Detroit Record Stores of the Past

**thnk2mch** · June-10-10, 11:59 AM

"Where did you buy your records when you were growing up??"

Foxhole on Ford Road in Garden City.

**bahbay** · November-19-10, 10:26 PM

I used to work at a place on Purtan near Linwood called Angott Distributing. They used to sell to jukebox operators and music stores all over the state. One of their music store clients was the Downbeat Record Shop and Shine Parlor on, i think, Hamilton. One time I stopped by there on a Saturday and Aretha Franklin's sis was in there. They also turned out to be my first steady connect. I'm talkin _BACK_ in the day....

**psubliminal** · November-26-10, 12:38 PM

K-Mart is where I bought my first records [["Let It Be" 45 and Led Zep 3 LP). Next was a place in Wayne's old Metro Place Mall called 5-M Records, where I bought Deep Purple's Machine Head and the debut LP by West, Bruce & Laing. Then in 1973 I discovered Dearborn Music and Wazoo & Schoolkid's in Ann Arbor, and around '77-'78 I found Peaches.

In 1981 a school friend and neighbor, Jeff Garbus, opened a store on Ford Rd in Garden City called Desirable Discs. It was just west of the old Foxhole [[which became MusicMusic). He lost the store in a divorce and opened another one on Schaefer called Desirable Discs II. Then he got married again, moved the store to Michigan Ave and opened 2 more, one at Ford & Middlebelt and another at the old Repeat the Beat on Telegraph. These stores did well through the latter half of the '90s. Then he got divorced again and Desirable Discs II soon folded. So of course he opened up another place in 2000-01: Record Graveyard in Hamtramck. No CDs this time, only vinyl. More 45s than I've ever seen anywhere, even Ann Arbor.

After 29 years in the biz, Jeff is thinking of closing Graveyard at the end of the year. Everything is 50% off so I've been going there a lot lately

**Gannon** · November-26-10, 02:16 PM

Thanks for the tip, PS. Time to up my scouring muscles and pay him a series of visits.

**Kelton** · November-27-10, 12:38 AM

I remember shopping at that Desirable Discs on Ford Road in the early 80s. Jeff had his little baby in a playpen in the store. Shopped at Music Music across the street also. Sam's Jams in Ferndale. Does anyone else remember a used record shop in the strip mall by the Kmart at 7 Mile and Farmington Roads in Livonia? I got some super Detroit Emeralds on Ric Tic there - I'm An Ordinary Man [[Take Me The Way I Am) and Show Time. I can't remember the name of the store, and it wasn't there very long.

Spent many hours and many dollars at Repeat the Beat on Telegraph Road too. I dragged my little kids there and would joke with them that instead of a "Sorry We're Closed" sign that they should put up a "Sorry Kids, We're Open" sign. Then I'd take them next door in that strip mall to the Baskin Robbins and get ice cream as their reward for behaving while I sifted through the boxes of 45s. I remember getting Billy Harner's She's Almost You / Fool Me for 10 cents, one of my favorite purchases ever, being a Philly-area girl.

It was through Bob Talbert's column that I found out about the Record Conventions. Way back then they were held at some hall near Grand River and 9 Mile. What was that hall, A VFW? I remember a dirt parking lot and smoke-choked air and dealers all playing their 45s on their little record players. I bought a lot of records from Ed Shornock and his wife Linda. Their names were stamped on all the 45 sleeves.

In the 60's I shopped at Speedy's Records in Allentown PA. Moved to Michigan in 1977.

**davemarc** · November-27-10, 08:52 AM

Bahbay,My uncle ran Angott for years.Thats where I did all my buying as a youth.They where the largest independent wholesaler in michigan.Whenever a national act came through town they would stop by.Got to meet a lot of cool people that way. Dave

**oldredfordette** · November-28-10, 11:51 AM

Kelton, the 7 Mile & Farmington store was a branch of Sam's Jams.

I'm so happy that Royal Oak has a vinyl store again. If you haven't visited UHF yet, come on down. Bonus is the performance space in the back, a band called Zoos of Berlin played yesterday.

**terryh** · November-28-10, 06:32 PM

[quote=psubliminal;201483]K-Mart is where I bought my first records [["Let It Be" 45 and Led Zep 3 LP). Next was a place in Wayne's old Metro Place Mall called 5-M Records, where I bought Deep Purple's Machine Head and the debut LP by West, Bruce & Laing. Then in 1973 I discovered Dearborn Music and Wazoo & Schoolkid's in Ann Arbor, and around '77-'78 I found Peaches.

In 1981 a school friend and neighbor, Jeff Garbus, opened a store on Ford Rd in Garden City called Desirable Discs. It was just west of the old Foxhole [[which became MusicMusic). He lost the store in a divorce and opened another one on Schaefer called Desirable Discs II. Then he got married again, moved the store to Michigan Ave and opened 2 more, one at Ford & Middlebelt and another at the old Repeat the Beat on Telegraph. These stores did well through the latter half of the '90s. Then he got divorced again and Desirable Discs II soon folded. So of course he opened up another place in 2000-01: Record Graveyard in Hamtramck. No CDs this time, only vinyl. More 45s than I've ever seen anywhere, even Ann Arbor.

After 29 years in the biz, Jeff is thinking of closing Graveyard at the end of the year. Everything is 50% off so I've been going there a lot lately[/quoTES
Too bad the store is closing. I picked up a nice copy of John Choltrane Selflessness for 4 bucks, 14 dollars less than a compareable condition copy at Record Time in Ferndale. Im stopping by tomorrow.Anyone want to join me for a drink or two at Paychecks next door?

**terryh** · November-28-10, 06:33 PM

Stormy records in Dearborn has an abundance of 45s neatly displayed in rows, organized by genre.

**bahbay** · December-05-10, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by davemarc

Bahbay,My uncle ran Angott for years.Thats where I did all my buying as a youth.They where the largest independent wholesaler in michigan.Whenever a national act came through town they would stop by.Got to meet a lot of cool people that way. Dave

The manager when I was there was Harold Christensen and Ronnie Rogers ran the record dept - any of those sound familiar?

**davemarc** · December-05-10, 07:21 PM

Ronnie was one of the owners when he worked there....

**PaulGall** · December-26-10, 09:38 AM

I bought my first LP at Mellow Music on East Jefferson near Newport. It may have been in the same building as the Vanity Ballroom. It had a round sign, like a record that hung out over the sidewalk. Later on I would shop at LaGreen's Discount Records Downtown. I can't remember its exact location, but it was in one of those triangle buildings resulting from the spoked street design of Detroit. Like Lafayette and American Coney Islands. Not there, but the same idea.

**tammypio** · January-11-11, 12:03 AM

Grew up in Hamtramck and didn't have a car so we had Federal's Dept Store on Jos. Campau and [[my favorite!) Old Town Record Shop also on Campau. MOstly 45s from both of them. I was all into the oldies when growing up in the 70s, as well as the popular stuff, so Old Town was great.
After a while, I was able to get out to Korvettes on 12 and John R I believe and bought many an album from there.
Was also a member of Columbia House and RCA Record clubs.
Went to college at MSU and bought lots of albums at State Discount before cds came out. Still got the vinyl stuff I was collecting at Wazoo and FBC [[Flat Black and Circular) in E. Lansing.
I've got about 300 albums in my basement....can't give em up but never play them.

**Downrivergal** · January-11-11, 12:46 AM

Harmony House in Lincoln Park got a lot of my business

**terryh** · January-31-11, 12:43 PM

An article about Motown in Detroit Scope magazine mentions a spot called Prince Adams Record Mart on 12th and Hazelwood.

**rajdet** · February-25-11, 07:05 AM

E.J. Korvette's, Peaches, Dearborn Music, Sam's Jams.

**thnk2mch** · February-25-11, 07:05 PM

Just came across the below link to the folks that owned Foxhole Records in Garden City in the sixties.

A Country singer by the name of Clyde Grubb.

There is picture of Foxhole Records, one of Clyde with Buck Owens [[who apparently made an appearance at Foxhole, and Clyde's history.

http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artis...x.php?id=11040

**garyalex** · March-03-11, 11:55 AM

Federals Department Store - Grand River and Oakman.

**mimi** · March-03-11, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Where did you buy your records when you were growing up??

What were the best record stores in Detroit in the 60', 70's and 80's???

I remember "Peaches". They used the old wooden crates for display.

**SMRJim** · March-04-11, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by mimi

I remember "Peaches". They used the old wooden crates for display.

Forgot all about those crates til you mentioned that! Used to go to the Dearborn Peaches on Schaeffer back in the late 70s. Sams Jams was my favorite - you could find all of those albums that they weren't selling any more in the 'regular' stores. Me and my buddy would go there and get really excited whenever we found an old 60s or early 70s gem. Now you can find just about anything ever released via the internet.

**Bluenote132003** · March-11-11, 12:00 PM

Record Town on Gratiot closed it's doors for the last time yesterday...story on WDIV..

**East Detroit** · March-11-11, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Bluenote132003

Record Town on Gratiot closed it's doors for the last time yesterday...story on WDIV..

Record Time.

**kathy2trips** · March-16-11, 02:50 AM

in 1971, A cute guy who worked at Stereo City sold me a demo cassette of "Sticky Fingers" after much begging because it was the only one he had left and I was driving to Colorado with my parents for 2 weeks. Saved me from the hell of miles of bad lounge music. Thank you, cute guy, where every you are.

Four years later, I was working at Harmony House...first on John R., then I helped open some new stores, finally staying at the 11 & Hoover store for a while. Carl Thom was the first really great boss I ever had. All future employers would have to measure up; few did.

**fanniemae** · April-19-11, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by davemarc

Bahbay,My uncle ran Angott for years.Thats where I did all my buying as a youth.They where the largest independent wholesaler in michigan.Whenever a national act came through town they would stop by.Got to meet a lot of cool people that way. Dave

I worked for some of the chain music stores. I used to order from Angott and Vinyl Vendors in Ohio to get regional and hot sellers to get through the weekend. One guy I knew, Steve Gust, went to work at Angott. Don't know what happened to Steve. He had some problems.

**Eddieson** · April-30-11, 06:03 AM

Hello all, In a Detroit website, bruceharkness.com on pg 41 of the Urban Interiors chapter a guy talks about his Chene St. business, originally a record store owned by his father, which he inherited and later turned into a bait shop. Anybody remember that one?? Interesting stuff. If you are into Detroit blues, also check out the Blues and Colors chapter. Photos of the local blues greats, Uncle Jessie White, "Wild Child" Butler, Willie D. Warren at the Attic Bar and Soup Kitchen Saloon.