Located at 201 North Court Avenue in Tucson, Arizona, Old Paint Records is in a shopping center full of art stores, cafés, and interesting shops. It’s a small space, but they have a lot to like, especially if you’re looking for vinyl.
I love how they have a bunch of retro glow-in-the-dark posters for sale, too.
And check out that vinyl edition of “The Doll Squad” soundtrack!
There are cassettes and CDs as well, but the selection is limited. Still, it’s worth a look, as is the whole store and many other shops in the area.
Located at the corner of 7th and Hoff, Wooden Tooth Records is a cool place for vinyl, CDs, cassettes, books, and other groovy stuff in Tucson, Arizona.
I love that they have a small section of books that includes local zines and underground comics. They have a bunch of wild stuff on vinyl, too, such as these gems I spotted there.
Calling Dr. Freud.Seriously, I might need this.And this.
That’s a great, and yet small example of their eclectic wares. Krautrock, electronic, ambient, folk, and children’s records in the same area!
Located in a strip mall at 2930 East Broadway Boulevard in Tucson, Arizona, Desert Island Records boasts a lot of cool stuff in a somewhat out-of-the-way location. They love not only music, but also cult films – as evidenced by their decorations you notice as soon as you walk into the place.
That “Elmer” poster alone is worth good money.A framed laserdisc of “The Day Time Ended”!
They have plenty of records, of course. No worries there if you’re a lover of vinyl
Music from “Song of the South?” That’s a big score for a collector of vinyl or Disney stuff.
They also sell a lot of gear for listening to music, both new and vintage.
While strolling through the Tucson, Arizona 4th Avenue Street Fair, I was delighted to find a new wrecka stow that was so fresh that it looked like the paint on the sign had barely dried. Hurricane Records (636 North 4th Avenue) had bins of records outside for sale during the street fair, and plenty of vinyl inside.
The selection there at the time was mostly classic rock, jazz, soul, and interesting soundtracks (note the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack record above).
Check out that sweet Blondie debut album.
There was also this little lounge area where I imagine DJ’s and small bands will play in the near future.
There were CD’s, too. Most of the discs were in box sets, and I scored a Steely Dan four-disc set for just twenty bucks. Unfortunately, the first two discs skip near the end of each, but I think I can buff out those scratches.
The Steely Dan box set I scored is the green box in the middle of the bottom shelf. And yes, that’s a copy of “Pet Sounds” on vinyl on the top shelf.
All in all, Hurricane Records seems to be on the right track to being a good place to score vinyl and promote the local art scene. 4th Avenue is a big art community in Tucson and a wrecka stow is a welcome addition there.
Keep your mind open.
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Tucson’s Zia Record Exchange is a fun place full of CD’s, DVD’s, toys, games, and a bunch of other stuff I probably missed. They cram a lot into a small space at 3370 East Speedway Boulevard.
The number of CD’s alone was a bit staggering. I had limited time there, so I didn’t get to browse as long as I would’ve liked. Don’t worry, vinyl lovers, they had plenty of records, too.
All in all, a fun place. I picked up a used CD copy of Neko Case’s Fox Confessor Brings the Flood for only eights bucks (review coming soon). It’s located in a shopping center with a great bookstore and a great bakery in it, so it’s worth a side trip if you’re in Tucson.
Keep your mind open.
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Tucson’s PDQ Records(2342 North Dodge) bills itself as a “rock and roll museum,” and that description is accurate. The place is a treasure trove of rare vinyl, tapes, CD’s, 8 tracks, and probably more stuff that I missed. Seriously, look at the size of this place.
I walked in and immediately spotted racks of newly arrived prime vinyl records to my right. Among them was this gem that I almost snagged, but I had to fly home after all and didn’t want to risk breaking any records in my luggage.
The place was full of cool, obscure records like this. You’ll spend an entire day here if you’re an obsessed collector of vinyl. I mean, look at some of this stuff.
I had no idea Elke Sommer had a singing career.
I want to hear this.
Subtle.
As I mentioned earlier, they have more than vinyl LP’s. They have a large collection of 78’s and 45’s, cassettes, and even stereo gear.
Just a small portion of their 45’s.
They even repair equipment.
Yes, those are VHS tapes and 8-tracks covering that wall.
I walked out of there with CD’s by INXS, Bill Withers, Big Audio Dynamite, and Blue Cheer. I could’ve walked out much poorer, but thankfully I don’t have a vinyl obsession (yet). You owe it to yourself to swing by here if you’re ever in Tucson. It really is a museum of music.
