every day |
| Beat Street (and the Fulton Street outdoor mall that its on) seem(s) like the center of the hip hop universe. Music is downstairs and you'll have to head to the back to comb through the rows and rows of hip hop 12-inchers that line the walls and pack the racks. Huge and cool...you'll find all kinds of hip hop-related stuff here, from DJ Gear, LPs, and CDs to movies, magazines, and t-shirts. When you're done exploring get a slice, a dog, and an italian ice at the Fulton Hot Dog King down the block. Then check out the incredible selection of gear and sneakers up and down the mall. You'll find cool cheap shirts at the Conway store.
You'll need to make a bit of an effort to get to Beat Street and the mall. If you're coming from Manhattan you take the "Brooklyn Bound" (the other direction heads toward, and ends at, 8th Avenue...still in Manhattan) L train from anywhere along 14th Street in Manhattan. On the subway map the L train route is colored gray. You'll probably want to catch it at Union Square (by the Virgin MegaStore) or 6th Avenue. You'll get off at "Metropolitan Avenue," which will be the fourth or fifth stop. Here you'll need to transfer to the "Smith-9th Streets" bound G train (its lime green on the subway map). *Be sure you don't get on the "Queens" bound G train.* Get off at the "Fulton Street" stop and when you emerge Beat Street is on Fulton, in the direction of that liquor store you'll see down the way. You can also just ask somebody. From Bedford Street/Williamsburg you'll need to get back on the "Brooklyn bound" L train and follow the procedure I mentioned above. From Greenpoint (Russ Pizza/Eat Records) you'll need to get on the G train at Norman or Nassau, right off Manhattan Avenue, get on the "Smith-9th Streets" bound G train and follow the directions above. |
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